Sasin School of Management and the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC) partnered to launch GCEC NEW FRONTIER: BANGKOK SUMMIT 2024, the inaugural Asia-based GCEC summit held during Sasin Impact Entrepreneurship Week 2024 (Sasin IEW) from June 19-23, 2024.
The opening ceremony on June 21 featured welcoming remarks from executive teams of Sasin, GCEC, and Chulalongkorn University, followed by keynote sessions and the panel discussion “Driving Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystems for Impact: Journey for Success.”
M.L. Dispanadda Diskul (Duke), CEO of Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage and the President of the Sasin Alumni Association, delivered a keynote on the transformative power of social entrepreneurship. The Mae Fah Luang Foundation has spearheaded sustainable development in Thailand, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Myanmar through initiatives like the Doi Tung project, which rehabilitated an opium-dependent community by promoting reforestation and alternative crops like coffee. This effort expanded into diverse enterprises including cafes, tourism, handicrafts, and horticulture. Collaborations with global brands such as Ikea and Japan Airlines underscore the foundation’s partnership ethos. Innovative products like handwoven fabrics from recycled PET bottles showcase their commitment to sustainability. “The world has the technology and knowledge to overcome crises—the missing piece is global commitment. While social enterprises play a role, they're a small percentage. Integrating impactful practices into larger corporations is the challenge. Beyond Thailand, we aim to show businesses can transform the world, urging larger companies to embrace sustainability,” M.L. Dispanadda Diskul asserted.
Another visionary keynote speaker was Mechai Viravaidya, former politician, lifelong activist, and Founder and Chairman of The Population and Community Development Association (PDA) and Mechai Bamboo School, who shared an inspiring journey of PDA’s 50 Years of Experience with Social Enterprise.
Since 1975, the association has funded rural development without shareholder distributions, instead reinvesting profits into education, conservation, livelihoods, and charitable activities. To attract investors, the association foundation ensures contributions grow, symbolised by planting a tree for every three dollars invested. Social enterprises like restaurants, gift shops, and local produce marts, affordable hotels, resorts, and scholarships enhance community livelihoods.Mr. Mechai highlighted the established Bamboo School, which is dedicated to training young and future social entrepreneurs and community development leaders. This initiative aims to foster a new generation of social entrepreneurs.
Bamboo school is not only a school for the students but a livelihood development hub for the entire community where parents pay for the children's tuition by planting trees and students take care of the school’s assets and finances, as well as interview candidates to hire teacher and principal positions.
Professor Ian Fenwick, Ph.D., Director of Sasin School of Management, emphasised Sasin’s mission to inspire, connect, and transform for a better, smarter, sustainable world. Founded over four decades ago in partnership with Kellogg, Wharton, and others, Sasin was Thailand’s first school to achieve AACSB and EQUIS accreditations. Today, Sasin continues to expand collaborations with leading universities worldwide. “There’s far too much knowledge out there to learn everything. And even if you did learn everything today, it will be useless tomorrow. What we have to do is to inspire people to seek new knowledge continuously. We need to connect them to like-minded others so that together they can transform business, transform the world, transform society. And a core part of that transformation is entrepreneurship,” Dr. Fenwick noted.
Dibyendu Bose, Deputy Director of Strategy, Innovation & Impact, Sasin School of Management, outlined Sasin Impact Entrepreneurship Week’s goal to foster innovation, inclusivity, and positive change. “We are trying to build a hub, a platform, a vibrant ecosystem where entrepreneurs, start-ups, investors, policymakers and even the public can convene to ignite innovation, champion inclusivity and drive positive change. We have curated a series of exciting events, including this prestigious GCEC NEW FRONTIER: BANGKOK SUMMIT 2024 which delves into how entrepreneurship can empower both society and businesses to flourish.” Grateful for sponsors, including Corporate Responsibility & Ethics Association for Thai Enterprise, Kasikorn Bank, Chatrium Grand Bangkok, The Mae Fah Luang Foundation, Coca-Cola, ThaiBev, ThaiNamThip, The Great Room, Yip In Tsoi, Sentinel Solution Thailand, and Chulalongkorn University, Bose highlighted their crucial role in realising this vision.
Lars Svensson, Chief Executive of Sasin Sustainability & Entrepreneurship Center (SEC), welcomed attendees on the summer solstice, likening the occasion to the Midsummer Celebration in Sweden. “We’re here for the fertility of new partnerships, for the light of optimism, for growing our network, and for the passionate love and belief we have in the theme of how inclusive entrepreneurship can really drive impact,” remarked Svensson.
Holly DeArmond, Executive Director of Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers (GCEC), praised Bangkok as GCEC’s first Southeast Asia summit venue, showcasing the city’s vibrancy, culture, and culinary delights to attendees experiencing Thailand for the first time. She noted GCEC’s expanding global reach with 650 members from over 350 institutions worldwide. “I’m certain it’s the first GCEC where we put our members on tuk tuks,” she said. “Expanding our membership beyond North America and Western Europe is crucial to our growth strategy, and the summit has allowed us to showcase the GCEC in a new market.”
Lori van Dam, CEO of the Hult Prize Foundation, lauded SDG 17 on partnership and the summit’s role in nurturing global ecosystems for social entrepreneurs. Highlighting the competition’s impact, van Dam emphasised its role in equipping young leaders with essential skills and lifelong networks. “I am a big fan of SDG number 17, which is partnership for the goals. Coming to this conference shows that you are also working towards creating stronger ecosystems to support social entrepreneurs in your communities. The convening of all these parties to learn from one another is a vital step in creating an empowered future for all of our student entrepreneurs.”
Prof. Dr. Parichart Sthapitanonda, Acting Vice President of Chulalongkorn University, underscored inclusiveness as central to Chulalongkorn’s legacy, initiated by King Rama V’s vision for equitable education. “Chulalongkorn is the name of our great King Rama V, who made a statement a century ago that all of his subjects, from his royal children down to the lowest commoners, would have the same opportunity to study.” Thais cherished King Rama V deeply, contributing $20,000 worth of money at that time to erect his statue. The leftover funds were used to help build a university on land donated by his son, King Rama VI. Today, the university is not just an academic institution but a hub of commerce and diversity, embodying an entrepreneurial spirit.
The summit’s panel discussion “Driving Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystems for Impact: Journey for Success” stressed cooperation and multidisciplinary collaboration for Thai entrepreneurs. Panellists advocated for supportive models and streamlined bureaucracy to elevate startups and foster innovation in an economy challenged by funding and population constraints. Dr. Patrachart Komolkiti, CEO of KX Knowledge Exchange, emphasised building connectivity between industries and academics for deep tech startups to thrive. Salakjit ‘Joy’ Munthamraksa, East and Southeast Asia Chapter Head of Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, stressed the importance of partner alignment—from capacity improvement providers to investors and academic institutions—to ensure resources are accessible for entrepreneurs. Nattakorn Asunee Na Ayudhaya, General Manager of Social Enterprise Thailand, discussed the rapidly growing social enterprise landscape, with big corporations exploring this area to drive positive impacts and tackle global challenges. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pitiwat Wattanachai, Director of the Science and Technology Park at CMU, noted government efforts to promote an innovation-based economy, addressing funding and population challenges. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jittima Luckanagul, Acting Assistant to the President of CU Innovation Hub, highlighted the need to cut bureaucratic red tape through agency coordination, elevate Thai startups, and ensure government agility in problem-solving for entrepreneurs.
The keynote session panel discussion was concluded by Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng, Executive Director of the National Innovation Agency (NIA), highlighted Thailand’s dynamic support for tech entrepreneurs, linking over 250 university teams annually with investors and accelerators to drive national innovation. For nearly nine years, NIA has been cultivating a vibrant startup ecosystem. From collaborating with government agencies and global partners to engaging with private sectors in education, travel, fintech, healthcare, lifestyle, and deep tech.
The GCEC summit also offered the participants a special cultural workshop and a dinner cruise and formed a cornerstone of Sasin IEW 2024 alongside the Bangkok Business Challenge (BBC) and Family Enterprise Case Competition – Asia Pacific 2024 (FECC-AP), enriching participants with thought-provoking activities and networking opportunities.
