Dr. Kihoko Tokue Moderates AFTEA 2025 Panel on Fundraising Frontiers at Agri-Food Tech World Championship
On November 5, 2025, Dr. Kihoko Tokue, Managing Director of Leave a Nest Singapore, served as moderator at Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia (AFTEA) 2025, leading the panel “Scaling the Future: Fundraising Frontiers in ASEAN’s Food & AgriTech Revolution.”
The session was held at the Agri-Food Tech World Championship Stage in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
Unpacking What “Scaling” Really Means for AgriFoodTech in ASEAN
The panel brought together regional and global leaders — Chris Aurand (Thai Union Group), Nitza Kardish (The Trendlines Group), and Thomas van den Boezem (PeakBridge) — to discuss the evolving investment landscape and scaling strategies in ASEAN’s AgriFoodTech ecosystem.
The conversation opened with a core question:
“What does scaling really mean in your context — is it about capital, market access, or regulatory readiness?”
Each speaker shared unique insights, reflecting the different realities faced by corporates, investors, and startups across the region. The discussion surfaced fragmentation, regulation, and culture as persistent barriers to regional scaling — yet also pointed to ASEAN’s visible growth momentum and increasing investor confidence, especially compared to European markets.
True Catalyst for Growth
When asked what collaboration or funding model would define ASEAN’s next growth phase, all panelists underscored one common point — collaboration is the currency for scale.
Dr. Tokue closed the discussion with a reminder that sustainable ecosystems depend not only on technology and capital, but on the people who connect them:
“All of the challenges raised are essential. But beyond funding, what we truly need are Science Bridge Communicators — people who can connect fragmented communities and keep the ecosystem alive. We can build systems, but it’s people who sustain them.”
Expanding the Horizon for Collaboration Across Asia
As Southeast Asia continues to accelerate in deep tech and AgriFoodTech innovation, Leave a Nest Singapore is broadening its collaborative framework — connecting researchers, corporates, and startups to translate science into tangible impact.
On 13 November, Leave a Nest will host the Kobashi Monozukuri Seminar Series 2025 (details here), bringing together manufacturing innovators and business leaders from across Asia.
This will be followed by the Hyper Interdisciplinary Conference Singapore 2025 happening on 15 November (hic.lne.st/schedule/sg2025), a gathering where diverse experts exchange ideas to spark new collaborative projects.
Through these initiatives and more, Leave a Nest Group continues to advance its mission of “Advancing Science and Technology for Global Happiness” — expanding its horizon and inviting partners who share the same drive to create a better, more connected future for Asia.