TechShake and Brunei Innovation Lab Partner to Strengthen Startup Ecosystem Collaboration Between The Philippines and Brunei
Kotaro Adachi and Qawiem Yacob
Manila, Philippines and Bandar Seri Bagawan, Brunei Darussalam | May 29 2026 –
TechShake and Brunei Innovation Lab (BIL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore collaboration opportunities that support startup growth, ecosystem and innovation development across the Philippines, Brunei, and the broader BIMP-EAGA region. The partnership was formally established through the signing of the agreement by TechShake CEO and Co-founder Kotaro Adachi and Brunei Innovation Lab Interim Chairman Qawiem Yacob.
The ceremonial signing was held at LumineLabs, an innovation hub co-developed by TechShake and UNI-PIPC — an IT innovation and digital transformation leader in Taiwan. The signing ceremony was witnessed by key Philippine government and ecosystem representatives, including officials from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Science and Technology – Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI), the Department of Information and Communications Technology – ICT Industry Development Bureau (DICT-IIDB), and Startup QC.
Connecting Innovation Ecosystems Across ASEAN
Based at the Knowledge Hub in Bandar Seri Bagawan, the Brunei Innovation Lab (BIL) serves as a national platform for innovation and entrepreneurship in Brunei Darussalam bringing together startups, corporates, government agencies, and academic institutions to support the growth of the country’s digital economy. Through its ecosystem-building initiatives, BIL helps entrepreneurs and technology-driven ventures develop, and scale their business. Through its initiatives, BIL helps tech ventures scale their businesses.
Complementing this, TechShake operates as an accelerator and innovation ecosystem builder across Japan, Singapore and the Philippines, helping founders and organizations accelerate growth through market-entry support, startup programs, cross-border initiatives, and strategic ecosystem connections.
Combining BIL’s local ecosystem leadership with TechShake’s regional market entry expertise, the collaboration creates a pathway for founders and ecosystem stakeholders from both countries to access new markets, networks, and collaboration opportunities.
Areas of Collaboration
The signed MOU establishes a three-year framework for cooperation:
- Joint promotion and Awareness: Collaborative marketing and promotion of join programs, events and partnership activities
- Strategic Ecosystem Networking: Facilitating mutual introductions to startups, investors, corporations, academic institutions, and key ecosystem stakeholders.
- Cross-border knowledge exchange: Creating structured opportunities for international immersion, regional exchange, and experiential learning.
- Market Investment Intelligence: Actively sharing insights on localized market trends, tech ecosystem mapping, and potential investment landscapes. Community engagement and program outreach across both networks.
- Future Initiative Exploration: Openly exploring additional collaborative projects and strategic avenues that align with shared digital economy objectives.
As an initial step under this framework, TechShake and BIL will launch two initiatives in 2026: the Philippine Innovation Immersion Program, a multi-day program that introduces Brunei startups to the Philippine innovation landscape through market exposure and ecosystem engagement; and the Brunei–Philippines Market Entry Webinar Series, a jointly organized online program designed to provide startups, SMEs, and ecosystem stakeholders with insights into market opportunities and partnership pathways across both countries.
Looking Ahead
The partnership between BIL and TechShake sets the foundation for long-term collaboration focused on turning shared insights into practical opportunities for startups and ecosystem stakeholders. Both organizations are committed to leverage their networks and strengths to support startup growth across Brunei and the Philippines.
Media Inquiries
For inquiries regarding this press release, please contact the respective press offices:
- TechShake Public Relations: Janessa Carlos — janessa@techshake.asia
- Brunei Innovation Lab Communications: Muhd Saiful Azzam Haji Sarpudin — Saiful.sarpudin@innovationlab.com.bn
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