Trade Win No. 4
WOMEN STARTUPS, SERVICES AND AI | Mia Mikic and Sherry Stephenson
Trade in digitally delivered services is reshaping the Asia-Pacific economy, creating opportunities far beyond large technology firms. Across the region, small, women-led start-ups are using cross-border digital services to expand markets, create jobs, and deliver measurable social impact. Evidence from a recent study of 15 firms in 11 economies shows how open digital trade enables these businesses to scale, compete internationally, and contribute to inclusive growth.
The firms are small—typically fewer than 15 employees, yet globally oriented from the outset. They deliver services across borders in logistics optimisation, financial technology, digital credentials, health diagnostics, education technology, and creative content. Their growth engine is not physical expansion but digital scalability. For example, cloud computing, software-as-a-service (SaaS) architectures, and AI-enabled tools allow them to compete in regional and international markets without the capital requirements traditionally associated with export activity. Around two-thirds have incorporated AI in their core services. TOPLOGIS, for instance, automates approximately 95% of customs documentation using AI, serving clients across Asia from its base in Chinese Taipei. Accredify delivers blockchain-based credential verification across Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. These are trade success stories made possible by open digital infrastructure.
Recent survey evidence suggests that “women-led startups in the APEC region generate about 10% more cumulative revenue over five years and provide higher returns per dollar invested, with 78 cents in revenue per dollar versus 31 cents for male-led ventures.” They also disproportionately target underserved populations by extending financial services to the unbanked, providing accessible healthcare, and democratising quality education. Noburo’s gamified financial literacy platform in Thailand addresses debt management for low-income users; Laboratorio in Peru delivers digital skills training across Latin America, and xcube.co in Singapore deploys AI-based risk scoring to expand financial access in Southeast Asia. These are not marginal activities. They represent trade in high-skill services, doing the work of development policy.
The evidence is clear. Firms that transitioned to fully digital delivery models demonstrated an ability to maintain operations and access markets that firms reliant on in-person delivery could not. Digital delivery decoupled business continuity from geography. Companies combining flexible workplace arrangements with digital tools also reported stronger staff retention and innovation outcomes.
The policy implications are clear and actionable. First, governments should embed gender-responsive innovation targets into AI and digital-economy strategies. Second, public grants and co-investment schemes should include dedicated windows for women-led digital firms. Access to capital remains a structural barrier. Third, cross-border accelerator and sandbox partnerships should be established to help women-founded start-ups scale across markets, as regulatory fragmentation remains a key barrier. Last, digital upskilling programs, particularly for mid-career women entering AI-enabled service sectors, are essential to sustaining the talent pipeline that underpins this growth.
Digitally delivered services are enabling women-led firms to drive growth, expand opportunity, and strengthen resilience across Asia-Pacific. Realizing this potential requires supportive policies. Governments need to sustain open digital trade, reduce regulatory fragmentation, and invest deliberately in women-led innovation and skills. The payoff is not marginal—it is a more inclusive, competitive, and resilient regional economy.
