Asia Leaders Summit 2025 -

From June 19–21, we hosted the 7th edition of Asia Leaders Summit in Mumbai, marking our first gathering in six years since the pandemic.

What started 11 years ago in Singapore has now restarted in India’s financial capital, at the historic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, bringing together leaders across Japan and India—founders, investors, corporates, and financial institutions.

Over three intense days, from early morning sessions to late-night discussions, we explored two central themes:

“Post-COVID shifts in Asia’s tech landscape” and“The evolution of AI and GCCs (Global Capability Centers) in India.”

A few key takeaways:

• India as a multi-layered market at scale

  With a population of over 1 billion, India must be understood not as a single market, but as multiple “countries” across income segments—each with massive scale.

  
  

• AI and GCC as drivers of corporate competitiveness

  Leading discussions with Dai-ichi Life, Rakuten, and Deloitte India highlighted that GCCs are evolving beyond cost centers into strategic hubs for advanced development and AI-driven capabilities. The key question is no longer cost reduction, but whether management truly sees AI investment as a source of competitive advantage.

  
  

• AI in India: beyond models, towards distribution and UX

  According to insights shared by Accel, with over 1,000 AI startups in India, the core value is shifting from models to distribution and user experience.

  
  

• Japan–India collaboration in capital and investment

  A discussion with DBJ, JBIC, NIIF, and BEENEXT emphasized that building cross-border partnerships requires long-term commitment, trust, and repeated engagement—often over many visits—not just capital.

  
  

• India’s digital infrastructure as a global benchmark

  Our visit to NPCI showcased the scale of UPI, now used by over 500 million people. India’s open API-based payment system is not only transformative domestically but already being exported globally.

  
  

• Ground-level reality: from IIT to Dharavi

  Visiting IIT Bombay reinforced the depth of India’s technical talent and networks, while a visit to Dharavi highlighted the scale and complexity of grassroots economic ecosystems.

  
  

This year’s summit was demanding, but deeply rewarding. Mumbai itself—where cutting-edge AI, financial markets, modern infrastructure, and large-scale informal economies coexist—perfectly reflects the dynamism of today’s Asia.

Organizing ALS across different cities in Asia is never easy, but moments like this reaffirm why we do it.Our mission remains the same: to build a cross-border collaboration platform connecting startups, investors, and corporations across Asia.

Thank you to everyone who joined and supported us.We look forward to continuing this journey.