How Education, Family Business, and Global Exposure Are Shaping Thailand’s Next Wave of Founders

What does it really take to nurture the next generation of Thai entrepreneurs? In Episode 2 of The Exponential Show, educator and researcher Pietro Borsano breaks down how academia, industry, and international networks can work together to accelerate Thailand’s startup future—while staying grounded in the country’s unique economic fabric.

Bridging Academia and Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship education has matured globally, and Thailand is catching up fast. Pietro’s work at Chulalongkorn University’s School of Integrated Innovation focuses on turning students into builders—startup founders and next-gen leaders in family enterprises. The shift is practical: fewer siloed lectures, more hands-on projects, and exposure to real market problems. The message to young founders is clear: learn the tools, then apply them where you already have leverage.

How the Thai Startup Scene Evolved

Thailand’s ecosystem has moved from early “copycat” years and Rocket-backed rollouts to a more sophisticated, corporate-connected landscape. Many incubators from a decade ago have slowed or shut, while corporate venture capital (CVC) has become a primary funding path. That tilt brings both capability and constraint: large Thai conglomerates are strong backers—but often look for deep tech and defensible IP, sometimes outside Thailand. For local startups, the bar is rising toward science- and innovation-heavy plays.

Why Build in Thailand? Market + Sophistication

Pietro argues Thailand’s advantages are underappreciated:

• Scale & spending power: ~69M people, a sizable, consumption-driven middle class—particularly attractive for B2C.

• Economic breadth: Beyond tourism, Thailand is a diverse, sophisticated economy—automotive, plastics, electronics, pharma, retail, banking—anchored by decades-old family businesses integrated into global value chains.

• Regional strategy: Not every puzzle piece exists locally (e.g., early-stage capital, common-law structures). Smart Thai startups think regionally from day one—setting up in Singapore or Hong Kong for holding structures and investor access while building teams, customers, and partnerships in Thailand.
  

The Power—and Responsibility—of Family Businesses

Thailand is, at its core, a family-owned economy. Pietro’s research highlights two digital-transformation drivers:

• B2C families respond to demanding Thai consumers—pushing e-commerce, digital marketing, and service convenience.

• B2B families upgrade to stay inside global value chains—automation, data exchange, and real-time operations driven by OEM requirements.

For many students from family-business backgrounds, the higher-probability path isn’t a greenfield startup—it’s modernizing the family firm, creating spin-offs, or launching adjacent product lines that leverage existing capabilities, capital, and customers.

Global Exposure as a Force Multiplier

Pietro is unequivocal: go overseas. Semester exchanges, internships, or research collaborations in Singapore, Hong Kong, mainland China, or India expose young founders to world-class ecosystems, IP pipelines, and sophisticated funding instruments (e.g., SAFEs) that aren’t always straightforward in Thailand. Recent student wins—a deep-tech partnership via a Hong Kong university program—show how international IP + regional execution can fast-track Thai ventures.

Two Closing Playbooks

For student founders

• Stand on your roots: Don’t ignore the family business—use it as a launchpad to digitize, productize, or spin off.

• Seek immersion: Spend real time in regional hubs; observe how top ecosystems fund, regulate, and commercialize IP.

For ecosystem builders (public & private)

• Simplify and standardize: Reduce friction in company formation, instruments, and visas. Learn from Singapore/Hong Kong models where possible.

• Co-invest with the private sector: Matching funds and research-to-commercialization programs can catalyze deep-tech pipelines in Thailand.
  

The Mindset Shift Thailand Needs

Perhaps Pietro’s most important point: entrepreneurship shouldn’t feel elitist. Talent exists well beyond Bangkok. If Thailand can pair inclusive access with its market depth, manufacturing base, and regional connectivity, the next decade could belong to Thai founders who blend local strengths with global ambition.

Watch Ep. 2 with Pietro Borsano for the full conversation on education, family business, and building regionally from Thailand.