Executive Summary
ASPA 2025, held under the theme “The Role of Science and Technology Parks in Facilitating Corporates on the ESG Journey”, convened science parks, innovation agencies, corporates, startups, and investors from across Asia and beyond to address one core question: how innovation ecosystems can help organizations turn ESG commitments into operational practice.
The opening keynote from Glasgow’s Innovation Districts illustrated how a fourth-generation university can serve as an ESG integrator by connecting talent, research, industry, and public policy to deliver city-scale impact in net-zero development, resilience, and inclusive growth.
Thematic sessions expanded this conversation through a range of ecosystem models:
- INNOPOLIS and the Incheon Innovation Cluster showcased a nationally coordinated innovation pipeline from lab to market.
- Qianhai E-Hub presented a governance and funding approach that translates dual-carbon ambitions into concrete soft-landing and scale-up services.
- HKETO Bangkok outlined Hong Kong’s policy architecture linking research, finance, and industrialization.
- NIA demonstrated how public funding (Groom–Grant–Growth–Global) can de-risk ESG-aligned innovation.
- BOI detailed incentive frameworks attracting ESG-oriented investment in advanced and bio-based industries.
- Thai-BISPA highlighted the role of incubators and parks as the backbone translating the BCG economy into real opportunities for startups and SMEs.
- Jiangsu TusPark shared a soft-landing program and a five-pillar strategy for attracting global startups. Following these ecosystem models, the program also highlighted practical cases from startups that are already operation aliasing ESG through technology.
- VEKIN demonstrated AI-enabled MRV tools that make carbon reduction measurable and manageable.
- Jaggle AI presented a human-centered work platform integrating wellbeing metrics with organizational performance.
- The panel discussion on Asia’s 7 Key Target Technologies mapped how Thailand’s 44 university-based science and technology parks, together with Thailand Science Park, operate as a connected national network. It illustrated how regional specialization, shared pilot plants, and national digital platforms are being leveraged to turn these capabilities into concrete collaborative projects with industry and international partners.
Beyond presentations, the program emphasized experiential learning. The hands-on workshop “Presenting ESG Innovation with Impact” strengthened participants’ skills in communicating ESG value propositions to investors, policymakers, and corporate partners. Technical tours to research, innovation, and industrial facilities at Thailand Science Park, alongside a curated cultural tour in Bangkok, offered delegates first-hand exposure to Thailand’s innovation ecosystem and ESG landscape.
Ultimately, ASPA 2025 positioned science and technology parks not merely as physical locations, but as system integrators orchestrating policy, finance, technology, talent, and culture to help corporations across Asia and beyond move further and faster on their ESG journeys.
