US-ASEAN Business Council and ASEAN COSTI Highlight Innovation for Sustainable Growth at the 2025 Innovation Showcase in Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand — October 24, 2025. The US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), in partnership with the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI), hosted the USABC Innovation Showcase on the sidelines of the 88th COSTI Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. The event brought together ASEAN policymakers, U.S. private sector leaders, and regional innovators to highlight how science, technology, and innovation are accelerating sustainable and inclusive growth across Southeast Asia. Through knowledge-sharing and cross-sector collaboration, the Showcase served as a platform to exchange best practices and spotlight the U.S.-ASEAN partnerships in driving innovation across key sectors.
“Innovation is not just about new ideas, it’s about creating practical solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities throughout ASEAN,” said Ambassador (ret.) Ted Osius, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director of the US-ASEAN Business Council during his opening remark. “By maintaining strong cooperation between governments and the private sector, we can strengthen the innovation ecosystem. This in turn boosts prosperity and enhances the lives of citizens.”
The Showcase featured presentations from Corteva Agriscience and Illumina, two leading U.S. companies driving innovation in agriculture and biotechnology. Corteva Agriscience presented its Sustainable Innovation framework, underscoring the role of green chemistry and innovations including gene editing, biologicals and biofuels, in present and future sustainable farming. “We are committed to ensuring that our sustainable innovation helps farmers solve tough challenges while protecting our natural resources,” said Somsak Samanwong, Government & Industrial Affairs Lead for ASEAN at Corteva.
Illumina showcased its sequencing technologies and their applications in national genomics initiatives, including Singapore’s National Precision Medicine program. The presentation highlighted how precision genomics can strengthen healthcare systems and support ASEAN’s broader digital transformation. “Illumina is focused on making DNA sequencing faster, simpler and more accessible for our customers and is helping countries to apply and adopt the latest genomics technology in the healthcare system to improve diagnostics and strengthen innovation across ASEAN,” said William Ng, Vice President of Singapore R&D, Illumina.
This event reaffirmed the Council’s leadership in driving ASEAN’s innovation agenda and fostering a dynamic, forward-looking partnership between the United States and ASEAN. Building on decades of engagement, the Council remains steadfast in advancing science-based policy collaboration and private-sector innovation that will define the next chapter of sustainable growth across the region.