SEA startups grow amid corporate giants and tech advancements
8 Jan 20256 min read
Summary
- As global supply chains consolidate through major mergers and acquisitions, Southeast Asia’s startups are emerging as agile disruptors. While logistics giants like DSV and CEVA Logistics expand through scale, startups are using technology, digital platforms, and asset-light models to compete with greater flexibility and speed.
- Southeast Asia’s digital economy, supported by high internet use, government initiatives, and strong venture capital funding, has created fertile ground for logistics startups such as Ninja Van, Lalamove, and Logivan. These companies rely on tech-driven solutions to improve last-mile delivery, freight matching, and supply chain visibility, serving the region’s fast-growing e-commerce market.
- By focusing on innovation, sustainability, and efficiency, startups are complementing rather than replacing large corporations. Their digital-first models are transforming freight, delivery, and analytics, showing that technology allows both established players and new entrants to succeed in an evolving supply chain landscape.
As the global supply chain evolves, one trend stands out: industry giants are consolidating at an unprecedented pace. Companies that were once formidable on their own are now combining forces, creating corporate giants with vast global reach and unmatched resources.Simultaneously, the advancement of technology is changing supply chain dynamics. Automation, artificial intelligence and data-driven logistics are reshaping operations and forcing all players to adapt.But amid these shifts, the question arises: where do startups fit into this ecosystem? Can they thrive in a space where larger corporations seem to have an unbreakable hold, or will they remain on the fringes?
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“Logistics is notorious for being an old-fashioned business, but changing shipper expectations, new market players, and eroded margins have prompted industry leaders to reassess strategies,” says Freightos CEO Zvi Schreiber."
Startups making their mark in Southeast Asia
This technological shift is seen in Southeast Asia’s (SEA) booming startup ecosystem. According to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, more than 10 SEA startups have become unicorns since 2012. Unicorns are startup companies valued at over $1 billion.Venture capital firm Jungle Venture also reports that startups in the region had a combined valuation of $340 billion. The firm predicts that the number will triple by 2025.
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“If you look at the growth rate of the last 3 to 5 years in Southeast Asia, if it continues, which by all means it will, you’re going to head to a trillion dollars even before 2025,” says Jungle Venture CEO Amit Anand."
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