DIGITAL Penang has been named one of 18 Rising Stars by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Mind the Bridge, following the announcement of 54 global winners of the Startup Ecosystem Stars (SES) Awards 2025.
The award ceremony, attended by leading innovation ecosystem players from around the world, was held at the ICC headquarters in Paris on Dec 2. The SES Awards are organised by ICC and Mind the Bridge in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Commission, with support from Microsoft.
Now in its third edition, the SES Awards recognise exemplary leadership and best practices among organisations and individuals advancing innovation and entrepreneurship worldwide, with a particular emphasis on public-sector efforts to nurture dynamic, competitive and impactful startup ecosystems.
Digital Penang’s selection as a Rising Star marks a significant milestone, highlighting the organisation’s growing role as an emerging builder of startup and innovation ecosystems in the region.
The recognition also reflects the Penang government’s commitment to startup ecosystem development through Digital Penang, in line with the state’s Penang2030 vision of nurturing 500 startups by 2030.
Digital Penang chief executive officer Ng Kwang Ming said Penang possesses a strong mix of foundational attributes, including talent, a supportive ecosystem, industry presence and government backing.
“This recognition reinforces our ongoing efforts to leverage and strengthen these critical ingredients that are essential to developing Penang’s digital economy, including the startup ecosystem. These initiatives are reflected in the Penang Digital Economy Masterplan 2025–2030,” he said.
In his remarks at the ceremony, ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton said innovation remains the cornerstone of global economic growth, adding that ICC is proud to support initiatives that drive meaningful impact through private-sector collaboration to shape the future of global commerce.
Meanwhile, Mind the Bridge CEO and founder Marco Marinucci said startup ecosystems are the infrastructure of the future economy. He noted that the diversity and quality of this year’s winners demonstrate how innovation capacity is expanding globally, driven by organisations committed to fostering entrepreneurship, talent and long-term competitiveness.
He added that the SES Awards showcase the extraordinary work taking place behind the scenes of the world’s most vibrant startup ecosystems, with organisations — both established innovation agencies and emerging ecosystem builders — playing a vital role in helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into scalable impact.
Pix courtesy of Digital Penang