Salesforce launches startup program in Malaysia and the Philippines

Salesforce, the global artificial intelligence (AI) customer relationship management (CRM), announced Tuesday the expansion of the Salesforce Startup Program into Malaysia and the Philippines to foster growth in their thriving startup ecosystems. The firm said in a statement that the program aims to provide local Malaysian and Filipino startups access to Salesforce’s vast ecosystem. This includes access to AI-powered products, mentorship programs, joint go-to-market opportunities, and a community designed to help them build, grow and scale. With this expansion, Salesforce now operates its Startup Program in five markets — India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka — underscoring its growing commitment to the ASEAN and South Asia innovation ecosystem. According to the statement, the program’s expansion reflects Salesforce’s recognition of Malaysia and the Philippines as promising startup ecosystems with high-growth potential. Malaysia boasts a thriving startup market, underpinned by a state-led vision to become a top global startup ecosystem by 2030. Bolstered by a diverse talent pool and its strategic location at the heart of ASEAN, the country serves as a premier gateway to the booming middle-class markets in Southeast Asia, China, and India. Similarly, the Philippines is also seeing strong growth momentum in its vibrant startup landscape, backed by a young, tech-savvy population, enhanced mobile connectivity, and strong governmental support. The government recently announced P2.1 billion ($35.38 million) in funding for Philippine startups under the Innovative Startup Act, and unveiled its vision of producing four Philippine unicorns and securing $10 billion in investments by 2030. Since its inception in 2021, the Salesforce Startup Program has grown from strength to strength and now supports a community of over 435 startups. This includes more than 230 AI-first startups, with success stories spanning companies such as CloudFiles, Xoxoday, Yellow.ai, and Trupeer.ai. “With a thriving innovation ecosystem and a young, digitally-savvy talent pool, Malaysia and the Philippines are ideal launchpads for startups seeking to scale local ideas into global impact, “The expansion of our Startup Program into these markets equips promising startups with the necessary support to solidify their business foundation, accelerate growth, and ultimately, find success at scale,” said Arundhati Bhattacharya, President and Chief Executive Officer, South & Southeast Asia, Salesforce. Salesforce highlighted that both Malaysia and the Philippines continue to serve as important growth markets for the firm, with leading businesses such as University of Nottingham Malaysia, Maxicare, Converge ICT Solutions and PLDT using Salesforce CRM and AI technologies to drive digital transformation. In November 2025, Salesforce announced its strategic expansion into the Philippines with a new office opening in Manila, to help more businesses in the Philippines transform into Agentic Enterprises. AI expected to resolve nearly half of customer service cases in Singapore by 2027, data shows