If you're building platforms or services that help workers move, connect, and thrive across borders – we want to hear from you. Why this matters: South and Southeast Asia are the engine of global labor mobility. Around one in three international migrants worldwide originates from Asia and the Pacific – roughly 24 million people engaged in labor migration across the region. Countries like the Philippines, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Indonesia send millions of workers abroad each year; the Philippines alone saw approximately 2.3 million citizens leave to work overseas in 2023. Yet formal, safe pathways remain the exception. Meanwhile, ageing OECD economies face acute shortages in construction, hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing. The opportunity: Labor mobility has the potential to become a USD $25B+ industry. With large youth populations in sending countries and demographic pressures mounting in receiving economies, demand for managed labor migration will only grow. We're looking for startups that: Facilitate worker mobility across South & Southeast Asian borders or globally, through recruitment, placement, and/or service management. Offer enabling services focused on the needs of migrants — finance, pre-departure preparation, language training, compliance, housing, remittance, or reintegration support. Expand existing solutions into the labor mobility space, including skills verification, credential recognition, or worker welfare platforms.
