Overview

• Forbes Asia released its fifth annual 100 to Watch list on Aug 26, with the feature sponsored by FedEx and appearing in the September issue.
• The cohort spans 16 countries and territories, led by India with 18 companies, followed by Singapore and Japan with 14 each, China with 9, Indonesia and South Korea with 8 each, and Australia with 7.
• Biotechnology and healthcare make up the largest group with 18 companies, followed by enterprise technology and robotics with 16, reflecting greater use of AI and deep tech.
• The 100 companies have raised nearly US$3 billion in total funding to date, up from about US$2 billion reported for the 2024 list.
• Eligibility required Asia-Pacific headquarters, private for-profit status, no more than US$50 million in annual revenue, and no more than US$100 million in total funding as of Aug 15, with selections based on solicited submissions and editorial evaluation.