In a testament to APU’s excellence in academic research, Mr Vishal Maheshwari, a Master of Philosophy in Management student, received the Best Paper Award for his insightful research on “Qualitative Factors Affecting IT/IS Startup Valuation” at the Asian Society for Innovation and Policy (ASIP) Conference 2024, held from September 8 - 9 at the National University of Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

This award-winning research was made possible through the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme [FRGS/1/2024/5501/APU/01/1] and APU Research Development Internal Grant [RDIG/02/2023]. The achievement highlights APU’s ongoing commitment to contributing valuable research in the burgeoning startup ecosystem.

Additionally, Professor Dr Angelina Yee, Director of Research & Enterprise at APU, played a distinguished role as a panellist at the Startup Enterprise Forum. She joined an esteemed group of professionals, including Dr Chen-Yu Lee from Startup Terrace and CEO of the International Cooperation Center in the Taipei Computer Association, Taiwan; Professor Dr Taewon Kang from Chungnam National University, Korea; Mr Sorata Ijichi, CEO of Creww, Japan; and Dr Ma Josefina Abilay, Regional Director of DOST-MIMAROPA, Philippines. The panel discussed the rise of unicorn startups in Asia and emphasised how policy support and cross-border collaboration are driving private sector growth. 

Dr Angelina’s contributions to the panel were widely recognised and even featured in a Korean newspaper, further elevating APU’s profile in global academic and entrepreneurial circles. 

APU’s success at the ASIP Conference 2024, with both the Best Paper Award and Professor Dr Angelina’s prominent role as a panellist, underscores the university’s unwavering dedication to global innovation, entrepreneurship, and academic excellence. 

Professor Dr Murali Raman, Vice-Chancellor of APU, expressed his pride in the university’s achievement, stating, “At APU, we emphasise the importance of imparting entrepreneurship skills, project management, and economic decision-making within multidisciplinary environments. We highly value academic research that not only contributes to real-world impact but also advances academic knowledge, enabling us to build capacity across our academic programmes. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to nurturing future talents who will shape the entrepreneurial and innovation landscape, both regionally and globally.”