Driving Cambodia’s Digital Future: YEAC and Partners Unite for Business Transformation

March 26, 2025

On March 26, 2025, Oknha Pech Bolen, President of the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Cambodia (YEAC), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on “Promoting the Digitalization of Businesses in Cambodia” at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The signing was attended by His Excellency Dr. Kong Marry Secretary of State of Ministry of Economy and Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Digital Economy and Business, and Oknha. Te Tang Pore, President of Federation of Associations for SMEs of Cambodia (FASMEC), and Her Excellency Chan Phary, President of the Cambodia Women Entrepreneurs Association (CWEA).

This MoU establishes a collaboration between the government and the private sector to expand digital knowledge and technological skills among Cambodian entrepreneurs and business owners. The goal is to strengthen Cambodia’s digital business ecosystem and enhance the competitiveness of local enterprises.

“The Young Entrepreneurs Association of Cambodia is committed to equipping Cambodian businesses with the tools they need to thrive in a digital economy. Through partnerships and strategic initiatives, we are driving digital adoption, supporting e-commerce, and advocating for a business-friendly policy environment,” said Oknha Pech Bolen, President of YEAC.

YEAC is currently implementing the “MSMEs Digital Acceleration Program For Digital Economy” project, funded by the Capacity Building Research and Development (CBRD) program through the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. The project offers six training cohorts, each catering to 50 enterprises, to develop digital skills and e-commerce capabilities.

In addition, YEAC has launched the Entrepreneurship Tech Center (ETC) at Olympia Market, providing entrepreneurs with hands-on support, access to modern technology tools, and guidance from industry experts and partners. These initiatives aim to empower Cambodian businesses to integrate digital solutions, enhance efficiency, and compete more effectively in the regional and global markets.

Charting Cambodia’s 2030 Vision: YEAC Engages Key Stakeholders for Sustainable Growth

March 7, 2025

On March 6, 2025, the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Cambodia (YEAC) hosted a Stakeholder Consultation Meeting on 2030 strategic plan at the Olympia City Hotel in Phnom Penh. The session brought together leaders and experts from key sectors—finance, education, industry, and more—along with representatives from relevant agencies of the Royal Government of Cambodia. The meeting was designed to update 2025 projects, gather vital feedback from partner institutions, and adjust the association’s strategic direction for 2026–2030 in accordance with the ASEAN framework, global trends, and the Royal Government’s strategic plan.

Collecting inputs from these partner institutions is essential for launching a targeted 2030 plan that addresses the challenges faced by Cambodian entrepreneurs and ensures efficient implementation of the concrete action plan in the coming years. The productive discussions involved financial institutions, business associations, international organizations, development and donor partners, educational institutions, and key government agencies—all united in the common goal of rapidly advancing Cambodia’s economy to upper middle-income status by 2030.

During the meeting, the association also raised important questions with partner institutions, such as whether they have a shared vision on how Cambodia’s micro, small, and medium enterprises will evolve over the next five years—taking into account technological advancements, innovation, digitalization, and global competitiveness—and how businesses can prepare to thrive in a complex domestic and international economic ecosystem.

YEAC has compiled these key inputs for further analysis by its strategic committee, which will refine the direction and develop an action plan for 2026–2030 that meets the evolving needs of Cambodian entrepreneurs and association members, in line with the dynamic business landscape in Cambodia.

Young Entrepreneurs Gathering 2025 Unites Business Leaders to Drive Skills Development & MSME Growth

March 7, 2025

On March 6, 2025, we held our “1st Young Entrepreneurs Gathering in 2025 (YEG) “, joined by business leaders, including Oknha Pech Bolen, President of YEAC, Mr. Ky Sokkim, Chief Executive Officer of the Skills Development Fund, Ms. Phan Sonita, President of the Executive Committee of MettYeung Association, and Mrs. Tep Vathana, National Programme Officer the Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia (DEY) programme Phase 3 of the International Labor Organization (ILO). More than 120 business owners from various sectors also attended.

The gathering focused on fostering collaboration with key partner institutions—especially the Skills Development Fund—and included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the MettYeung Association. Participants also explored global trend shaping the development of the micro, small, and medium enterprise sector and discussed the challenges faced by Cambodian business owners, drawing on survey insights to shape the Association’s 2030 strategic plan.

The collaboration with the Skills Development Fund is designed to offer members practical opportunities to learn about skills development and to advance both personal and institutional growth for entrepreneurs and their employees. In parallel, business owners received updates on support programs that strengthen the local and international skills and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The Memorandum of Understanding with the MettYeung Association establishes a framework for joint initiatives in skill training, upskilling, reskilling, mobile training, recognition of prior learning, and current competency assessment. This partnership aims to enhance employment opportunities, promote decent work, ensure income stability, and boost the competitiveness of the Cambodian workforce through a variety of training formats—including long courses, short courses, workshops, internships, and exchange programs.