Building Southeast Asia's Tech Future
Startup Ecosystem Builder • Tech Innovator • Women's Advocate
Transforming the tech landscape across Asia Pacific through strategic mentorship, ecosystem building, and championing diversity in technology.
About Lilyana
A proven entrepreneur and ecosystem builder with over two decades of experience transforming Southeast Asia's startup landscape.
Pioneering Tech Innovation Across ASEAN
Computer Science graduate from University of Iowa (1995) with over two decades of experience spanning from research at MIMOS during Malaysia's Multimedia Super Corridor launch to building multi-million dollar social platforms and mentoring 100+ startups across ASEAN.
My journey began as a Research Officer at MIMOS, working closely with MSC's founding think tanks, then evolved through consulting (developing 24+ Lotus Notes applications for IRB), to founding my first company Aleph One, and later co-founding Joota.com - a social content platform that caught Sony Music's attention for X-Factor brand management.
Today, as President of NEF (700+ members) and through BETA Foundation, I continue building bridges between technology suppliers and market demand, while championing women's leadership in tech and ensuring ASEAN remains globally competitive in the digital age.
Leadership Experience
From startup founder to ecosystem architect, building platforms that enable innovation across Asia Pacific.
Leading technology strategy and development for secure clinical messaging platform. Driving innovation in healthcare communication systems and ensuring HIPAA-compliant solutions that expedite care and improve health outcomes.
Building vibrant tech ecosystems across Asia Pacific, connecting founders, corporates, investors, mentors, and policymakers. Leading cross-border expansion programs focusing on Malaysia, Indonesia, and Southern China markets. Core mission: making ASEAN startup ecosystems more efficient for rapid acceleration and expansion.
Led strategic developmental programs for sustainable entrepreneurs. Secured MoF endowment, expanded ASEAN Rice Bowl Startup Awards reach. Grew annual nominations to 3000+ with partnerships from Google, Grab, Digital Ocean. Connected ASEAN startups to Global Startup Awards platform spanning Nordics, Central Europe, Africa, and Middle East.
B2B and B2C e-commerce specialist helping businesses "go online". Trained 300+ business owners with guaranteed 20% sales increase within 3-6 months. Custom program design and delivery, measuring impact for stakeholders, and digitalizing business processes for competitive advantage. Pioneering CTO-As-A-Service for startups including Dropee, iResidenz, and PurelyB.
Multi-million dollar social content platform connecting content to people within context and interest. Managed 20-person remote team across Malaysia, Bandung, San Francisco, and China. Explored Big Data technologies (Hadoop, Cassandra) and semantic web. Platform presented to Sony Music's L.A. Reid for X-Factor brand management.
First company with diverse portfolio: Web development for PETRONAS Corporate, event management for Khazanah Global Lectures, art valuation project for Maybank (increasing asset value by RM30 million overnight), and corporate learning solutions across education, media, advertising, and business consulting.
Key Achievements
Driving measurable impact across the tech ecosystem through innovation, mentorship, and strategic leadership.
ASEAN Rice Bowl Startup Awards
Chairman of premier startup platform with 3000+ annual nominations, connecting 10 ASEAN countries to global opportunities through Global Startup Awards partnership
CTO-For-Hire Pioneer
Providing strategic technology leadership to 15+ startups including Dropee (Y-Combinator, $30M valuation), securing major contracts like PETRONAS (RM2M/week)
Policy & Ecosystem Impact
MESTECC Taskforce member, PayNet Industry Advisory Panel, MDEC Innovative Policy Council - shaping Malaysia's startup funding landscape
Tech Innovation Legacy
From MSC pioneer at MIMOS to building "internet-on-top-of-the-internet" at Joota.com, consistently pushing boundaries of what's possible in tech
How I Can Help You
Whether you're a startup, corporation, or fellow ecosystem builder, I offer strategic guidance tailored to your unique challenges.
For Startups
• CTO-As-A-Service for tech leadership
• Product development & architecture
• Go-to-market strategy
• Funding preparation & investor connections
• Cross-border expansion to ASEAN markets
For Corporations
• Digital transformation consulting
• Innovation ecosystem partnerships
• Startup collaboration programs
• Technology due diligence
• Executive advisory & board positions
Speaking & Events
• Keynote speaking on tech ecosystems
• Women in tech advocacy talks
• Panel discussions & fireside chats
• Workshop facilitation
• Startup ecosystem masterclasses
Latest Insights & Media
Sharing knowledge and perspectives on startup ecosystems, technology innovation, and women's leadership in tech.
Southeast Asia Startup Ecosystem: ExtraVallis Expert Interview
Deep dive into ASEAN's growth potential, investor landscape, and why Southeast Asia is the next frontier for tech innovation.
ASEAN Online Event Season 2020 - Global Startup Awards
Discussing the ASEAN Rice Bowl Startup Awards and building cross-border startup ecosystems with Global Startup Awards Denmark.
HER RISE Story - Women Leadership in Tech
Featured story about women's leadership journey in technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem building across Southeast Asia.
HerVantage: Paving The Way For Women In Tech
Discussing strategies for increasing female participation in technology and breaking barriers in startup ecosystems.
FEMxTalks - Tech Entrepreneurship Journey
Sharing experiences on building tech companies, ecosystem development, and empowering women entrepreneurs in ASEAN.
Bercakap Dengan CEO MyNEF
In-depth discussion about MyNEF's role in Malaysia's startup ecosystem and strategies for developing technopreneurs.
ASEAN Business Investment Summit - Women Entrepreneurs
Panel discussion on dynamic, determined and driven women entrepreneurs across ASEAN region and their impact on business growth.
Malaysia's Own Social Network - Joota.com Story
Special documentary about building Malaysia's pioneering social content platform and the technical challenges of creating "internet-on-top-of-the-internet".
Dropee's Journey: From Startup to $30M Valuation
How strategic CTO guidance and ecosystem connections helped Dropee secure Y-Combinator backing and major PETRONAS contracts.
Want to collaborate on content or invite me to speak at your event?
Let's ConnectChampioning Women in Tech
As a strong advocate for female participation in technology, I'm committed to breaking barriers and creating opportunities for women to lead, innovate, and thrive in the tech industry.
- Mentoring female entrepreneurs and technologists
- Speaking at conferences on women's leadership in tech
- Creating inclusive ecosystem programs
- Advocating for gender diversity in funding decisions
- Building networks that support women's career advancement
"When one woman helps another, amazing things can happen. Professional careers leap forward and humble home-based startups can progress." - Featured in Eve Women in Tech
Let's Build the Future Together
Whether you're a startup seeking mentorship, an organization looking for strategic technology leadership, or a fellow advocate for diversity in tech, I'd love to connect and explore how we can collaborate.