ASEAN Digital Awards 2026: An overview of the region's digital development direction in the coming years.

The ASEAN Digital Awards 2026 (ADA 2026) is not only an event honoring outstanding digital technology products in the region, but also clearly reflects the strategic priorities in ASEAN's digital transformation process.

The Digital Social Protection Platform (DSPP) of the National Social Security Council of Cambodia, a platform for managing and implementing digital social security policies, won the Gold Award in the Public Sector category.

Looking at the list of Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards in 6 categories, it's clear that ASEAN is entering a digital transformation phase where implementation effectiveness and social impact are the central metrics.

Public sector: Social security, healthcare , and essential infrastructure.

In the Public Sector category, which is considered the most stringent, the awards go to solutions that have been implemented and are operating on a large scale.

The Gold Award was given to the Digital Social Protection Platform (DSPP) of the National Social Security Council of Cambodia, a platform serving the management and implementation of digital social security policies. The Silver Award went to Holomedicine, a healthcare solution applying mixed reality technology from Singapore, and the Bronze Award went to the ELCOM ITS intelligent transportation ecosystem from Vietnam.

These three solutions demonstrate that ASEAN's public sector digital transformation is focusing on fundamental issues such as social security, healthcare, and transportation. These are areas that directly impact citizens and require a high level of trust.

Private sector: Digital infrastructure and smart logistics

In the Private Sector category, the awards clearly reflect the role of businesses in building large-scale digital infrastructure. The Gold award went to WeHealth of Malaysia – a healthtech platform serving health management and care. Singapore won the Silver award with PSA 5G-Enabled Smart Port, a smart port solution utilizing 5G, while the Bronze award went to Collaveo of Malaysia.

These solutions demonstrate that the ASEAN private sector is focusing on digital healthcare, logistics, and smart infrastructure, serving the regional supply chain and digital economy .

Digital Inclusion: Digital Government and Nationwide Application

The Digital Inclusivity category clearly reflects the goal of "leaving no one behind" in digital transformation. The Gold award went to Sapawarga Jabar Super Apps from the West Java provincial government (Indonesia). This is a super app that provides public services to citizens. The Silver award went to Wang: Data Market from Thailand, while LaoApp from Laos won the Bronze award.

The common thread among these solutions is their focus on popularizing digital services and bringing technology closer to the people, especially in local communities.

Digital content and startups: Culture and applied AI.

In the Digital Content category, Malaysia won the Gold Award with Dream Forest Langkawi, a digital content product linked to tourism and cultural experiences; Brunei and the Philippines won the Silver and Bronze Awards, respectively. This demonstrates that digital content is being leveraged by ASEAN as a tool for innovative economic development.

Meanwhile, the Digital Startup category stood out with a Gold Award for MedCAT Nexus from Vietnam – an AI solution for the healthcare and insurance sectors. The remaining awards went to Thailand and Myanmar, reflecting the diversity of the startup ecosystem in the region.

Innovation: Digitizing Essential Services

In the Digital Innovation category, Vietcombank's VCB Tablet (Vietnam) received a Gold Award, alongside digital agriculture solutions from Thailand and smart recycling solutions from the Philippines. A common thread among these products is their connection to essential services and their potential for deployment and scalability.

Looking at the overall list of awards, it's clear that ASEAN is shifting from a technology testing phase to a phase of substantive digital transformation, where solutions must demonstrate effectiveness, operational capability, and social value. The ASEAN Digital Awards 2026 is not only a platform to honor technology, but also provides a comprehensive picture of the digital development direction of the ASEAN region in the coming years.

Center for Science and Technology Communication

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/giai-thuong-so-asean-2026-tong-the-ve-dinh-huong-phat-trien-so-cua-khu-vuc-trong-nhung-nam-toi-197260210053551903.htm