Nusa Dua, Bali (ANTARA News) - ASEAN has many potential creative entrepreneurs but they are often hampered by, among other things, lack of access to capital and markets, and government policies not supportive of innovation, a Google executive said.

"I have toured ASEAN countries and found many creative entrepreneurs," Head of Policy Google Southeast Asia Ann Lavin said in a parallel session entitled: "Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Engines of Future Growth" held as part of the ASEAN sumit here on Thursday.

Ann Lavin said that one of the things which hampered the development of creative industry in ASEAN countries was the government policy which did not support improvement of the business climate in the development of creative industry.

She said that creative businesspeople would not develop well if their surroundings were filled with many restrictions and bans that would not allow them to develop their creative potentials.

Ann said that various government polices were actually issued to prevent or to solve a problem but they in practice often turned became barriers.

"Therefore, regulations should always be issued after thorough and careful considerations," she said.
(Uu.A014/HAJM/B003)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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