2019

Asia's Top Founders 50

Founder Influence and Company-Building Authority Watch

InfluenceAsia 50 Asia's Top Founders 2019 temporary banner placeholder
50Founders Ranked
99.0Top Index Score
7Research Dimensions
13Markets
Ranking Introduction

Platform Scale, Deep Technology and the Asian Founder Institution

InfluenceAsia 50: Asia's Top Founders 2019 identifies founders whose entrepreneurial work had exceptional significance in the 2019 annual window. The ranking is not a personal wealth table, celebrity index or fundraising list; it evaluates founder consequence, operating creation, category formation, institutional durability, regional influence and the founder's contribution to Asia's wider entrepreneurial architecture.

The 2019 founder landscape was defined by platform companies reaching national and regional scale, private technology champions becoming public-policy and capital-market reference points, consumer founders reshaping daily behavior, and infrastructure founders building the financial, logistics, cloud, semiconductor, mobility and enterprise layers beneath Asian growth. The most important founders were no longer only company creators; they became institutional architects of markets.

This is not a personal wealth table, celebrity index, funding league or corporate publicity exercise. It is an independent InfluenceAsia research and editorial ranking focused on founder consequence, operating creation and company-building authority.

The edition considers Asian and Asia-centered founders, co-founders and founding teams whose principal entrepreneurial work remained materially relevant during the 2019 editorial window. Eligible candidates include active founder-operators, founder-chairpersons, founders of public or private companies, founding teams of inseparable operating identity and legacy founders whose enterprises continued to define Asian markets in 2019. Pure heirs, non-founder executives, passive investors, public officials without founder identity and founders whose primary impact was not connected to Asia are excluded.

Founder Lens

The founders defining Asia's company-building era.

Eligible Founders

Who is considered for the 2019 edition.

Publication Use

Each entry includes founder name, associated company, market, region, founder role, primary field, score, 2019 contribution, influence territory, profile language and InfluenceAsia editorial rationale. The package is prepared for ranking pages, founder profiles, entrepreneurship features, institutional research tables and structured web publication under the InfluenceAsia ranking identity.

Representative Founders

Eight Founders That Define The 2019 Thesis

#01

Jack Ma

Founder and long-cycle company architect

Company
Alibaba Group
Market
China
Index
99.0

InfluenceAsia ranks Jack Ma first for establishing the most consequential founder-created platform institution in Asia's 2019 entrepreneurial landscape.

#02

Ma Huateng

Co-founder and chairman

Company
Tencent Holdings
Market
China
Index
98.4

InfluenceAsia ranks Ma Huateng for making founder-led platform design central to Asia's mobile internet order.

#03

Ren Zhengfei

Founder and chief executive architect

Company
Huawei Technologies
Market
China
Index
97.8

InfluenceAsia ranks Ren Zhengfei for building Asia's most strategically scrutinized deep-technology enterprise in 2019.

#04

Masayoshi Son

Founder, chairman and technology capital architect

Company
SoftBank Group
Market
Japan
Index
97.1

InfluenceAsia ranks Masayoshi Son for making Asian founder capital a decisive force in global technology formation.

#05

Zhang Yiming

Founder and chief executive

Company
ByteDance
Market
China
Index
96.5

InfluenceAsia ranks Zhang Yiming for turning Asian algorithmic product design into a global founder breakthrough.

#06

Mukesh Ambani

Founder-builder of a national digital infrastructure platform

Company
Reliance Jio
Market
India
Index
95.9

InfluenceAsia ranks Mukesh Ambani for redefining India's digital operating base through founder-led infrastructure creation.

#07

Lei Jun

Founder, chairman and chief executive

Company
Xiaomi
Market
China
Index
95.2

InfluenceAsia ranks Lei Jun for making connected consumer technology accessible at Asian scale.

#08

Anthony Tan and Tan Hooi Ling

Co-founders and regional platform builders

Company
Grab
Market
Singapore / Malaysia
Index
94.6

InfluenceAsia ranks Anthony Tan and Tan Hooi Ling for building Southeast Asia's most consequential super-app founder story.

Full List

The Full List

50 founders shown

No matching founders found.

RankFounderCompanyMarketRegionPrimary FieldIndexSignal
1 Jack MaFounder and long-cycle company architect Alibaba Group China East Asia / Global Digital commerce, cloud, payments ecosystem and entrepreneurial institution-building 99.0 Jack Ma remained Asia's defining founder in 2019 as Alibaba's commerce, cloud, logistics and digital finance ecosystem continued to set the operating standard for platform-led enterprise creation.
2 Ma HuatengCo-founder and chairman Tencent Holdings China East Asia / Global Social platforms, gaming, payments, cloud and digital ecosystems 98.4 Ma Huateng's 2019 importance came from Tencent's continued command of social communication, gaming, payment behavior, digital content and enterprise technology expansion.
3 Ren ZhengfeiFounder and chief executive architect Huawei Technologies China East Asia / Global Telecommunications equipment, devices, networks and deep technology infrastructure 97.8 Ren Zhengfei stood at the center of Asia's 2019 technology-industrial narrative as Huawei's network equipment, 5G capability, device scale and engineering culture carried strategic significance far beyond ordinary corporate competition.
4 Masayoshi SonFounder, chairman and technology capital architect SoftBank Group Japan East Asia / Global Telecommunications, technology investment, semiconductor IP and global platform capital 97.1 Masayoshi Son remained one of Asia's most consequential founders in 2019 by turning founder-led capital allocation into a force shaping mobility, logistics, finance, artificial intelligence and platform competition.
5 Zhang YimingFounder and chief executive ByteDance China East Asia / Global Algorithmic media, short video, creator platforms and global consumer technology 96.5 Zhang Yiming became one of Asia's most important 2019 founders as ByteDance's algorithmic content platforms expanded across domestic and international consumer attention.
6 Mukesh AmbaniFounder-builder of a national digital infrastructure platform Reliance Jio India South Asia Telecommunications, digital connectivity, consumer platforms and data infrastructure 95.9 Mukesh Ambani's 2019 founder relevance came from Jio's transformation of Indian data access, mobile internet consumption and the strategic imagination of digital infrastructure at national scale.
7 Lei JunFounder, chairman and chief executive Xiaomi China East Asia / Global Smartphones, IoT devices, internet services and connected consumer hardware 95.2 Lei Jun remained a defining Asian founder in 2019 by combining smartphone scale, connected devices, internet services and a disciplined value-for-money brand proposition.
8 Anthony Tan and Tan Hooi LingCo-founders and regional platform builders Grab Singapore / Malaysia Southeast Asia Mobility, deliveries, payments and super-app services 94.6 Anthony Tan and Tan Hooi Ling remained among Southeast Asia's most influential founders in 2019 as Grab expanded from mobility into food, payments and everyday app-based services.
9 Nadiem MakarimFounder and platform originator Gojek Indonesia Southeast Asia On-demand services, mobility, payments and local digital platforms 94.0 Nadiem Makarim's 2019 contribution came from Gojek's rise as an Indonesian platform institution spanning mobility, payments, food, logistics and services for consumers, drivers and merchants.
10 Forrest LiFounder, chairman and group chief executive Sea Group Singapore Southeast Asia / Global Gaming, e-commerce, digital payments and regional consumer internet 93.4 Forrest Li became one of Southeast Asia's defining founders in 2019 as Sea Group connected digital entertainment, e-commerce and payments into a regionally scaled consumer internet company.
11 Wang XingFounder, chairman and chief executive Meituan Dianping China East Asia Local services, food delivery, travel services and merchant platforms 92.8 Wang Xing remained a major 2019 founder by building Meituan Dianping into a core infrastructure platform for food delivery, local commerce, travel and merchant digitization.
12 Colin HuangFounder, chairman and chief executive Pinduoduo China East Asia Social commerce, agricultural commerce and value-oriented marketplace platforms 92.2 Colin Huang became one of China's most closely watched founders in 2019 as Pinduoduo scaled a social-commerce model built around value, engagement, group purchasing and lower-tier consumer demand.
13 Richard LiuFounder and chairman JD.com China East Asia E-commerce, logistics, supply-chain technology and direct retail 91.6 Richard Liu remained a consequential founder in 2019 because JD.com's direct retail discipline, logistics infrastructure and supply-chain systems continued to shape Chinese online commerce.
14 Cheng WeiFounder and chief executive Didi Chuxing China East Asia Mobility platforms, ride-hailing, transport data and urban services 91.0 Cheng Wei's 2019 relevance came from Didi Chuxing's continuing role as China's defining mobility platform, with influence over ride-hailing operations, urban transport data and platform governance standards.
15 Su HuaCo-founder and chief executive Kuaishou China East Asia Short video, live streaming, creator economy and social commerce 90.4 Su Hua became an important 2019 founder as Kuaishou expanded short video, live streaming and creator-led commerce among users beyond elite urban internet culture.
16 Wang ChuanfuFounder, chairman and industrial technology architect BYD China East Asia / Global Electric vehicles, batteries, buses, electronics and clean mobility systems 89.8 Wang Chuanfu remained one of Asia's most important industrial founders in 2019 as BYD's battery, electric bus and new-energy vehicle capabilities connected manufacturing depth with clean mobility.
17 Vijay Shekhar SharmaFounder and chief executive Paytm India South Asia Digital payments, mobile wallet, merchant finance and consumer financial services 89.2 Vijay Shekhar Sharma remained India's most visible fintech founder in 2019 as Paytm expanded mobile payments, merchant acceptance and consumer financial services across a vast cash-to-digital transition.
18 Byju RaveendranFounder and chief executive BYJU'S India South Asia / Global Education technology, learning apps and digital tutoring 88.6 Byju Raveendran became one of Asia's most prominent education founders in 2019 as BYJU'S scaled app-based learning, test preparation and consumer education technology.
19 Ritesh AgarwalFounder and chief executive OYO India South Asia / Global Hospitality technology, budget accommodation networks and operating platforms 88.0 Ritesh Agarwal remained one of Asia's most closely watched young founders in 2019 as OYO pursued rapid expansion in standardized, technology-managed budget accommodation.
20 Sachin Bansal and Binny BansalCo-founders and e-commerce pioneers Flipkart India South Asia E-commerce, online retail, logistics and Indian consumer internet 87.4 Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal remained foundational Indian founders in 2019 because Flipkart's company-building legacy had permanently raised expectations for e-commerce, logistics and startup ambition in India.
21 N. R. Narayana MurthyCo-founder and institutional technology pioneer Infosys India South Asia / Global IT services, enterprise technology, governance and global delivery systems 86.8 N. R. Narayana Murthy remained one of Asia's most respected founder figures in 2019 because Infosys continued to symbolize Indian technology credibility, governance seriousness and global enterprise delivery.
22 Hiroshi MikitaniFounder, chairman and chief executive Rakuten Japan East Asia / Global E-commerce, fintech, digital services and mobile network ambition 86.2 Hiroshi Mikitani remained a major Japanese founder in 2019 as Rakuten connected e-commerce, payments, loyalty, travel, financial services and mobile-network ambition into a broad digital ecosystem.
23 Tadashi YanaiFounder-chairman and retail institution builder Fast Retailing Japan East Asia / Global Apparel retail, consumer brands, supply-chain discipline and global stores 85.6 Tadashi Yanai remained one of Asia's most important consumer founders in 2019 as Fast Retailing's product discipline, store execution and global brand expansion kept Japanese retail highly competitive.
24 Morris ChangFounder and semiconductor institution architect Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Taiwan East Asia / Global Semiconductor foundry, advanced manufacturing and global chip infrastructure 85.0 Morris Chang's founder legacy remained exceptionally relevant in 2019 because TSMC's foundry model underpinned global computing, mobile devices, high-performance chips and Taiwan's strategic technology position.
25 Terry GouFounder and manufacturing systems builder Hon Hai Precision Industry Taiwan East Asia / Global Electronics manufacturing, device assembly, industrial scale and supply-chain systems 84.4 Terry Gou remained a central founder figure in 2019 because Hon Hai's manufacturing depth continued to support the global device economy and Asia's role in electronics supply chains.
26 Kiran Mazumdar-ShawFounder and biotechnology institution builder Biocon India South Asia / Global Biopharmaceuticals, biosimilars, research manufacturing and healthcare access 83.8 Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw remained one of Asia's most important science founders in 2019 as Biocon's biopharmaceutical and biosimilar work continued to link Indian innovation with global healthcare access.
27 Eric YuanFounder and chief executive Zoom Video Communications China / United States East Asia / Global Enterprise collaboration, video communications and cloud software 83.2 Eric Yuan became one of the most visible Asian-born founders of 2019 as Zoom's public-market debut highlighted product-led enterprise software, customer trust and frictionless video collaboration.
28 Min-Liang TanCo-founder and chief executive Razer Singapore Southeast Asia / Global Gaming hardware, gamer services, lifestyle technology and digital payments adjacency 82.6 Min-Liang Tan remained a distinctive Southeast Asian founder in 2019 by building Razer into a global gaming lifestyle brand with hardware, software, services and payments-related ambition.
29 William TanuwijayaCo-founder and chief executive Tokopedia Indonesia Southeast Asia Marketplace commerce, merchant enablement and Indonesian digital economy 82.0 William Tanuwijaya remained a defining Indonesian founder in 2019 as Tokopedia enabled merchants, consumers and small businesses to participate in marketplace commerce across the archipelago.
30 Achmad ZakyCo-founder and entrepreneurial ecosystem figure Bukalapak Indonesia Southeast Asia Marketplace commerce, small merchant digitization and inclusive online retail 81.5 Achmad Zaky remained an important Indonesian founder in 2019 as Bukalapak continued to serve small merchants, online consumers and the broader development of Indonesia's digital economy.
31 Ferry UnardiCo-founder and chief executive Traveloka Indonesia Southeast Asia Online travel, booking platforms, lifestyle services and regional consumer technology 80.9 Ferry Unardi remained a leading Southeast Asian founder in 2019 as Traveloka organized flights, hotels and lifestyle services for a rising regional digital travel market.
32 Brian KimFounder and platform company architect Kakao South Korea East Asia Messaging, mobile platforms, payments, content and digital services 80.3 Brian Kim remained one of Korea's most important founders in 2019 because Kakao's messaging, content, payments and service ecosystem continued to shape daily mobile behavior.
33 Lee Hae-jinFounder and internet platform architect NAVER South Korea East Asia / Global Search, content platforms, messaging, cloud and digital services 79.7 Lee Hae-jin remained a foundational Korean founder in 2019 as NAVER continued to anchor search, content, mobile services, cloud ambitions and internationally relevant platform assets.
34 Bom KimFounder and chief executive Coupang South Korea East Asia E-commerce, logistics, fulfillment and consumer convenience infrastructure 79.1 Bom Kim became one of Korea's most consequential commerce founders in 2019 as Coupang's logistics intensity and fast-delivery model raised the standard for consumer convenience.
35 Bang Si-hyukFounder and creative industry architect Big Hit Entertainment South Korea East Asia / Global Entertainment, music IP, fandom platforms and cultural export systems 78.5 Bang Si-hyuk became an unusually influential cultural founder in 2019 as Big Hit Entertainment translated Korean music, fandom technology and artist IP into a global entertainment system.
36 Robin LiCo-founder, chairman and chief executive Baidu China East Asia Search, artificial intelligence, maps, cloud and autonomous driving 77.9 Robin Li remained a significant Asian founder in 2019 as Baidu continued to invest in search, artificial intelligence, cloud services, voice systems and autonomous driving.
37 William DingFounder and chief executive NetEase China East Asia / Global Gaming, digital content, online services and education-adjacent technology 77.3 William Ding remained one of China's most durable internet founders in 2019 as NetEase sustained high-quality gaming, digital content and disciplined online service operations.
38 Tony Tan CaktiongFounder and consumer brand builder Jollibee Foods Philippines Southeast Asia / Global Quick-service restaurants, consumer brands and food-service systems 76.7 Tony Tan Caktiong remained one of Southeast Asia's most admired consumer founders in 2019 as Jollibee continued to show how an Asian food brand could scale domestically and internationally.
39 Pham Nhat VuongFounder and industrial consumer ecosystem builder Vingroup Vietnam Southeast Asia Real estate, retail, healthcare, education, automobiles and consumer infrastructure 76.1 Pham Nhat Vuong remained Vietnam's most consequential founder in 2019 as Vingroup's expansion into urban life, retail, technology and automotive ambition shaped the country's modernization narrative.
40 Nguyen Thi Phuong ThaoFounder and aviation entrepreneur VietJet Air Vietnam Southeast Asia Low-cost aviation, consumer travel access and regional transport 75.5 Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao remained a defining Vietnamese founder in 2019 because VietJet expanded affordable air travel and helped reshape regional mobility for consumers and tourism.
41 Mudassir SheikhaCo-founder and chief executive Careem United Arab Emirates West Asia / Middle East Mobility, platform services, payments adjacency and regional startup formation 74.9 Mudassir Sheikha became one of West Asia's defining founders in 2019 as Careem's regional acquisition agreement validated locally built mobility platforms and the Middle Eastern startup ecosystem.
42 Ronaldo MouchawarCo-founder and e-commerce pioneer Souq.com United Arab Emirates West Asia / Middle East E-commerce, marketplace infrastructure and regional online retail 74.3 Ronaldo Mouchawar remained a foundational e-commerce founder for West Asia in 2019 because Souq.com's company-building legacy continued to influence online retail, logistics and marketplace expectations in the region.
43 Amnon ShashuaCo-founder and technology scientist-founder Mobileye Israel West Asia / Global Computer vision, driver assistance, autonomous mobility and automotive intelligence 73.7 Amnon Shashua remained one of Asia's most important deep-technology founders in 2019 as Mobileye's computer-vision and driver-assistance systems continued to shape the future of automotive intelligence.
44 Gil ShwedCo-founder and cybersecurity pioneer Check Point Software Technologies Israel West Asia / Global Cybersecurity, enterprise protection, network security and threat prevention 73.1 Gil Shwed remained a defining cybersecurity founder in 2019 as Check Point continued to represent Israeli depth in enterprise security, network protection and threat-prevention software.
45 Eyal WaldmanCo-founder and chief executive Mellanox Technologies Israel West Asia / Global High-performance networking, data-center infrastructure and semiconductor systems 72.5 Eyal Waldman stood out in 2019 as Mellanox's data-center networking technology became a strategically valuable layer for high-performance computing, cloud infrastructure and AI workloads.
46 Falguni NayarFounder and chief executive Nykaa India South Asia Beauty commerce, consumer brands, omnichannel retail and women-led entrepreneurship 71.9 Falguni Nayar remained a standout Indian consumer founder in 2019 as Nykaa strengthened beauty commerce, brand trust, content-led discovery and omnichannel retail execution.
47 Nithin KamathCo-founder and chief executive Zerodha India South Asia Online brokerage, retail investing technology and capital-market access 71.3 Nithin Kamath remained an important Indian fintech founder in 2019 as Zerodha lowered brokerage friction, improved investor interfaces and expanded self-directed retail participation.
48 Deepinder GoyalCo-founder and chief executive Zomato India South Asia / Global Food discovery, restaurant technology, delivery and local commerce 70.7 Deepinder Goyal remained a major Indian consumer internet founder in 2019 as Zomato combined restaurant discovery, food delivery, merchant tools and international market presence.
49 Girish MathruboothamFounder and chief executive Freshworks India South Asia / Global Enterprise SaaS, customer support software and cloud business tools 70.1 Girish Mathrubootham remained one of India's most important enterprise software founders in 2019 as Freshworks strengthened the case for globally sold SaaS built from India.
50 Sridhar VembuCo-founder and chief executive Zoho Corporation India South Asia / Global Enterprise software, productivity suites, cloud applications and bootstrapped company building 69.5 Sridhar Vembu remained a distinctive Indian founder in 2019 because Zoho's global software suite, private ownership model and product depth offered a patient alternative to capital-intensive startup orthodoxy.
Methodology

How InfluenceAsia Built The Ranking

2019 Founder Universe Formation

InfluenceAsia formed a 2019 founder universe across Asian and Asia-centered entrepreneurs active in technology, commerce, manufacturing, digital infrastructure, mobility, finance, education, healthcare, consumer brands, entertainment, software, deep technology and regional platform formation.

Founder Identity Review

Candidates were reviewed for genuine founder, co-founder or founding-team identity. Purely inherited ownership, non-founder executive leadership, passive investment roles and public-office prominence without founder creation were excluded from ranking eligibility.

Historical Window Review

Each founder was evaluated as of the 2019 annual window. Later success, later distress, later regulatory outcomes, later resignations, later acquisitions, later rebrands and later market cycles were not used to rewrite the historical ranking.

Weighted Influence Scoring

Each eligible founder was assessed across seven weighted dimensions: 2019 founder contribution, company-building scale, originality and category creation, Asia relevance, institutional and capital signal, ecosystem multiplication, and strategic durability.

Research DimensionWeightDefinition
2019 Founder Contribution24%The founder's visible contribution during the 2019 annual window, including company momentum, category formation, strategic execution, public relevance, product adoption, capital-market signal and influence on entrepreneurial expectations.
Company-Building Scale18%The scale and operating quality of the enterprise or platform the founder created, including user reach, revenue relevance, industrial depth, infrastructure value, brand power, organizational sophistication and ability to sustain repeated behavior.
Originality and Category Creation15%The degree to which the founder created or redefined a category, including platform commerce, social technology, telecom infrastructure, semiconductors, mobility, education, biotechnology, consumer brands, enterprise software, digital finance or capital-market access.
Asia Relevance13%The founder's importance to Asian consumers, households, small businesses, enterprises, developers, manufacturers, capital markets, workforces, supply chains, digital ecosystems and regional competitiveness.
Institutional and Capital Signal11%The founder's 2019 capacity to shape investor confidence, public-market narratives, strategic partnerships, talent markets, governance expectations, founder-led succession models and institutional credibility.
Ecosystem Multiplication10%The founder's wider contribution to startup ecosystems, supplier networks, developer communities, entrepreneurial culture, venture formation, job creation, technology talent and new operating standards across Asia.
Strategic Durability9%The defensibility of the founder's 2019 position, including long-cycle relevance, resilience under competition or regulation, governance maturity, succession credibility and ability to remain consequential beyond a single product cycle.