Funding context, private-market signal, category creation and company-building momentum visible during the 2017 window.
2017
InfluenceAsia Top 100 Startups In Asia 2017
A 2017 ranking of Asia's most influential venture-backed startups, unicorns, scaleups and startup-origin breakthrough exits.
100Startups Ranked
100Point Influence Index
5Scoring Pillars
13Market Bases
Ranking Introduction
Asia's Startup Influence Map In 2017
An independent InfluenceAsia startup ranking focused on company-level innovation, venture scale, sector creation and international relevance.
Startup companies, late-stage scaleups, unicorns and startup-origin strategic exits or public-market debuts that defined Asia startup influence in 2017. Political figures, public officials and mature incumbent conglomerates are outside this edition.
Written as a 2017 edition, using market position, funding context, product momentum and regional influence visible during 2017.
This is an independent InfluenceAsia editorial and research ranking. It is not a wealth list, advertising award, paid placement, investment recommendation or commercial endorsement.
Startups are assessed for the markets they shaped, from fintech and mobility to AI, logistics, commerce, education and health technology.
The ranking weighs Asian market relevance alongside international visibility and the ability to shift investor, consumer or enterprise behavior.
Representative Cases
Eight Startups That Define The 2017 Thesis
#01
Ant Financial
Mega-unicorn fintech platform
Asia's most consequential fintech startup of 2017, built around payments, data and inclusive financial access.
#02
Didi Chuxing
Mega-unicorn mobility platform
China's mobility giant in 2017, combining ride scale, AI ambition and urban transport influence.
#03
Xiaomi
Mega-unicorn consumer technology company
A defining Chinese consumer-tech startup in 2017, built on phones, devices and ecosystem economics.
#04
Meituan-Dianping
Mega-unicorn local-services platform
China's local-services platform leader in 2017, converting city consumption into digital infrastructure.
#05
Toutiao (ByteDance)
Mega-unicorn media technology platform
ByteDance's flagship platform in 2017, defining algorithmic media and mobile attention.
#06
Lufax
Decacorn financial technology platform
A major Chinese fintech startup in 2017, focused on digital wealth, credit and online finance.
#07
Grab
Southeast Asian mega-unicorn
Southeast Asia's leading mobility startup in 2017, scaling transport, payments and platform services.
#08
Mobileye
Startup-origin strategic exit
Israel's automotive-vision breakout of 2017, linking computer vision with the future of mobility.
Full Ranking
The Full List
Showing 100 startups
| Rank | Startup | Headquarters | Market Base | Primary Sector | Index | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ant FinancialMega-unicorn fintech platform | Hangzhou, China | China | Financial technology | 99.4 | Asia's most consequential fintech startup of 2017, built around payments, data and inclusive financial access. |
| 2 | Didi ChuxingMega-unicorn mobility platform | Beijing, China | China | Mobility technology | 99.3 | China's mobility giant in 2017, combining ride scale, AI ambition and urban transport influence. |
| 3 | XiaomiMega-unicorn consumer technology company | Beijing, China | China | Consumer electronics and internet services | 99.1 | A defining Chinese consumer-tech startup in 2017, built on phones, devices and ecosystem economics. |
| 4 | Meituan-DianpingMega-unicorn local-services platform | Beijing, China | China | Local services and e-commerce | 99.0 | China's local-services platform leader in 2017, converting city consumption into digital infrastructure. |
| 5 | Toutiao (ByteDance)Mega-unicorn media technology platform | Beijing, China | China | Digital media and algorithms | 98.8 | ByteDance's flagship platform in 2017, defining algorithmic media and mobile attention. |
| 6 | LufaxDecacorn financial technology platform | Shanghai, China | China | Online wealth management and fintech | 98.7 | A major Chinese fintech startup in 2017, focused on digital wealth, credit and online finance. |
| 7 | GrabSoutheast Asian mega-unicorn | Singapore | Singapore | Mobility technology | 98.6 | Southeast Asia's leading mobility startup in 2017, scaling transport, payments and platform services. |
| 8 | MobileyeStartup-origin strategic exit | Jerusalem, Israel | Israel | Autonomous driving and computer vision | 98.4 | Israel's automotive-vision breakout of 2017, linking computer vision with the future of mobility. |
| 9 | FlipkartIndian mega-unicorn marketplace | Bengaluru, India | India | E-commerce | 98.3 | India's leading e-commerce startup in 2017, representing the scale of domestic online retail. |
| 10 | PaytmIndian mega-unicorn payments platform | Noida, India | India | Financial technology | 98.1 | India's defining payments startup in 2017, turning wallet usage into a broader financial platform. |
| 11 | Sea Group (Garena)Startup-origin 2017 public-market debut | Singapore | Singapore | Gaming, e-commerce and digital finance | 98.0 | A Southeast Asian internet champion in 2017, spanning Garena, Shopee and digital financial services. |
| 12 | Go-JekIndonesian unicorn platform | Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia | Mobility and on-demand services | 97.9 | Indonesia's most influential startup of 2017, turning motorcycle mobility into a multi-service platform. |
| 13 | TokopediaIndonesian unicorn marketplace | Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia | E-commerce marketplace | 97.7 | Indonesia's marketplace leader in 2017, empowering merchants and consumers across a vast archipelago. |
| 14 | OlaIndian ride-hailing unicorn | Bengaluru, India | India | Mobility technology | 97.6 | India's ride-hailing leader in 2017, adapting mobility technology to local city realities. |
| 15 | DJIGlobal hardware unicorn | Shenzhen, China | China | Drones and robotics | 97.4 | The world's defining drone startup in 2017, built from Shenzhen engineering and category leadership. |
| 16 | CATLIndustrial technology unicorn | Ningde, China | China | Battery technology | 97.3 | China's battery technology breakout in 2017, powering the electric-vehicle supply chain. |
| 17 | Cainiao NetworkSmart logistics unicorn | Hangzhou, China | China | Logistics technology | 97.2 | Alibaba-linked logistics startup Cainiao shaped China's fulfilment infrastructure in 2017. |
| 18 | KoubeiLocal-services unicorn | Hangzhou, China | China | Local commerce | 97.0 | A Chinese local-commerce startup in 2017, linking payments with offline merchant growth. |
| 19 | JD FinancePlatform fintech unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Financial technology | 96.9 | A Chinese fintech startup in 2017, translating retail data into credit and financial services. |
| 20 | Ele.meOn-demand delivery unicorn | Shanghai, China | China | Food delivery | 96.7 | China's food-delivery leader in 2017, turning meals into a real-time logistics business. |
| 21 | KuaishouContent platform unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Short video and live streaming | 96.6 | A Chinese short-video breakout in 2017, built around grassroots creators and mobile communities. |
| 22 | LianjiaReal-estate services unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Real estate technology | 96.5 | China's real-estate technology leader in 2017, organising housing data and brokerage services. |
| 23 | MobikeBike-sharing unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Micromobility | 96.3 | A dockless bike-sharing icon in 2017, putting Chinese micromobility on the global map. |
| 24 | OfoBike-sharing unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Micromobility | 96.2 | China's other major bike-sharing force in 2017, racing to scale urban access through dockless bicycles. |
| 25 | CareemMiddle East ride-hailing scaleup | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | Mobility technology | 96.0 | The Middle East's standout mobility startup in 2017, built around regional localisation and city coverage. |
| 26 | Souq.comStartup-origin strategic exit | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | United Arab Emirates | E-commerce | 95.9 | The Middle East's landmark e-commerce startup exit of 2017. |
| 27 | CoupangKorean unicorn marketplace | Seoul, South Korea | South Korea | E-commerce and logistics | 95.8 | South Korea's leading e-commerce startup in 2017, focused on speed, logistics and customer experience. |
| 28 | Bluehole (Krafton)Gaming breakout startup | Seongnam, South Korea | South Korea | Gaming | 95.6 | Korea's gaming breakout of 2017, proving global reach for Asian interactive entertainment. |
| 29 | Yello MobileKorean unicorn platform group | Seoul, South Korea | South Korea | Mobile internet holding company | 95.5 | A Korean mobile internet group in 2017, notable for aggressive portfolio expansion and ecosystem reach. |
| 30 | TravelokaSoutheast Asian travel unicorn | Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia | Online travel | 95.3 | Indonesia's travel-tech champion in 2017, serving mobile-first travel demand across the region. |
| 31 | BukalapakIndonesian marketplace scaleup | Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia | E-commerce marketplace | 95.2 | An Indonesian marketplace leader in 2017, focused on small merchants and mass-market commerce. |
| 32 | ZomatoIndian food-tech unicorn | Gurugram, India | India | Food technology | 95.1 | India's food-tech leader in 2017, combining restaurant discovery with ordering and delivery. |
| 33 | BYJU'SHigh-growth education scaleup | Bengaluru, India | India | Education technology | 94.9 | India's leading edtech scaleup in 2017, turning mobile learning into a premium consumer category. |
| 34 | InMobiIndian adtech unicorn | Bengaluru, India | India | Mobile advertising technology | 94.8 | India's global mobile-advertising startup in 2017, operating across publishers, brands and data technology. |
| 35 | QuikrIndian classifieds unicorn | Bengaluru, India | India | Online classifieds | 94.6 | India's broad classifieds platform in 2017, connecting local buyers, sellers and service providers. |
| 36 | HikeIndian messaging unicorn | New Delhi, India | India | Messaging and social technology | 94.5 | India's homegrown messaging startup in 2017, built for youth communication and local expression. |
| 37 | ShopCluesIndian marketplace unicorn | Gurugram, India | India | E-commerce marketplace | 94.4 | An Indian value-commerce startup in 2017, focused on small merchants and affordable online retail. |
| 38 | SnapdealIndian e-commerce unicorn | New Delhi, India | India | E-commerce marketplace | 94.2 | A major Indian e-commerce startup in 2017, defined by strategic reset and marketplace resilience. |
| 39 | MercariJapanese unicorn marketplace | Tokyo, Japan | Japan | C2C marketplace | 94.1 | Japan's first major marketplace unicorn, leading mobile resale and circular commerce in 2017. |
| 40 | Preferred NetworksJapanese deep-tech unicorn | Tokyo, Japan | Japan | Artificial intelligence | 93.9 | Japan's leading AI startup in 2017, focused on industrial intelligence and robotics. |
| 41 | RazerStartup-origin 2017 public-market debut | Singapore / San Francisco | Singapore | Gaming hardware and lifestyle technology | 93.8 | A Singapore-rooted gaming hardware startup that entered public markets in 2017 with global brand power. |
| 42 | VNGVietnamese technology unicorn | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | Vietnam | Online games and digital services | 93.7 | Vietnam's standout internet startup in 2017, spanning games, messaging and digital platforms. |
| 43 | NIOSmart electric-vehicle startup | Shanghai, China | China | Electric vehicles | 93.5 | China's premium EV startup in 2017, combining design, software and performance ambition. |
| 44 | SenseTimeAI unicorn | Beijing / Hong Kong | China | Artificial intelligence | 93.4 | A Chinese AI leader in 2017, turning computer vision into large-scale enterprise technology. |
| 45 | MegviiAI unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Artificial intelligence | 93.2 | China's Face++ creator in 2017, advancing computer vision for real-world deployment. |
| 46 | CambriconAI-chip unicorn | Beijing, China | China | AI semiconductors | 93.1 | China's AI-chip breakout in 2017, translating machine-learning demand into processor innovation. |
| 47 | Yitu TechnologyAI unicorn | Shanghai, China | China | Artificial intelligence | 93.0 | A Shanghai AI startup in 2017, combining computer vision with healthcare and urban applications. |
| 48 | UBTech RoboticsRobotics unicorn | Shenzhen, China | China | Robotics | 92.8 | China's humanoid robotics startup in 2017, connecting Shenzhen hardware with service robot ambition. |
| 49 | VIPKidEdtech unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Education technology | 92.7 | China's live online English-learning leader in 2017, turning tutoring into a scalable platform. |
| 50 | ZhihuContent community unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Knowledge community | 92.5 | China's knowledge-community startup in 2017, elevating expert Q&A into a mainstream content format. |
| 51 | iCarbonXHealth data unicorn | Shenzhen, China | China | Digital health and biotechnology | 92.4 | A Chinese health-data startup in 2017, pursuing AI-enabled precision medicine and wellness intelligence. |
| 52 | UcommuneWorkspace unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Flexible workspace | 92.3 | China's co-working leader in 2017, supplying flexible space to founders and growth companies. |
| 53 | WeDoctorHealthcare platform unicorn | Hangzhou, China | China | Digital health | 92.1 | China's digital health platform leader in 2017, connecting patients with healthcare services. |
| 54 | TujiaHome-sharing unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Travel technology | 92.0 | China's vacation-rental startup in 2017, building localised home-sharing for Chinese travel demand. |
| 55 | Ximalaya FMDigital audio unicorn | Shanghai, China | China | Audio content | 91.8 | China's digital audio leader in 2017, scaling spoken-word media and creator programming. |
| 56 | XiaohongshuLifestyle community scaleup | Shanghai, China | China | Social commerce | 91.7 | China's lifestyle social-commerce startup in 2017, linking content, trust and shopping. |
| 57 | MeicaiAgricultural supply-chain unicorn | Beijing, China | China | B2B food supply chain | 91.6 | China's B2B food supply-chain startup in 2017, connecting farms, distributors and restaurants. |
| 58 | Dada-JD DaojiaLocal delivery scaleup | Shanghai, China | China | On-demand logistics and local retail | 91.4 | China's local delivery platform in 2017, connecting retailers, couriers and consumers. |
| 59 | SouCheAuto retail technology unicorn | Hangzhou, China | China | Automotive commerce | 91.3 | A Chinese auto-commerce startup in 2017, digitising car retail and dealer operations. |
| 60 | BitmainCrypto infrastructure unicorn | Beijing, China | China | Blockchain hardware | 91.1 | China's crypto-hardware powerhouse in 2017, supplying the machines behind blockchain mining. |
| 61 | BinanceBreakout crypto exchange | Shanghai / Asia-based operations | China / Asia | Blockchain and digital assets | 91.0 | Asia's breakout crypto exchange startup of 2017, scaling digital-asset trading at unusual speed. |
| 62 | Horizon RoboticsDeep-tech AI scaleup | Beijing, China | China | AI chips and autonomous systems | 90.9 | A Chinese edge-AI startup in 2017, targeting smart vehicles and intelligent devices. |
| 63 | XPeng MotorsSmart EV startup | Guangzhou, China | China | Electric vehicles | 90.7 | China's smart EV contender in 2017, focused on connected mobility and software-driven vehicles. |
| 64 | WM MotorSmart EV startup | Shanghai, China | China | Electric vehicles | 90.6 | A Chinese EV startup in 2017, targeting mass-market smart electric mobility. |
| 65 | TuSimpleAutonomous-driving startup | Beijing / San Diego | China / United States | Autonomous trucking | 90.4 | An autonomous trucking startup in 2017, applying AI to long-haul freight efficiency. |
| 66 | SwiggyHigh-growth food delivery scaleup | Bengaluru, India | India | Food delivery | 90.3 | India's fast-rising food-delivery startup in 2017, focused on reliable urban convenience. |
| 67 | PolicyBazaarInsurance marketplace scaleup | Gurugram, India | India | Insurance technology | 90.2 | India's insurance marketplace leader in 2017, improving access and transparency in financial protection. |
| 68 | DelhiveryE-commerce logistics scaleup | Gurugram, India | India | Logistics technology | 90.0 | India's logistics-tech leader in 2017, powering e-commerce delivery and fulfilment. |
| 69 | BigBasketGrocery commerce scaleup | Bengaluru, India | India | Online grocery | 89.9 | India's online grocery leader in 2017, combining fresh supply chains with consumer convenience. |
| 70 | FreshworksGlobal SaaS scaleup | Chennai, India | India | Software as a service | 89.7 | India's global SaaS breakout in 2017, building business software for international customers. |
| 71 | RazorpayFintech scaleup | Bengaluru, India | India | Payments infrastructure | 89.6 | India's payments infrastructure startup in 2017, serving developers, merchants and digital businesses. |
| 72 | MobiKwikMobile wallet scaleup | Gurugram, India | India | Financial technology | 89.5 | An Indian mobile wallet startup in 2017, competing for consumer payments and merchant acceptance. |
| 73 | GrofersGrocery delivery scaleup | Gurugram, India | India | Online grocery | 89.3 | An Indian grocery delivery startup in 2017, working through the operational challenge of daily essentials. |
| 74 | UrbanClapHome services scaleup | Gurugram, India | India | Local services marketplace | 89.2 | India's home-services marketplace in 2017, digitising skilled household services. |
| 75 | RivigoTruck logistics scaleup | Gurugram, India | India | Logistics technology | 89.0 | India's freight-tech startup in 2017, rethinking trucking through relay operations and data. |
| 76 | UdaanB2B marketplace scaleup | Bengaluru, India | India | B2B commerce | 88.9 | India's emerging B2B commerce platform in 2017, connecting wholesalers, retailers and manufacturers. |
| 77 | LenskartOmnichannel eyewear scaleup | New Delhi, India | India | Consumer retail technology | 88.8 | India's eyewear commerce startup in 2017, blending online discovery with physical retail execution. |
| 78 | CarDekhoAutomotive marketplace scaleup | Jaipur, India | India | Auto technology | 88.6 | India's auto marketplace startup in 2017, digitising discovery and dealer engagement. |
| 79 | PractoHealth platform scaleup | Bengaluru, India | India | Digital health | 88.5 | India's doctor-discovery startup in 2017, building digital access to healthcare services. |
| 80 | CarousellRegional marketplace scaleup | Singapore | Singapore | C2C marketplace | 88.3 | Singapore's C2C marketplace leader in 2017, focused on mobile resale and local commerce. |
| 81 | ZilingoFashion commerce scaleup | Singapore | Singapore | Fashion commerce and supply chain | 88.2 | A Singapore fashion-tech startup in 2017, connecting sellers, consumers and cross-border supply chains. |
| 82 | Ninja VanRegional logistics scaleup | Singapore | Singapore | Logistics technology | 88.1 | Southeast Asia's parcel logistics startup in 2017, enabling e-commerce fulfilment across fragmented markets. |
| 83 | ShopBackCashback and loyalty scaleup | Singapore | Singapore | Commerce enablement | 87.9 | Singapore's cashback startup in 2017, turning loyalty and affiliate commerce into a regional platform. |
| 84 | iflixRegional video streaming scaleup | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Malaysia | Streaming media | 87.8 | Malaysia's streaming startup in 2017, tailoring online video to mobile-first emerging consumers. |
| 85 | OmisePayments and blockchain scaleup | Bangkok, Thailand | Thailand | Financial technology | 87.6 | Thailand's fintech startup in 2017, combining merchant payments with blockchain experimentation. |
| 86 | CarsomeUsed-car marketplace scaleup | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Malaysia | Auto commerce | 87.5 | Malaysia's auto-commerce startup in 2017, digitising used-car selling with inspection-led trust. |
| 87 | SmartNewsNews aggregation scaleup | Tokyo, Japan | Japan | Digital media | 87.4 | Japan's mobile news startup in 2017, using technology to improve everyday information discovery. |
| 88 | freeeCloud accounting scaleup | Tokyo, Japan | Japan | Financial software | 87.2 | Japan's cloud accounting startup in 2017, digitising small-business finance and operations. |
| 89 | SansanEnterprise SaaS scaleup | Tokyo, Japan | Japan | Business software | 87.1 | Japan's contact-management SaaS startup in 2017, converting business cards into relationship data. |
| 90 | Money ForwardStartup-origin 2017 public-market debut | Tokyo, Japan | Japan | Financial software | 86.9 | A Japanese fintech and SaaS startup that reached public markets in 2017. |
| 91 | RaksulPrinting and logistics marketplace scaleup | Tokyo, Japan | Japan | B2B marketplace | 86.8 | Japan's B2B marketplace startup in 2017, modernising printing through capacity matching. |
| 92 | Woowa BrothersKorean food-tech scaleup | Seoul, South Korea | South Korea | Food delivery | 86.7 | Korea's food-delivery leader in 2017, building Baedal Minjok into a national consumer platform. |
| 93 | Viva RepublicaFintech scaleup | Seoul, South Korea | South Korea | Financial technology | 86.5 | Korea's Toss operator in 2017, simplifying payments and personal finance for mobile users. |
| 94 | YanoljaTravel-tech scaleup | Seoul, South Korea | South Korea | Travel and hospitality technology | 86.4 | Korea's travel-tech startup in 2017, connecting accommodation booking with hospitality digitisation. |
| 95 | MemeboxK-beauty commerce scaleup | Seoul / San Francisco | South Korea | Beauty commerce | 86.2 | A Korean beauty-commerce startup in 2017, translating K-beauty demand into digital retail. |
| 96 | SocarCar-sharing scaleup | Jeju / Seoul, South Korea | South Korea | Mobility technology | 86.1 | Korea's car-sharing startup in 2017, applying access-based mobility to dense urban markets. |
| 97 | ViaTransit technology scaleup | Tel Aviv / New York | Israel | Mobility technology | 86.0 | Israel's transit-tech startup in 2017, applying dynamic routing to shared urban mobility. |
| 98 | ironSourceSoftware scaleup | Tel Aviv, Israel | Israel | Mobile software and app monetisation | 85.8 | Israel's app-monetisation startup in 2017, powering mobile developer growth and distribution. |
| 99 | TaboolaMedia technology scaleup | Tel Aviv / New York | Israel | Content discovery technology | 85.7 | Israel's content-discovery startup in 2017, connecting publishers, advertisers and recommendation systems. |
| 100 | OutbrainMedia technology scaleup | Netanya / New York | Israel | Content discovery technology | 85.5 | Israel's publisher recommendation startup in 2017, linking media monetisation with discovery technology. |
No startups match the current filters.
Methodology
How InfluenceAsia Built The Ranking
Venture Scale And Market Signal
Weight: 30%. This pillar contributes to the comparative InfluenceAsia 2017 startup index and is applied across all eligible companies.
Sector Leadership
Weight: 25%. This pillar contributes to the comparative InfluenceAsia 2017 startup index and is applied across all eligible companies.
Product And Technology Contribution
Weight: 20%. This pillar contributes to the comparative InfluenceAsia 2017 startup index and is applied across all eligible companies.
Regional Reach
Weight: 15%. This pillar contributes to the comparative InfluenceAsia 2017 startup index and is applied across all eligible companies.
International Relevance
Weight: 10%. This pillar contributes to the comparative InfluenceAsia 2017 startup index and is applied across all eligible companies.
Rank
Field
InfluenceAsia ordinal rank for the 2017 edition.
Startup
Field
Startup or startup-origin company name used for public-facing presentation.
Market
Field
Primary Asian market associated with the company in 2017.
Headquarters
Field
Principal operating base or dual-base context in 2017.
Sector
Field
Primary startup sector.
Startup Stage 2017
Field
InfluenceAsia stage classification for the 2017 edition.
Influence Theme
Field
Concise editorial theme explaining the company's startup influence.
Score
Field
InfluenceAsia editorial score on a 100-point scale.
InfluenceAsia 2017 Rationale
Field
Detailed 2017 editorial rationale for ranking placement.
2017 Field Contribution
Field
How the startup advanced its field or ecosystem during 2017.
International Relevance
Field
Why the startup mattered beyond a domestic audience in 2017.
Web Profile Line
Field
Short presentation-ready line for web cards or table summaries.
Copyright / Legal
Copyright, Research Notes And Legal Disclaimers
Copyright 2017 InfluenceAsia. All rights reserved. The ranking structure, editorial wording, scoring presentation and startup profiles are prepared as an InfluenceAsia independent editorial work.
Startup names, company names, sectors, markets, investors, products and technologies are used for identification, factual description and editorial commentary only.
Inclusion does not constitute endorsement, sponsorship, partnership, investment advice, legal advice, procurement advice or commercial approval by any startup, founder, investor or institution named or implied.
The page is written from the 2017 edition perspective. Later exits, failures, acquisitions, valuation changes, legal matters or reputational developments are not used as ranking arguments.
Startup influence is shaped by funding disclosure, market visibility, media access, regulatory context and regional information asymmetry; InfluenceAsia treats the final order as an editorial ranking, not a mechanical calculation.