Thailand
OpenAI and Thailand Government Launch AI Accelerator to Support Next Generation of Startups: OpenAI and Thailand’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) have launched a new eight-week accelerator programme aimed at helping Thai artificial intelligence startups transform promising prototypes into products ready for real-world deployment and growth.
The OpenAI x MHESI AI Accelerator brings together 10 startups working across healthcare, wellness and education. The initiative represents OpenAI’s first public-private partnership with the Thai government focused on supporting local startups.
The programme is being delivered in collaboration with the National Innovation Agency (NIA), Mahidol University and Techsauce, alongside Thailand’s wider technology, research and startup ecosystem.
Supporting Thailand’s AI Startup Ecosystem
The accelerator comes as AI adoption continues to expand rapidly across Thailand. According to OpenAI’s internal data, Thailand ranks among the top 20 countries globally for weekly active ChatGPT users.
Since the beginning of 2026, weekly active usage of Codex in Thailand has reportedly grown more than 350-fold, placing Thailand among the top 20 countries globally for Codex usage.
The accelerator seeks to build on this momentum by helping founders move beyond demonstrations and early prototypes toward reliable products that can be tested, evaluated and deployed in real-world environments.
Focus on Healthcare and Education
The first cohort comprises five startups focused on medical and wellness AI and five working in education.
The participating companies are CARIVA, Wello Food, Dietz, Precisionize, FitSloth, Curico, insKru, Floaino, EasyKids Robotics and Globish.
The startups were selected with support from NIA, the Ministry of Education and the MHESI innovation network. Several teams also participated in the AIAT × OpenAI Codex Hackathon Bangkok earlier in 2026.
The programme reflects Thailand’s focus on developing technology solutions addressing domestic priorities, including healthcare, wellness, education and workforce development.
Professor Dr Yodchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, said Thailand’s competitiveness in the AI era would depend on its ability to transform advanced technology into trusted products addressing real-world challenges.
He highlighted the accelerator’s role in connecting Thai founders with government agencies, universities, investors and domain experts while combining Thailand’s research and talent capabilities with OpenAI’s AI technology.
Technical and Business Support
During the eight-week programme, participating startups will work with mentors from OpenAI and Thailand’s technology and startup communities.
OpenAI will provide each company with US$2,000 in API credits, one-on-one technical guidance and access to its latest frontier models. Each startup will also receive a dedicated mentor.
The programme will cover areas including product design, engineering, automated testing, AI evaluation, responsible AI, privacy and security, cost management, growth and fundraising.
MHESI will connect participating companies with Thailand’s research and talent networks, while NIA will provide links to the country’s funding and growth ecosystem. Mahidol University will contribute academic expertise and mentors.
Each startup will establish a specific product, pilot, evaluation or commercial milestone for the programme. By the end of the accelerator, companies are expected to demonstrate working products or significant upgrades, evidence from representative users, initial evaluation results and a pathway toward implementation.
AI Solutions for Real-World Challenges
Among the participating startups is CARIVA, which is developing a multilingual voice agent for hospital telephone lines. The technology is designed to communicate with patients in their preferred language, assist with routine requests such as appointment scheduling and identify potential medical emergencies for escalation.
CARIVA plans to work with OpenAI during the accelerator on evaluation methodologies and steering strategies for real-time speech technology, with the aim of piloting its solution within a hospital call flow.
Another participant, Curico, is developing AI-powered learning tools for children, families and educators. The platform aims to use AI to support hands-on learning, create educational stories and provide personalised feedback.
Curico plans to pilot its platform in Bangkok Metropolitan Administration childcare centres and expand collaborations with educational institutions and government partners.
Demo Day in November
The accelerator will conclude with a Demo Day in Bangkok in November, where participating startups are expected to showcase their products, user evidence and evaluation results while presenting plans for future deployment and growth.
The event is expected to bring together investors, government agencies, universities, hospitals, schools, potential customers and other organisations that can help successful startups move from prototypes to sustained implementation.
Sandy Kunvatanagarn, Head of Policy for ASEAN at OpenAI, said the company believes many important AI breakthroughs will come from founders who deeply understand specific problems and develop solutions that people value.
The initiative is intended not only to support the first cohort but also to establish a longer-term model connecting government, universities, startups, investors and technology companies.
For Thailand, the accelerator represents another step in strengthening its domestic AI ecosystem and supporting startups capable of developing solutions for the local market while potentially scaling their technologies internationally.
