Cross-Border Expansion in Asia – How Betterteem Scaled Beyond the Philippines
Betterteem scaled across Asia through the smart use of networks, programs, and strategy. Can a Southeast Asian startup truly go regional and succeed?
At a glance
Country
The Philippines
Business Stage
Early to Growth Stage
Industry
HR Technology & AI Analytics
Case Focus
Program-Driven Globalization
Abstract
Betterteem Technologies, founded in 2022, revolutionized employee retention strategies by leveraging artificial intelligence to predict resignation risks through actionable sentiment analysis. The company quickly demonstrated value in the Philippine Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector, prompting a rapid evolution into a regional AI-powered platform spanning Southeast and Northeast Asia. However, scaling beyond a familiar domestic market presented significant complexities, including diverse regulatory frameworks, cultural barriers, and limited resources.
This case study explores Betterteem’s strategic expansion, which was catalyzed by organic client referrals and participation in high-impact international programs like Techstars Tel Aviv and the K-Startup Grand Challenge. The case study explores how the company successfully navigated international hurdles by refining its technology into a sophisticated predictive engine and pivoting its market positioning from HR managers to C-suite executives to align with organizational financial goals.
This case study was developed as part of a collaborative project with the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), which aims to provide the startup member community with practical insights into cross-border collaboration and regional expansion in Asia. The case was further enriched through academic engagement with Dr. Leveric T. Ng of the Ateneo Graduate School of Business in the Philippines, whose input strengthened its analytical rigor and teaching relevance. In addition, the authors conducted an in-depth interview with Betterteem’s founder and CEO, Bo Discarga, which offered firsthand perspectives on the company’s strategic decisions, expansion journey, and operational challenges. While grounded in these primary and secondary sources, this case reflects the authors’ independent analysis. This version, published on Nikkei BizRuptors, has been slightly adapted for academic and classroom use, with content and structure tailored to undergraduate and postgraduate university learners.
Keywords: HR Technology (HR Tech), AI-Powered HR Analytics, Employee Retention, Predictive Analytics, Cross-Border Expansion. Startup Internationalization, Southeast Asia Startups. Business-to-Business (B2B), SaaS, International Accelerator Programs, Government-Backed Startup Ecosystems
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Disclaimers:
(1) Regarding Case Study Content: This case study is based mainly on secondary data and analysis of publicly available information unless otherwise stated, and is intended solely for educational purposes. Any opinions expressed by the author(s) are designed to facilitate learning discussion and do not serve to illustrate the effectiveness of the company. Additionally, banner images and logos used in the case study are intended for visualization in an educational setting and it is not used to represent or brand the company. For any dispute regarding the content and usage of images and logos, please contact the team.
(2) Regarding University Affiliation and Titles of Authors: The university affiliation and titles of author(s) seen in the case study is based on their affiliation and title during the time of publication. It may or may not represent the current status of said author(s).
