Update on Singapore’s corporate venturing ecosystem by Arthur D. Little and Singapore EDB

This press release was issued by Arthur D. Little.

• Singapore's startup ecosystem has risen from 16th globally in 2020 to 4th in 2025, making it one of the world's leading innovation ecosystems.
• Ranked the most popular regional headquarter destination in Asia, Singapore serves as a gateway to both multi-national companies and startups. 
• The viewpoint identifies advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, AI and the digital economy, and healthcare and biomedical sciences as growth sectors anchoring Singapore's corporate venturing ecosystem.

Global management consultancy Arthur D. Little (ADL) and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) have released a joint publication examining corporate venturing (CV) as an increasingly important strategy for companies seeking growth, resilience and long-term competitiveness.

Titled “Singapore As A Global Platform For Corporate Venturing”, the publication explores how Singapore’s innovation ecosystem enables corporations to identify emerging technologies, collaborate with startups and research institutions, and accelerate the commercialisation of new ideas.

The publication aims to provide business leaders with practical insights into how companies can build structured corporate venturing capabilities. Drawing on Singapore's innovation ecosystem and real-world case studies, it examines the key components that enable successful collaboration between corporations, startups, research institutions and investors.

Singapore's innovation ecosystem

Singapore's vibrant startup ecosystem has grown significantly, rising from 16th globally in 2020 to 4th in 2025. This growth, supported by sustained government investment in research and innovation through the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2030 plan, alongside initiatives such as the EDB’s Corporate Venture Launchpad (CVL), has enabled companies to build structured corporate venturing capabilities and strengthen collaboration with startups.

Corporate venturing as a strategic business capability

As innovation cycles accelerate and technologies evolve more rapidly, companies are increasingly looking beyond traditional growth strategies. Rather than relying solely on acquisitions or internal research and development (R&D) infrastructures, organisations that adopt corporate venturing as a core strategy can gain access to emerging technologies, validate ideas more quickly, reduce innovation risks, and bring new products and services to market faster.

The viewpoint also highlights five ways corporate venturing can help organisations strengthen their innovation capabilities, as follows:

• Accessing emerging technologies and specialized capabilities through startup partnerships 
• Accelerating innovation through real-world pilots, co-development, and faster validation cycles 
• Embedding clear governance, ownership, and commercialization pathways to scale successful initiatives 
• Leveraging ecosystems, research institutions, and industry networks to reduce execution risk 
• Strengthening long-term competitiveness through continuous learning and portfolio-based innovation management

Download the full report here. Companies interested in building corporate venturing capabilities in Singapore can learn more about EDB's Corporate Venture Launchpad.