1. Singapore doubles down on efforts to attract mid-sized companies

Aside from helping MNCs power ahead with their AI ambitions, Singapore is also continuing to attract mid-cap technology firms—those generating around US$200 million (S$258.2m) in annual revenues—to establish their regional bases and international research hubs in Singapore. 

This strategy, led by Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), a government agency comprising officers from the EDB, Enterprise Singapore, and Infocomm Media Development Authority has already yielded early results. Mid-sized companies, such as Workato, Wise, and AvePoint have announced plans in 2025 to make Singapore its Asia headquarters and international research hubs.

These developments are critical for creating high-value employment opportunities and collaborations with local startups and workers. 

DISG is also actively supporting enterprises in their journey to establishing Artificial Intelligence Centres of Excellence (AI CoEs), targeting 100 such centres. The ambitious goal has already seen the launch of over 50 AI CoEs in the past 20 months, involving multinational corporations (MNCs) like American Express, SAP, and Prudential. 

To continue supporting even more firms to make that a reality, DISG’s S$150 million Enterprise Compute Initiative (ECI) pairs firms in Singapore with hyperscalers such as Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services to develop and scale viable AI use cases. Learn how your company can tap into these resources >>

2. Up to 150 AI startups to benefit from enhanced Microsoft accelerate programme in Singapore

The collaboration between Microsoft, Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), and the National University of Singapore's entrepreneurial arm is set to significantly accelerate the growth and global scalability of AI startups based in Singapore.

This strategic expansion of the existing AI Accelerate programme, which was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong at the opening ceremony of Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH 2025), reinforces Singapore’s plan to forge partnerships that translate local ideas into outcomes with global commercial impact. 

The enhanced programme will feature a dedicated go-to-market track, where Microsoft experts will offer practical guidance to help startups effectively scale in regional and global markets. Find out how this collaboration will help up to 150 startups over the next three years >>

3. Leading companies are deepening their roots in Singapore’s AI landscape

Leading firms are continuing to choose Singapore as a launchpad for their AI initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region. With access to a strategic ecosystem, companies can go beyond accessing growth opportunities in the region but also develop cutting-edge solutions to suit regional nuances and needs. The latest industry moves include:

• Manulife launches its AI CoE in Singapore The CoE will accelerate the creation and scaling of sophisticated AI solutions across core insurance functions, including underwriting, operations, and customer engagement. Manulife cited Singapore’s strong environment for experimentation and collaboration, supported by the republic’s digital infrastructure, innovation ecosystem, and commitment to thoughtful and well-governed AI development as pull factors. This milestone is set to significantly elevate Manulife’s customer experience and regional operational efficiencies, and exemplifies how companies in the finance sector are undertaking AI innovation efforts from Singapore. Learn how Manulife’s CoE will positively impact Singapore’s AI talent landscape>>
• Google DeepMind opens research lab in Singapore; company’s first in Southeast Asia This significant expansion signals a strategic move by Google to ensure the Asia-Pacific region is a proactive developer of AI, not merely a consumer. The new research lab will concentrate on pioneering foundational research, specifically in linguistic and cultural inclusivity for APAC, advancing the core capabilities of the Gemini model, and applying cutting-edge models across Google's product suite. Discover more about Google DeepMind’s ongoing collaborations in Singapore in the areas of healthcare, education and more >>

• Bain & Company’s new Singapore AI Innovation Hub to empower its efforts in scaling AI solutions in SEA Supported by EDB, Bain & Company’s new AI Innovation Hub serves as a key regional centre for accelerating enterprise-wide AI adoption, focusing on the development and scaling of production-level AI solutions for priority sectors, including advanced manufacturing, financial services, healthcare, and consumer retail. By generating proofs of concept and minimum viable products, the Hub will actively empower companies to embed engineering excellence and build in-house AI Centres of Excellence, reinforcing Singapore's strategic vision to advance AI engineering expertise and drive the pervasive, value-generating use of AI across the Southeast Asian economy. Bain’s new hub will will add to Singapore’s vibrant and growing AI ecosystem, which is home to more than a thousand AI startups. Learn more >>
• Workato establishes AI lab in Singapore; first outside of the US Supported by the Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), the Workato AI Lab is strategically positioned to accelerate the translation of AI research into deployable solutions, focusing on advancements in autonomous agents and multi-agent models to address complex, real-world business challenges. The company aims to create 65 high-value skilled jobs as part of this milestone. Learn more about how the lab will deepen collaborations with Institutes of Higher Learning in Singapore >>
• Japfa launches its AI and Quantum Computing CoE in Singapore Backed by both the Economic Development Board (EDB) and Enterprise Singapore, the CoE is set to apply advanced computational power to improve efficiency and sustainability across the food production supply chain, from feed to farm to food. A key highlight of the CoE is its pioneering exploration of Quantum Computing for operational optimisation, an early adoption within the agri-food industry that will be benchmarked against Japfa's current AI models. Get more details >>
• Finnish AI specialist, Miracle Sea, chooses Singapore to establish its Asian headquarters and CoE Leveraging Singapore's reputation as a dynamic digital hub, the company’s move provides high-value expertise in Oracle software solutions and pioneering AI applications to the rapidly expanding Asia Pacific market. By anchoring its regional leadership and technical resources here, Miracle Sea is set to collaborate closely with Singapore's robust tech ecosystem, contributing to the development of specialised AI talent and reinforcing the Republic's position as a gateway for deep-tech expertise into Southeast Asia. Discover more >>
• ChemLex Establishes Global R&D Headquarters in Singapore, seeks to radically accelerates drug discovery with Autonomous Chemistry Next-generation AI-for-science company, ChemLex, has established its global headquarters and pioneering self-driving drug discovery laboratory in Singapore, following the successful conclusion of a US$45 million (S$58.1m) funding round led by Granite Asia, a Singapore-headquartered multi-asset investment platform. This strategic commitment is centred on deploying a 24/7 autonomous chemistry system—an innovative, AI-powered platform designed to compress months of chemical synthesis and optimisation into weeks or even days. By radically accelerating discovery, the platform directly enhances efficiency and sustainability within the pharmaceutical industry, serving a global client base that includes six of the world's top ten pharmaceutical companies. Learn more about the early grounds covered by the company through a Memorandum of Understanding with Singapore’s national platform for drug discovery >>

 

4. Anchoring Next-Gen Robotics R&D in Singapore through NTU-Schaeffler AI Pact

As part of continued efforts to drive the development of advanced manufacturing and autonomous systems, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and German automotive and industrial supplier Schaeffler have signed a strategic partnership in Singapore to advance AI-enabled humanoid robotics.

This new milestone in the partnership between Schaeffler and NTU focuses on developing next-generation robotics capable of performing complex, human-centric tasks in industrial settings, marking a significant step toward integrating humanoid technology into smart factory operations, which will ultimately enhance efficiency and flexibility within high-precision manufacturing environments.

This expanded collaboration reinforces the strength of multi-party partnerships between academia, industry, and public agencies and the capabilities within Singapore’s tertiary institutes in translating cutting-edge AI research into practical, industrial applications that can boost the manufacturing sector and shape the future of autonomous and assistive robotics in Singapore and beyond. Delve into how this will enhance industrial development in Singapore >>

 

5. Singapore launches call for applications for second data centre

EDB and IMDA have officially launched the call for applications for the second data centre to strategically expand and future-proof Singapore’s digital infrastructure.

This critical initiative is set to make available at least 200MW of new data centre capacity, with the potential for additional power allocation contingent upon proposals that successfully integrate new and innovative green energy pathways. 

The launch of this call for applications underscores Singapore’s unwavering commitment to balancing the escalating demand for advanced digital infrastructure, essential for supporting the burgeoning AI and cloud sectors, with robust sustainability mandates. Learn more >>

 

6. Download this recommended report:

A definitive guide for CEOs to AI transformation in Southeast Asia Bain’s guide offers regional decision makers a critical framework for implementing a successful AI strategy for growth in Southeast Asia. It outlines six strategic lessons for leaders, emphasising the need to set bold goals around speed and scalability, and to orchestrate change by building both a technical ‘lab’ and an AI-fluent ‘crowd’ of employees.

Get strategic counsel and an effective playbook necessary for enterprises—from fast-growing companies to large multinational corporations—to break through the challenge of scaling AI beyond pilots and capture the substantial economic value in this region. Get the full details >>