Singapore’s Startup And AI Funding Scene: What’s New

Photo Credits: AsiaTimes

Singapore-based firms raised 5.9 billion across 472 deals in 2025, according to the Singapore Venture Funding Landscape Report 2025 by EY-Parthenon, in partnership with Enterprise Singapore. AI’s share of total deal value nearly doubled to 30% in 2025, exceeding S$1.8 billion, while AI startups accounted for 42.8% of total deal volume, up from 30.9% the year before. Separately, Singapore-based Native AI companies had raised US$9.3 billion across 227 disclosed equity rounds as of July 2026, according to market intelligence platform Tracxn, making Singapore the dominant AI fundraising hub in Southeast Asia by a wide margin.

This guide breaks down what these numbers actually mean and which deals stood out.

How Much Has Singapore’s Startup Scene Actually Raised?

The headline figure from Enterprise Singapore’s 2025 report is US$5.9 billion raised across 472 deals, a total that moderated somewhat amid a cautious global funding environment but still showed clear momentum in specific sectors. AI’s deal value grew 30% year-on-year to exceed S$1.8 billion, while deep tech’s share of deal value rose from 11.1% in 2022 to 24.7% in 2025.

Notable 2025 deals included Supabase, an open-source backend-as-a-service platform, raising over S$127 million in a Series E round and Airwallex, a global payments platform, securing S$806 million across its funding activity according to Enterprise Singapore’s media release.

Why Is Singapore So Far Ahead Of The Rest Of Southeast Asia On AI Funding?

Singapore-based Native AI companies, meaning businesses built from the ground up with AI at their core, raised US 9.3 billion across 227 funding rounds as of July 2026, according to Tracxn. This figure dwarfs theres of the region combined. Vietnam ranked a distant second with just US$19 million, followed by Malaysia at US$ 8 million, Indonesia at US $6 million and Thailand at US$4 million.

Singapore’s position as a base for more than 4,500 technology startups, over 500 venture capital firms and 220 incubators and accelerators, according to Singapore’s Economic Development Board, gives AI founders easier access to institutional capital than neighbouring markets currently offer.

Here is a quick summary of the key figures.

On the exit side, Meta’s agreed acquisition of Singapore-based AI start-up Manus, reportedly for more than USD2 billion, and the SGX Mainboard IPO of UltraGreen.ai, which raised roughly USD400 million, stood out as the two largest transactions of the past year, according to a Chambers and Partners venture capital market review.

If broader Singapore tech trends interest you beyond funding numbers specifically, our State of Tech in Singapore report covers consumer-facing shifts happening alongside this investment activity.

Does This Funding Boom Actually Benefit Everyday Singaporeans?

Here is the honest answer. Large AI funding rounds do not translate directly into cheaper products or new jobs overnight, and much of this capital concentrates in a small number of well-established companies rather than spreading evenly across the startup ecosystem. The Meta acquisition of Manus, for instance, is an exit that benefits the company’s founders and early investors rather than something the average resident interacts with directly.

One limitation worth stating plainly. While deal volume and headline figures are impressive, the number of actual funding rounds in some categories has fallen even as total dollar value rose, according to Tracxn’s regional breakdown, meaning larger sums are going to fewer companies rather than a broader spread of newer startups getting funded.

For ongoing coverage of Singapore’s tech and business news, browse our Tech section for updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a “Native AI” company in these funding reports? Native AI companies are businesses built from the ground up with artificial intelligence at the core of their operations and value proposition, distinct from established companies simply adding AI features to existing products.

Is Singapore’s AI funding dominance likely to continue? Based on current momentum, described as growing rather than slowing by Tracxn’s analysis, Singapore appears likely to retain its regional lead in the near term, though funding cycles can shift quickly with global economic conditions.

How does Singapore’s deep tech funding compare to its AI funding? Deep tech’s share of deal value has grown from 11.1% in 2022 to 24.7% in 2025, a meaningful rise, though it remains smaller in absolute terms than AI’s roughly 30% share of total deal value in the same year.

What happened with the Manus acquisition by Meta? Meta agreed to acquire Singapore-based AI start-up Manus for a reported sum exceeding USD2 billion, marking one of the largest AI-related exits involving a Singapore-headquartered company to date.

Where can I track new Singapore startup funding announcements? Enterprise Singapore’s official reports, along with platforms such as Tracxn and Crowdfund Insider, publish regular updates on Singapore and regional funding activity, offering a more reliable source than individual company press releases alone.

If there is a Singapore startup funding story you want us to look into, email us at admin@dei.com.sg.