EDB Global Founder Programme raises over US$2 billion in VC funding
It has worked with almost 80 founders on more than 45 new ventures, with more than half in AI and deep tech
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[SINGAPORE] The Economic Development Board’s (EDB) Global Founder Programme – launched in April 2025 – has worked with close to 80 founders to grow more than 45 new ventures, collectively raising more than US$2 billion in venture capital funding to date.
Over half of these ventures are in artificial intelligence and deep tech.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said this in Parliament on Tuesday (Jul 7), as he highlighted that Singapore has remained attractive to leading research and entrepreneurial talent.
Alongside the EDB programme, the Republic is also growing the pipeline of top scientific and engineering talent through the A*Star Graduate Scholarships and other university programmes, he said.
DPM Gan was responding to a question about how Singapore’s deep tech ecosystem and development of critical and emerging technologies (CET) capabilities have been affected as countries start constraining the export of CET and associated manpower.
“The government has not observed export constraints impeding the development of Singapore’s deep tech ecosystem,” he said. DPM Gan added that as a global business hub with an open and vibrant ecosystem, Singapore enables companies to access diverse sources of technology and partnerships.
He said it is leveraging its strong research and development foundation to strengthen competitiveness in industries such as semiconductor, and to build capabilities in important emerging technologies such as quantum and space.
The government has also expanded support efforts for deep tech enterprises through initiatives such as the Startup SG Equity scheme, where it has set aside an additional S$1 billion in funding for early and growth-stage deep tech startups, DPM Gan added.
Together, these initiatives will strengthen the deep tech ecosystem’s resilience and competitiveness, he said.
“The government will continue to closely monitor global developments, and work with a diverse range of international partners to safeguard Singapore’s access to critical and emerging technologies.”
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