‘You need to have great barriers to entry’: More VC firms expand into deep tech as AI reshapes startup investing

Even with growing interest from venture capital, there are still hurdles for the ecosystem to overcome

Benjamin Cher
Published Tue, Aug 4, 2026 · 10:29 AM
    • As the Singapore government ramps up support for deep tech, venture capital firms are following suit.
    • As the Singapore government ramps up support for deep tech, venture capital firms are following suit. PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN, BT

    [SINGAPORE] More venture capital (VC) firms are expanding into deep tech, prompting investors to seek startups with stronger technological barriers to entry.

    This all comes as Singapore ramps up support for the sector, and as artificial intelligence commoditises software development.

    Deep tech refers to advanced technologies that derive their competitive advantage from scientific or engineering breakthroughs; examples include quantum technology and frontier AI.