Staff Reporter
Published:
Photo from Magnific
US investors have maintained a 20%–30% participation share since 2020.
Singapore-based startups secured 91% of Southeast Asia's $13.7b (US$10.7b) venture capital funding in the first nine months, up from 62% in 2019, according to Founders Forum Group and Dealroom data.
Key transactions included Singapore-based data-centre operator DayOne raising $5.76b (US$4.5b), the largest funding round in the region this year.
Meanwhile, Manus AI, which relocated its headquarters to the city-state in 2025, raised $640m (US$500m). Robotics company Sharpa secured $792.32m (US$619m) from investors including Alibaba.
“Investors are rethinking where they deploy capital in Asia, and Singapore is where they continue to commit,” said Carolyn Dawson, CEO of Founders Forum Group.
“US investor participation here has held steady,” Dawson added.
US investors have accounted for 20% to 30% of participants in Singapore venture funding rounds annually since 2020.
Across Southeast Asia, startup funding tripled from the same period last year, whilst Asian startups collectively raised $165.9b (US$129.6b), more than double the $76.8b (US$60b) recorded a year earlier.
Artificial intelligence companies accounted for 34% of Asian funding rounds worth at least $1.28m (US$1m), up from 12% in 2023. These companies also attracted 62% of the total funding raised.
$1 = US$0.78
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