Singapore ESR Report Puts 73% Funding-Strained Startups at Center of Growth Strategy
Updated
Updated · The Business Times · Jul 29
Singapore ESR Report Puts 73% Funding-Strained Startups at Center of Growth Strategy
1 articles · Updated · The Business Times · Jul 29
Summary
Singapore’s Economic Strategy Review final report casts entrepreneurship as a core engine of the city-state’s next growth phase, arguing it must become a “launching pad” for firms that can scale globally.
73% of respondents in an ACE.SG survey cited in the report said they face difficulty attracting capital, highlighting a funding gap that the report says must be addressed with broader financing options.
The proposed fix goes beyond venture equity to venture debt, private credit, government capital top-ups and a renewed public equities market, aimed at helping growth-stage firms expand without excessive dilution.
AI is presented as a key opportunity, with startups seen as best placed to turn research into products for healthcare, logistics and sustainability if they can secure domestic validation and market access.
The report ultimately frames entrepreneurship as a national competitiveness issue, calling for closer coordination among government, corporates and ecosystem groups to create high-value jobs and resilience.