Singapore has emerged as a hub for startup activity in Southeast Asia, with a thriving ecosystem of venture capital firms and angel investors providing crucial funding and support to early-stage companies.
Singapore now has over 4,000 businesses, and as of the third quarter of 2021, equity capital for startups amounted to $4.13 billion USD.
During the last decade, the country’s reputation for attracting entrepreneurs has risen, with the number of firms receiving one million dollars in capital funding more than doubling between 2015 and 2022.
What is the Startup Funding Cycle?
The “startup funding lifecycle” refers to the stages that a startup goes through to secure capital funding from various sources.
The startup funding lifecycle typically consists of several stages, each with its own objectives, challenges, and funding sources.
Here are the typical stages of the startup funding lifecycle:
1# Pre-Seed
The pre-seed stage is the earliest stage of startup capital funding, occurring before the seed stage. At this stage, a startup is typically in its ideation phase and may not have a prototype or minimum viable product (MVP) .
2# Seed Stage
The seed stage is the earliest stage of capital funding, where the founders use their own funds, family and friends’ funds, or angel investors’ funds to get the company off the ground.
3# Early Stage
The Series A stage is the first formal round of capital funding, where a startup raises capital from venture capitalists.
The Series B round is the second round of capital funding, where the startup raises more money from venture capitalists.
4# Growth Stage
The Series C and beyond rounds are subsequent rounds of capital funding that a startup may raise to continue its growth trajectory.
5# Liquidity Events
These events can occur for a variety of reasons, including an initial public offering (IPO), an acquisition, or a merger.
Top Venture Capital Firms & Angel Investors to Know
Here are the top venture capital firms and angel investors in Singapore that are fueling the country’s startup scene.
1# DreamLabs
DreamLabs is a $100 million Singapore investment company that invests in startups that are revolutionary, scalable, and people-focused in the fields of cleantech, fintech, eCommerce, healthcare, and energy.
In addition to capital funding, the fund offers coaching, networking, and physical infrastructure through its incubator in Singapore’s downtown.
2# Golden Gate Ventures
Golden Gate Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in startups across Southeast Asia.
This Singapore investment company focuses on investing in companies that leverage technology to solve real-world problems and has backed startups such as Carousell, Grab, and Carro.
3# Vertex Ventures
Vertex Ventures is a global venture capital firm that has invested in more than 500 companies across the world.
The firm’s Singapore office focuses on investing in early-stage startups in Southeast Asia and has backed companies such as Grab, Patsnap, and PropertyGuru.
4# Jungle Ventures
Jungle Ventures is a Singapore-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups in Southeast Asia. The Singapore investment company has backed companies such as Pomelo, Kredivo, and HealthifyMe.
5# Openspace Ventures
Openspace Ventures is a Singapore-based venture capital firm that invests in startups across Southeast Asia. The firm focuses on investing in companies that have the potential to become category leaders and has backed startups such as Love, Bonito, and Halodoc.
6# Wavemaker Partners
Wavemaker Partners is a global venture capital firm that has invested in more than 300 startups across the world.
This Singapore investment company focuses on investing in early-stage startups in Southeast Asia and has backed companies such as Carro, RedDoorz, and ShopBack.
7# Temasek Holdings
Temasek Holdings is a Singapore investment company that invests in companies across a range of sectors, including technology, healthcare, and consumer.
The company has backed some of the most successful startups in Southeast Asia, including Grab and Lazada.
8# Monk’s Hill Ventures
Monk’s Hill Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups in Southeast Asia. The firm focuses on investing in companies that are using technology to transform traditional industries and has backed companies such as HappyFresh and Kumu.
9# Insignia Ventures Partners
Insignia Ventures Partners is a venture capital firm that invests in startups across Southeast Asia. The firm focuses on investing in companies that are leveraging technology to create new markets and has backed companies such as Carro, Pomelo, and Carousell.
10# 500 Startups
500 Startups is a global venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups across a range of sectors. The firm’s Singapore office focuses on investing in companies in Southeast Asia and has backed startups such as TradeGecko and Carousell.
11# Jungle Seed
Jungle Seed is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in startups across Southeast Asia. The firm focuses on investing in companies that are solving real-world problems and has backed startups such as Glints and Xfers.
12# Singtel Innov8
Singtel Innov8 is a corporate venture capital firm that invests in startups across the world. The singapore investment company focuses on investing in startups in Southeast Asia and has backed companies such as HOOQ and Carousell.
13# Crystal Horse Investments
Crystal Horse Investments is Singapore’s next top venture capital firm. Crystal Horse Investments is also the official fund manager for Angel Gate, the first business and entrepreneurial reality program.
14# Life.SREDA
Life.SREDA is Singapore’s second best venture capital firm. This firm was founded in 2012 and is run by Slava Solodkiy. This business has invested in 20 IT startups worldwide. Life.Sreda frequently offers money in two stages.
15# Rakuten Ventures
Rakuten Ventures, a subsidiary of Rakuten Group, is Singapore’s second largest venture capital firm.
For those who are unfamiliar, Rakuten Group is a global internet service provider with a solid reputation. Rakuten Group has developed a lot of innovation in the digital realm.
Conclusion
The startup scene at Singapore investment companies has been rapidly growing over the past decade, attracting investors and entrepreneurs from all over the world.
For entrepreneurs looking to establish a startup in Singapore, Exabytes offers #SMEsKickstart2023 helping support SMEs to build a sustainable business.
For more information, contact us now.
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