Singapore has declared AI a national priority. Billions in investment. National AI Strategy. AI Singapore program. The infrastructure is being built.
But what's it actually like building an AI company here? We're Arthiq, a Singapore-based AI company. Here's what we've learned.
The Advantages Are Real
Talent density. Singapore has more AI talent per capita than almost anywhere in Asia. NUS and NTU produce strong engineers. Immigration policy brings in global talent. There's a critical mass of people who can build AI products.
Government support that works. Programs like Startup SG and Enterprise Singapore grants aren't just marketing. We've used them. The process is straightforward, the support is real, and the terms are founder-friendly.
Regional gateway. Southeast Asia is 700 million people. Singapore is the natural base for serving that market. Banking, legal, and logistics infrastructure makes regional expansion manageable.
Business environment. Company registration takes hours. Rule of law is predictable. Corruption is minimal. The basics work, which matters more than it sounds.
The Challenges Are Also Real
Domestic market is tiny. Six million people. You can't build a big company serving only Singapore. This forces you to think globally from day one, which adds complexity.
Competition for talent. Google, Meta, ByteDance, Grab - they all have Singapore offices. They can pay more than startups. Hiring senior talent means competing with well-funded alternatives.
Cost structure. Singapore is expensive. Office space, salaries, cost of living - all at global city prices. Runway burns faster here than in most of Asia.
Distance from major markets. Singapore is far from the US and Europe. Time zones make synchronous collaboration difficult. For B2B products targeting Western markets, this creates friction.
What We've Learned
Build for global from day one. Treating Singapore as a test market doesn't work. The market is too small for meaningful validation. We build products for global users and happen to be based in Singapore.
Embrace being lean. High costs force capital efficiency. That's not necessarily bad - it prevents the kind of bloat that kills startups. We're forced to focus on what matters.
Use the ecosystem selectively. Not every government program is worth the application effort. Focus on the ones with clear ROI and minimal bureaucracy.
Leverage the timezone. Singapore sits between the US and Europe. With the right team structure, you can have nearly 24-hour coverage. What feels like a disadvantage can become an advantage.
The AI Ecosystem is Growing
When we started, the AI startup scene was small. A handful of companies, limited local investment, few success stories to learn from.
That's changing. More founders, more funding, more companies reaching meaningful scale. IMDA and AI Singapore are creating real infrastructure. The ecosystem is reaching critical mass.
Why We're Here
We could be based anywhere. We chose Singapore because:
- Access to Southeast Asian markets that are underserved by AI products
- Strong technical talent pool
- Stable environment for building a long-term business
- Government that actively supports tech development
The challenges push us to be better - to build products good enough to compete globally, not just locally. That pressure produces better companies.
Singapore isn't trying to be Silicon Valley. It's building something different - a hub for AI companies serving Asia and beyond. We're proud to be part of that.