Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and Google Cloud have announced joint initiatives aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and innovation for organizations in Singapore.
These initiatives will enable the next wave of globally-oriented, high-growth startups to build and launch their own proprietary AI products, and empower more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to embrace AI to boost workforce proficiency and productivity, EnterpriseSG said in a statement on last Friday.
“AI is a key driver of the Singapore economy, and it is critical for organizations of all sizes to embrace and deepen their use of AI to grow their businesses,” said Gan Kim Yong, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry.
According to him, the initiatives unveiled aim to advance AI adoption for startups and small and medium-sized enterprise.
“Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First Singapore supports the growth of AI-oriented startups based in Singapore, and SMEs can leverage the Gemini for Google Workspace Program (SMEs) to kickstart their AI journeys and boost productivity,
“These initiatives demonstrate how public-private collaborations with technology leaders like Google Cloud can accelerate AI adoption and advance our National AI Strategy goals,” he added.
The inaugural cohort of Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First Singapore, which ran from April to August 2024, comprises 25 globally-oriented, early-stage startups.
Selected from hundreds of applicants, these startups represent a diverse range of sectors, such as adtech, e-commerce, fintech, HR tech, media and entertainment, restaurant tech, software development and information technology (IT), supply chain tech, and climate tech.
Utilizing best-in-class technologies and resources provided by the public-private startup program, participating startups built and launched proprietary AI products that address business challenges and unlock future growth opportunities.
EnterpriseSG and Google Cloud have also on last Friday announced that applications for its second cohort are now open.
The three-month program, scheduled to begin February 2025, will be expanded to accept 35 startups.
To fast-track their development and commercialization of proprietary AI products, selected applicants will be able to tap on an enhanced suite of technology capabilities and
resources.
These include: up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits upon graduation from the program; access to Google Cloud’s powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack for up to three months, through a dedicated innovation sandbox environment, supported by EnterpriseSG; mentorship and technical project support from Google Cloud’s product development teams, AI engineers, and startup ecosystem network partners; the opportunity to showcase their achievements and connect with potential investors and corporate customers at a Demo Day organized by EnterpriseSG and Google Cloud; potential for additional funding support under EnterpriseSG’s Startup SG Tech program for eligible startups.
“The success of the inaugural cohort of Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First Singapore reflects our commitment toward enabling promising AI startups with the means to turn innovative AI concepts into reality and commercialize them for local and global markets,” said Philbert Gomez, Executive Director, Digital Industry Singapore.
“The creativity and sophistication of the AI products developed by the graduating startups is a testament to the talent in our local ecosystem, and its potential to deepen
Singapore-based tech expertise, paving the way for long-term AI-powered growth,
“We look forward to deepening our partnership with Google Cloud as we continue supporting local organizations in their AI journey for growth in the digital economy,” he added.
Serene Sia, Country Director, Singapore, Google Cloud, said Google Cloud has been a prolific contributor to the growth of gen AI startups, with more than 60 percent of all funded gen AI startups and nearly 90 percent of today’s gen AI unicorns leveraging our infrastructure and capabilities.
“Through Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First Singapore, we’re providing locally-based founders with access to our broad choice of foundation models and developer tools, as well as resources, support, and routes-to-market for early-stage companies that are in line with regional nuances, so they can build and scale new AI products from the ground up in a matter of weeks,” she added.
At the AI First event, Google Cloud and EnterpriseSG also launched the Gemini for Google Workspace Program.
The program will support eligible businesses with their adoption of Gemini for Google Workspace by defraying up to 50 percent of the license costs for a 12-month usage period.
This will help small business owners and their employees supercharge their productivity, creativity, and quality of work with industry-leading capabilities of Gemini for Google Workspace.
Apart from making it more cost-efficient for SMEs to adopt enterprise-grade generative AI (gen AI) tools, the program will provide dedicated training and consultation by Google Cloud and its partner ecosystem to help SMEs effectively deploy Gemini for Google Workspace across business functions and processes.
“Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First Singapore and Gemini for Google Workspace Program (SMEs) underscore EnterpriseSG’s efforts to boost Singapore’s fast-developing AI ecosystem and deepen our companies’ capabilities to simplify work processes and improve efficiency,
“We will continue to collaborate with AI ecosystem partners like Google Cloud to spur AI innovation and adoption among businesses to strengthen their competitiveness, build new capabilities, and capture emerging opportunities,” said Geoffrey Yeo, Assistant Managing Director, Enterprise Singapore.
Sia added that alongside other initiatives like AI Trailblazers and Skills Ignition SG, the developments announced on last Friday fall under the programmatic and intentional approach that Google Cloud has been undertaking with the Singapore Government since May 2023, reinforcing their commitment toward helping organizations of all sizes thrive in an AI-enabled digital economy.