From Startup to Scale-Up: Singapore’s Push for AI Leaders and Global Expansion
- Asia’s latest cohort of artificial intelligence startups is moving beyond software models and digital agents to deploy physical systems in real-world industrial environments.
- Among the companies driving this shift is Singapore-based Menlo Research, which is currently developing an open-source humanoid robot named Asimov alongside an AI agent called Jan.
- Companies require funding that scales alongside their growth, organizational capabilities that match expansion, and the agility to adapt across international borders.
Asia’s latest cohort of artificial intelligence startups is moving beyond software models and digital agents to deploy physical systems in real-world industrial environments. Granite Asia senior managing partner Jenny Lee identified the shift as part of a broader evolution toward what she calls AI 3.0, marking a distinct transition from frontier models to practical real-world applications.
Singapore Startup Targets Physical Robotics and Humanoid Development
Among the companies driving this shift is Singapore-based Menlo Research, which is currently developing an open-source humanoid robot named Asimov alongside an AI agent called Jan. According to the company, Asimov has already drawn an international community of developers and enthusiasts who actively customize and improve the open-source platform. However, Menlo Research founder Daniel Ong noted that transitioning generative AI capabilities into physical machines introduces significant engineering hurdles. While modern AI systems process vast amounts of digital information efficiently, physical robots continue to struggle with routine tasks that humans handle intuitively, such as interacting with objects.
Capital Requirements and Regional Scale for Tech Startups
Companies require funding that scales alongside their growth, organizational capabilities that match expansion, and the agility to adapt across international borders. “A startup has to prove that an idea can work. A scale-up has to make it work repeatedly, across different markets beyond domestic shores, and at a much greater scale,” said Mr Chee, outlining the structural requirements for regional expansion. Government and industry backers aim to build an environment that fosters this exact progression. “Our aim is to create an enabling environment where companies can build from Singapore, progress from startup to scale-up, and become regional and global leaders,” he added.