SINGAPORE, April 24 (Reuters) – Singapore is transforming from East-West gateway to neutral ground for the AI sector, with Chinese startups hoping to operate beyond government reach while U.S. firms seek foreign talent without ​the headache of stricter visa regulations.
The city-state, a longtime darling for its business-friendly stance and bilingual population, is increasingly being seen as a place to keep both China and the ‌U.S. at bay, rather than acting as a bridge, as the superpowers vie for technological superiority through avenues such as export and talent control.
Setting up in Singapore “gives a lot of comfort” to international clients that a startup’s intellectual property is on the island and therefore not subject to controls from either China or the U.S., said Kerry Goh, CEO of Kamet Capital.
Goh advised two former executives of Chinese tech leader Alibaba (9988.HK), opens new tab seeking investment to establish AI video business Topview in Singapore in anticipation of international clients’ wariness of ​Chinese government oversight.
“Your clients are not Chinese. This product is not available in China,” therefore setting up shop in Singapore increases the chance of selling to the U.S., Goh said of Topview, which ​has received over $8 million in Kamet investment since 2024.
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