When AI startup Tabcut ran into challenges like strict regulation and a marked lack of VC funding, founders Wu Cunsong and Chen Binghui joined a growing trend amongst Chinese AI firms and relocated from Hangzhou to Singapore.
For such startups, Singapore offers access to global investors, advanced technologies like the latest chips from Nvidia — impossible to obtain in China due to US export controls, and a stable, business-friendly environment.
Compared to the restrictive state regulation and geopolitical scrutiny they face in China, Singapore's strategic location and supportive government policies make it a prime destination for these startups aiming to expand globally.
The trend marks a reversal from the expansions of companies like Alibaba, with geopolitical tensions now forcing AI startups to choose between growing domestically under Chinese rules or seeking global markets from a neutral base.
Article by Jane Zhang and Sharitha Rai for Bloomberg. Read more here or in the PDF below.
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