Some Singapore firms eye US expansion despite trade and regulatory challenges
Firms remain drawn by access to capital, potential partnerships and opportunities within the US innovation ecosystem.
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AUSTIN: About 30 Singapore companies are attending a major investment summit in the United States, marking the country’s largest contingent in recent years as they seek to expand into the world’s biggest economy.
The SelectUSA Investment Summit, held at National Harbor in Maryland from Sunday to Wednesday (May 3 to 6), brings together global investors and aims to facilitate foreign direct investment into the US.
Companies from sectors such as health technology and communications are using the platform to navigate market entry challenges while expanding their presence.
Despite ongoing trade tensions and regulatory uncertainties, firms remain drawn by access to capital, potential partnerships and opportunities within the US innovation ecosystem.
NAVIGATING UNCERTAINTIES
Singapore-based medtech firm Aevice Health is among those seeking to grow its footprint in the US, with a smart wearable stethoscope that detects wheezing in asthma patients and enables remote monitoring by doctors.
The device, currently piloted in some hospitals in Singapore, has already attracted strong commercial interest in the US, including from medical giant Cedars-Sinai.
Cedars-Sinai Technology Ventures managing director Nirdesh Gupta said the company was drawn to Aevice Health’s approach to extending respiratory care monitoring beyond traditional clinical settings.
Noting that Singapore’s innovation ecosystem is highly robust, he added: “Singapore is definitely, in my view, a very attractive and strong place to go to access these breakthrough technologies that potentially could be brought to as a solution for the patient populations in the US.”
Aevice Health co-founder and CEO Adrian Ang said: “What we do want to achieve next is to scale into more hospitals in the US, get our solutions out there, convert as many health systems as possible, so that we can actually bring these solutions to benefit asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients as much as possible in the near term.”
But breaking into a new market comes with challenges, particularly in navigating regulatory requirements and tariff uncertainty.
Mr Ang said shifting trade policies make long-term planning difficult, especially when costs such as tariffs can suddenly rise and affect existing contracts and profit margins.
“If you are the one that will pay for it, then that will eat into your bottomline,” he added.
“So these are things that are a little bit more difficult in terms of what we can see going forward, when we want to plan anything beyond 12 months from now.”
BUILDING STRONG NETWORKS
To support firms, Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) helps them understand import requirements and regulatory frameworks.
“We have our networks of trade consultants, lawyers, legal firms to be able to advise the companies,” said Ms Lim Seow Hui, director for the Americas at EnterpriseSG.
“We also build strong networks into the cities and the states so that they can provide us with areas of advisory if we need to, when Singapore companies enter the market.”
Such support has enabled companies like Transcelestial, a Singapore deep-tech firm specialising in wireless laser communications, to expand in the US and explore new opportunities like the space industry.
Today, its US business has surpassed all its other markets combined.
Mr Rohit Jha, co-founder and CEO of Transcelestial said the company is exploring Austin, Texas, as a base to tap deep technical talent in space and defence, while continuing to scale operations in Singapore.
"We'll break ground within the next three months, and the goal is to ramp up the national security defence programmes here, support for nationwide telco rollouts, and then build up some of the space capabilities here, because space talent is massive here in the US market," said Mr Jha.
EnterpriseSG added that it will continue strengthening connections and promoting Singapore companies in the US, including through its newly opened overseas office in Austin.
Ms Lim said the US remains a crucial market that companies should not overlook, noting its position as a global tech leader.
She added that the country offers a deep and diverse pool of tech talent that is well-equipped to collaborate with international firms, including those from Singapore. She also highlighted the US’ strong access to financial capital.
The new Austin overseas centre aims to support firms expanding into the US and facilitate partnerships with Texas-based companies looking to grow in Asia.
"We're working closely with the government here in the US so that they know about Singapore companies' capabilities,” said Ms Lim.
“If there are opportunities, such as infrastructure projects here in their cities or in their states, our Singapore companies get to be one of the first few to know about it.”
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