NUS Enterprise launches $116m initiative to back deep tech startups in Asia

To address the critical funding and mentorship gaps faced by tech startups in Asia, NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm of the National University of Singapore (NUS) — flagship comprehensive research university in Singapore, is committing $116 million to launch NUS VC Programme.

Asia is grappling with a prolonged funding winter, with venture capital investments falling sharply to a 10-year low of $66 billion. With a five per cent decline from 2023, early-stage funding totalled less than $29 billion) in 2024.

The initiative aims to enhance support for early-stage tech innovation by focusing on high-potential ventures within the NUS ecosystem, including start-ups from the National Graduate Research Innovation Programme (National GRIP). National GRIP empowers innovators to transform lab-based research discoveries into globally competitive, market-ready ventures.

Tan Eng Chye, President, NUS: "As the region faces a sharp pullback in venture capital activity, we see the new NUS VC Programme — the first of its kind initiative by a university in Asia — as a critical enabler. Research-based start-ups face distinct challenges, including R&D cycles that are much longer than traditional start-ups, making them especially vulnerable in today's cautious investment environment. This programme brings together capital, strategic partnerships, and specialised venture expertise to create a more resilient path from lab to market.''

The programme comprises two key components. First, NUS will commit $39 million over the next three years in selected venture capital firms with strong track records in early-stage deep tech investments. These firms will provide structured, hands-on support to start-ups, including time, expertise, and access to their networks to help them scale effectively.

The first two VC partners are Granite Asia, a leading multi-asset investment platform with a 25-year track record of backing breakthrough technology ventures globally, and 4BIO Capital, a specialist life sciences investor focused on advanced therapeutics.

Second, NUS will set aside $78 million for co-investments alongside these VC partners. These co-investments will be targeted at NUS-affiliated start-ups.

Many National GRIP startups are still in the early stages of technological readiness and require continued, strategic support to advance from lab to market. The NUS VC Programme complements the National GRIP framework by addressing this need for downstream venture development. While GRIP currently provides up to $194,000 in seed funding per startup, the VC Programme focuses on accelerating post-seed growth and preparing ventures for external capital.

What sets this effort apart is the direct engagement with leading venture capital firms selected not only for their track records, but also for their market access in global innovation hubs. By combining capital with deep venture expertise, the programme offers structured support including mentorship, investor feedback, market entry, fundraising networks, and operational guidance.

Tan Sian Wee, SVP, Innovation & Enterprise, NUS: "National GRIP is an important first step in helping deep tech startups take root. The VC Programme builds on this by pairing promising ventures with globally connected investors, enabling a more complete pathway to scale and commercial success. This is essential given that most start-ups struggle to move beyond early-stage innovation toward impactful, real-world deployment."

www.enterprise.nus.edu.sg

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