Singapore fintech - Canadian Technology Accelerator

Singapore recently climbed to fourth place as a global innovation powerhouse in the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Index. This achievement shows Singapore's exceptional business environment and its strengths in key sectors such as fintech and e-commerce.

Across Southeast Asia, Singapore continues to lead about half of all fintech investments in value. The government also plays an active role in supporting the growth of fintech ecosystem. In late 2024, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Singapore’s financial regulatory authority, made an announcement - C$160 million would be committed to strengthening innovation and promoting the use of novel solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology. 

If you want to scale your business in Singapore, the Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) in Singapore invites aspiring founders to join the business development program at no cost (excluding travel and accommodation).   

This is a crucial opportunity for Canadian fintech companies seeking new partnerships, customer acquisitions and local business insights.

The CTA will give you:

• networking opportunities and a platform to present to potential buyers, strategic partners and investors in the Singapore fintech ecosystems
• access to market intelligence and strategic guidance on entering the Singapore market
• personalized mentorship and coaching from our in-market experts 
• a platform to validate and localize your go-to-market plans

Companies must be interested in expanding into Singapore and/or using Singapore as a launchpad to grow in the Southeast Asian markets. We are looking for high-potential, scale-up stage startups with B2B solutions. Companies should be driven by innovative technology, such as AI, machine learning (ML) and blockchain. Your solution should address key areas for the financial services industry, such as:

• cybersecurity and data privacy
• scam and fraud detection
• cost optimization and efficiency
• customer experience and personalized engagement
• digital transformation 

Your company should have:

• a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number
• an existing market traction (i.e., pilot, prototype, and commercialization) in North America, Europe or Asia
• a passionate and committed team with market-entry goals for Singapore 
• an experienced and strong executive team, with at least one senior member able to commit to the entire program

The Trade Commissioner Service supports equity, diversity and inclusion in trade. We strongly encourage companies led by Canadians of all backgrounds to apply.

The CTA program offers a mix of virtual sessions (90%) and in-person participation (10%) in an international tradeshow. This includes:

• market briefings on doing business in Singapore
• tailored mentorship and coaching
• a 1 week (October 27 to 31, 2025) in-market visit, as part of a wider Canadian business delegation during the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH)
• an opportunity to pitch in front of a curated audience in Singapore
• business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking with business leads and investors  

In addition to the CTA pitch event, applicants can separately consider applying for the Slingshot pitch competition organized by SWITCH. Grant prizes are worth over S$400K for the top 3 winners, and trips to Singapore are sponsored for the top 60 global startups. Please note that the deadline to submit your application for Slingshot is 11 July 2025, 23:59hrs (GMT+8).