ICAI Singapore to boost India-Singapore startups with capital, mentorship as both nations mark 20 years of diplomacy

The Singapore Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India works to empower early-stage startups with the capital, mentorship, networks and global platforms they need to scale, said Anuradha Shroff, Chairman.

“As we work in a global business community, we support the India-Singapore startup community for the long-term prosperity of youth-led innovative businesses,” Shroff told PTI after hosting a demo day innovation showcase and investor pitch sessions here on Saturday.

“This year is special for many reasons as Singapore celebrates 60 years of independence and 60 years of diplomatic relations with India,” said the person, who has over three decades of experience managing international businesses.

“Innovation doubles when two countries innovate together,” Shroff said, adding that the cross-border program connects startups from both countries. While India has over 100,000 startups, Singapore has a growing community and is currently estimated to have close to 50,000 startups.

The evening also featured a keynote speech by Former Union Minister CA Suresh Prabhu.

A group of twenty startups have participated in the ‘NEXTLEAP Accelerator Programme’, an initiative launched by ICAI Singapore Chapter in collaboration with BeyondSeed, a Singapore-based India-based investor group, supporting early stage innovations with the support of MSME and ICAI Startups Committee.

These startups went through an intense eight-week journey of masterclasses, one-on-one mentoring, and a rigorous, multi-layered evaluation by external juries, where the top 10 startups were presented directly to a panel of investors at Demo Day.

Kuldeep Mirani, Founder and CEO of BeyondSeed, reinforced the purpose behind the NEXTLEAP collaboration by highlighting the India-Singapore opportunity.

Speakers at the sessions held on November 20 highlighted India’s thriving startup ecosystem and shared insights on unlocking collaborative avenues.

Gyan Chandra Misra, Chairman, ICAI MSME and Start-ups Committee, elaborated on India’s dynamic economic, digital and startup environment.

National University of Singapore (NUS) Program Director Ignatius Rasiah spoke about Singapore’s innovation, leadership and emerging startup landscape.