It will be hosted by international law firm Taylor Vinters, in association with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA).
Steve Leonard, Executive Deputy Chairman, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has been named as the keynote speaker at a VIP reception organised by networking forum Cambridge Connection.
Steve Leonard recently chaired the Evaluation Panel, which was responsible for selecting six venture capital funds to co-invest alongside the Singapore government under the second phase of the National Research Foundation (NRF)’s Early Stage Venture Fund (ESVF).
Under this innovative scheme, designed to help stimulate early stage investment in promising tech businesses, NRF will co-invest S$10 million on a 1:1 matching basis with other investors into each of the selected venture capital funds. These funds will then invest in early-stage local high-tech start-ups, further strengthening the environment in which promising tech companies and talent can thrive in Singapore.
The Cambridge Connection provides an opportunity for technology entrepreneurs and their investors from the UK and Singapore to compare their experiences, make new contacts and explore opportunities to collaborate across borders.
Steve Leonard comments: “IDA is happy to support the Cambridge Connection once again this year as part of building stronger links between the UK and Singapore tech building communities. In Singapore, we have a strong accelerator community that can provide start-ups with great insights and access to the huge and growing Southeast Asian markets. We look forward to welcoming the UK trade delegation, and to working together to give tech product start-ups from both countries access to each other’s markets."
More than 100 business leaders from Singapore’s technology community will be attending the networking reception at the British High Commissioner’s residence on June 16.
Cambridge Connection’s three-day trade mission will take place from June 16-18. Last year entrepreneurs on the delegation found new investments, signed distribution agreements, met potential suppliers and used the networking and pre-arranged meetings we organised to get a deeper understanding of a variety of business opportunities in the Singapore and Asian markets and this is set to continue and deepen this year.
Alex van Someren, Partner at international technology investor Amadeus Capital Partners, said: “In the 16 years since we raised our first fund to support young technology companies, the ecosystem for technology start-ups in the UK has been transformed. The UK government deserves credit for supporting entrepreneurship and innovation, with initiatives such as the British Business Bank and the Technology Strategy Board.
“Partly as a result of this stimulus, the funds we raise today can invest in an ever-increasing array of new technologies and teams led by serial entrepreneurs. It is with great pleasure that we are joining the Cambridge Connection’s visit to Singapore – a similarly enterprising economy. There is much that we can share and learn from each other.”
Antony Phillipson, British High Commissioner to Singapore, said: “Our core purpose at the High Commission and the UKTI is to build networks and partnerships between the UK and Singapore that will sustain and grow our economies and create high quality jobs for our people in the future.
“In particular, we need to do this in highly-skilled, high-tech, high-value-added sectors and because of the excellence of each of our research bases I think that the UK and Singapore really do have scope to lead the world in this area.
“As last year the Cambridge Connection has brought together research excellence, ambition and planning, and I believe we will deliver real value and inspire the tech communities of both countries. We are delighted to be able to support them again.”
Patrick Farrant, Head of Technology at Taylor Vinters, added: “There is a synergy between the amazing success story of the tech cluster in the UK and Singapore. We plan to run a UK Cambridge Connection event in November, at which we will welcome both Singapore entrepreneurs and investors to the UK, to once more bring together these two world class tech communities to educate and to spark collaboration, partnering and investment opportunities.”
Sam Loose, Chief Executive Officer, Knowledge Transmission, attended the inaugural trip last year and is joining the 2014 delegation. He said: “Knowledge Transmission got a lot of exposure, good PR and interest – but most importantly the trade mission led to investment and several distribution agreements for large parts of the Asia Pacific market, Singapore being the ideal hub for doing business in this area."
If you would like to register for the second Cambridge Connection Trade Mission to Singapore, please contact Tim Hill: [email protected]
*******
For more information, see:
Taylor Vinters: www.taylorvinters.com
Cambridge Capital Group: www.cambridgecapitalgroup.co.uk
UKTI :http://www.ukti.gov.uk
_________________________________________________