Singapore dominates Southeast Asia’s $1.1B robotics sector funding

Of the 242 tracked companies, 51 (21 percent) have raised institutional funding, with 22 reaching Series A or beyond, nine Series B or beyond, five Series C or beyond, and just three Series D or beyond.

Companies take an average of 4.1 years from first funding to reach Series A+ and 5.5 years to reach Series B+.

The funded base has expanded steadily, adding between one and five companies each year since 2021 to reach 51.

Singapore accounts for 91.7 percent of total funding and 108 of the 242 tracked companies, 37 of them funded, with $986 million raised across 58 rounds.

Its most-funded companies include Sharpa ($670 million), Fourier Intelligence ($83 million) and Neptune Robotics ($69.5 million).

Beyond Singapore, activity thins quickly: Malaysia’s Seri Kembangan ($5 million) and Johor Bahru ($3.7 million), and Vietnam’s Chukai ($281,000) and Tan Binh ($120,000), account for most of the remainder.

Hanoi (13 companies), Bangkok (10) and Ho Chi Minh City are also among the region’s other hubs, though their companies remain largely unfunded.

The sector has recorded one acquisition and no initial public offerings (IPOs).

Zimplistic(Rotimatic), which had raised $48.5 million, was acquired by Light Ray Holdings in October 2020 at an undisclosed price.

With most of the region’s funded companies still at early stages, and no company yet past a handful of late-stage rounds, exit activity remains limited.

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