By Sudo Lim Published on 7 min read
Handshake Finance Secures SGD 500,000 in Pre-Seed Capital
Singapore’s fintech innovator Handshake Finance has successfully raised SGD 500,000 (approximately USD 388,000) in its pre-seed funding round, with investor identities remaining confidential.
Focusing on trust-centric service sectors, Handshake Finance is developing an escrow-as-a-service platform, initially targeting Singapore’s renovation and interior design industry. The platform safeguards client payments by holding funds in escrow and disbursing them to contractors upon milestone completion, thereby mitigating upfront payment risks for homeowners and ensuring reliable cash flow for service providers.
This capital injection will accelerate Handshake’s growth within its primary market, where it has already partnered with over 40 interior design firms and established strategic collaborations.
Clear Robotics Raises USD 1.75 Million to Expand Maritime Tech
Clear Robotics, a maritime technology startup headquartered in Singapore, has closed a USD 1.75 million pre-Series A funding round led by Shipsfocus Ventures, with participation from Katapult Ocean, SGInnovate, M7 Holdings, MGS Ventures, and others.
The company operates a fleet of electric autonomous surface vessels designed for maritime infrastructure tasks such as surveying and data acquisition. The new funds will support Clear Robotics’ expansion into Southeast Asia, India, and the Middle East, bolster its engineering workforce, develop larger vessel models, and enhance R&D efforts for automated port inspection technologies.
VoidZero Joins Forces with Cloudflare to Enhance Developer Tools
VoidZero, a Singapore-registered company known for open-source developer tools like Vite, Vitest, Rolldown, Oxc, and Vite+, is now part of Cloudflare. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.
VoidZero’s team will integrate into Cloudflare while maintaining leadership over their open-source projects. Cloudflare affirmed that Vite and its related tools will continue as open-source, vendor-neutral, and community-driven initiatives. Additionally, Cloudflare plans to invest USD 1 million into a Vite ecosystem fund and intends to build its Cloudflare CLI directly atop Vite technology.
GIC Backs Supabase and Ramp in Major Funding Rounds
Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC has participated in Supabase’s USD 500 million Series F round, which valued the open-source Postgres development platform at USD 10 billion. Existing investors such as Stripe, Georgian, and Salesforce Ventures also joined the round.
Supabase aims to accelerate its open-source Postgres tools and backend infrastructure development, support scaling efforts, and provide liquidity options for employees.
Separately, GIC co-led Ramp’s USD 750 million Series F financing alongside Iconiq and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. Valued at USD 44 billion, Ramp plans to enhance its finance automation platform with advanced AI capabilities for its customers.
Silicon Box Secures SGD 100 Million Debt Facility to Scale Semiconductor Packaging
Advanced semiconductor packaging firm Silicon Box, based in Singapore, has obtained SGD 100 million (USD 77.6 million) in debt financing from a consortium including Ares Management, InnoVen Capital, January Capital Growth Credit, and Abound Capital. The agreement includes an option to increase funding by an additional USD 75 million.
Founded in 2021, Silicon Box specializes in panel-level packaging and chiplet integration technologies. The funds will be used to expand production capacity, meet rising customer demand, and support global deployment of its solutions across sectors such as AI, HPC, mobile devices, robotics, and aerospace.
DataMasque Raises USD 4 Million to Advance Data Privacy Solutions
Auckland-based DataMasque, a platform specializing in data de-identification and synthetic data generation, has secured USD 4 million in funding led by Wavemaker Ventures, with participation from OIF Ventures and Icehouse Ventures.
The company enables enterprises to safely utilize sensitive data for AI, analytics, testing, and model training without exposing private information or transferring data externally. The new capital will support DataMasque’s expansion into key markets including Singapore and deepen engagement with regulated industries.
Aippy Secures Eight-Figure Funding to Grow AI-Native Gaming Community
Aippy, an AI-driven gaming community platform developed by Nada AI, has closed its inaugural funding round, raising an eight-figure USD sum. The round was led by Glowill Capital and valued the company at USD 250 million post-money.
Aippy empowers users to create, discover, and engage with AI-native interactive entertainment, gaining traction in markets such as the US, UK, and Canada. The funds will be allocated to talent acquisition, user base expansion, enhancement of recommendation algorithms, and development of creator tools and incentives.
Arincare Completes Series B+ to Enhance Healthcare Ecosystem in Thailand
Thailand-based Arincare, a pharmacy management and healthcare platform, has closed a Series B+ funding round led by Taiwania Hive Ventures, with participation from Cathay Ventures, MyTrex Health Technologies, InnoSpace Thailand, and SSN. The funding amount was not disclosed.
Arincare plans to use the proceeds to upgrade its technology infrastructure, expand ecosystem functionalities, improve AI and analytics capabilities, increase scalability, and accelerate partnerships across the healthcare value chain.
ZWC Partners Invests in II Combined to Fuel Lifestyle Brand Expansion
ZWC Partners has invested in II Combined, the Seoul-based multi-brand lifestyle group behind Gentle Monster eyewear. Financial terms were not made public.
Since its founding in 2011, II Combined has diversified into eyewear, fragrances, cafes, headwear, and tableware. The investment will support innovation at the intersection of fashion and technology and facilitate expansion across Asia and global markets. ZWC Partners will also provide operational assistance, including retail strategy and brand positioning.
Temasek Leads USD 300 Million Series C for AI Industrial Engineering Firm PhysicsX
London-based AI company PhysicsX, which develops AI-powered engineering platforms for industries such as aerospace, energy, automotive, semiconductors, and manufacturing, has raised USD 300 million in a Series C round led by Singapore’s Temasek. New investors M&G Investments and Intrepid Growth Partners joined alongside existing backers including Applied Materials, Atomico, General Catalyst, Nvidia, and Siemens.
The capital will accelerate product innovation, support international expansion, and scale deployment of PhysicsX’s platform.
Protuoso Biosciences Raises USD 9.5 Million Seed Round to Advance Biologics Development
US-based biotech startup Protuoso Biosciences has secured USD 9.5 million in seed funding co-led by Taya Venture and Darwin Ventures, with participation from NSG Ventures and Singapore’s Seeds Capital.
Protuoso leverages AI-driven protein engineering, computational design, and synthetic biology to develop multifunctional biologics targeting cardiometabolic, oncology, and autoimmune diseases. The funds will support platform advancement and pipeline development using a hub-and-spoke model that balances internal programs with external partnerships and spinouts.
Notable Funding Rounds in China’s Tech Sector
- WingSemi Technology, specializing in processor modules and development platforms, raised nearly RMB 100 million (USD 14.7 million) in an angel-plus round featuring investors such as Infinity Group and Baiyun Holding. The capital will be used to simplify custom processor design.
- BioGeometry, a biotech AI firm, secured a nine-figure RMB investment led by Shanghai Healthcare Angel Capital and CAS Investment Management to advance its GeoFlow life science foundation model and drug pipeline.
- BCI-Sonics, focused on brain-computer interfaces, raised approximately RMB 100 million in angel funding to validate and commercialize its ultrasound-based technology.
- BioCompass, a virtual cell platform company, completed an eight-figure RMB round led by state-backed investors to enhance model iteration, data platform development, and commercialization efforts.
- ChipEvo, a chip and electronic design automation technology firm, raised an eight-figure RMB angel round to strengthen its technology moat and support operational needs.
- Daimon Robotics, specializing in dexterous manipulation and physical interaction AI, secured RMB 100 million in Series A funding from Inovance and China Telecom to accelerate R&D and commercial deployment.
- Vaxor Motor, a maker of miniature high-performance motors, raised an eight-figure RMB pre-Series A round led by SCGC to scale production and supply chain capabilities.
- Astribot, an embodied intelligence company, completed a Series B round totaling over RMB 1 billion (USD 147 million) in recent months, reaching a valuation exceeding RMB 10 billion (USD 1.5 billion).
Additional Headlines: SG Enviro, E3A Healthcare, Volant Aerotech
- SG Enviro, a Singapore-based industrial water and wastewater engineering firm, closed its Series A round with support from Emerald Ventures and Seeds Capital.
- E3A Healthcare, a medical technology startup focused on women’s health, completed Series A and A1 rounds led by Kapok Capital, with participation from Watten Capital, Kangaroo Mommy, and Solebay Capital.
- Volant Aerotech, an eVTOL aircraft developer, raised nearly RMB 1 billion in a Series C+ round led by China Life Investment, with backing from Minjin Investment, Nio Capital, CoStone Capital, and China Internet Investment Fund.
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Note: Currency conversions are based on estimated rates as of June 9, 2026 (RMB 6.79 = USD 1; SGD 1.29 = USD 1) and are provided for reference only.
