The fund aims to back research-based startups affiliated with the university.
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is committing S$100m ($78m) to a fund that will back startups affiliated with the university.
The public research institution is also investing S$50m over three years in early-stage venture capital funds that provide hands-on support to startups to bolster the sector for university spinouts in Asia.
“Research-based startups face distinct challenges, including R&D cycles that are much longer than traditional startups, making them especially vulnerable in today’s cautious investment environment,” said Tan Eng Chye, president of the National University of Singapore, in a release.
“The new NUS Venture Capital Programme brings together capital, strategic partnerships, and specialised venture expertise to create a more resilient path from lab to market.”
Venture capital funding in Asia has reached a decade low of S$85bn, with early-stage investing particularly hard hit, falling 5% between 2023 and 2024 to S$38bn.
The National University of Singapore has chosen two venture capital firms to invest in initially: Granite Asia, a multi-asset investment firm, and 4BIO, a specialist life sciences investor.
The National University of Singapore is seeking to increase its international profile as a creator of spinouts. In July, it hired two US-based venture capital advisers – Patrick Ennis from Madrona Venture Group and Donna See, CEO of Xora Innovation – to help it expand its venture investments.
Other Singapore universities with spinout funds include Nanyang Technological University, which last year launched a S$50m fund, and Duke-MUS Medical School, which last year started a $15m fund to commercialise its academic research.
Last week, Singaporean VC firm Origgen Capital launched a S$30m fund to also invest in spinouts from universities and research institutes in Asia.
