Could you share more about your internationalisation programs and how they support your home-grown tech businesses expanding globally?
West Tech Fest is Australia’s longest-running technology and innovation festival, based in Perth, Western Australia. Connecting WA’s startup ecosystem to global opportunities is central to our mission. In 2025, we launched the WTF x SWITCH Mission to Singapore, supported by the West Australian Department of Energy and Economic Diversification, taking 10 WA startup founders and 10 ecosystem supporters to Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology. Our delegation spanned cybersecurity, cleantech, healthtech, neurotech, and logistics, with founders exploring market opportunities, potential investment, and investor and ecosystem networks through the mission.
Can you tell us about some of the startups you’re working with at the moment, and which ones you think could do well in Singapore?
Our SWITCH delegation showcased 10 WA startups with strong Singapore relevance. BankVault Cybersecurity ranked in the top 1% of 6,800 companies at Enterprise Singapore’s SLINGSHOT 2025 and is pioneering passwordless web security with offices in Perth and San Francisco. Ecopha Biotech launched a joint venture in Suzhou, China for bioplastics production and won the 2025 InnovationAus Energy and Renewables Award. CaDi Systems provides real-time carbon emissions tracking for maritime supply chains, directly relevant to Singapore’s shipping hub role. Circular Seed builds modular decentralised waste recovery systems with applications across remote and island communities.
Singapore is known for its strong innovation ecosystem. Have you seen that in action?
Our delegation experienced Singapore’s ecosystem firsthand through SWITCH 2025. The density of investor, founder, and corporate connections reinforced Singapore’s position as a launchpad for the broader ASEAN region. BankVault’s selection among the world’s top 60 deep-tech startups at SLINGSHOT demonstrates how Singapore actively identifies and elevates global innovation. A highlight was the Lab Crawl @ Pitchflix rev, where the sophistication of Singapore’s investor ecosystem was on full display. Mission participants were exposed to leading and emerging VCs, family offices, CVCs, and angel syndicates who shared their investment thesis and explained how to gain traction within the market.
When startups from your country enter the Singapore market, what are some of the most common challenges or support needs they face?
WA startups entering Singapore commonly face challenges around local regulatory frameworks, incorporation and IP registration, and building trusted networks without a physical presence. For CaDi Systems, compliance with region-specific emissions regulations is key. For healthtech companies like Mediqa and Respiradigm, cross-border regulatory approvals add complexity. Warm introductions, co-working infrastructure, and structured soft-landing support are the most frequently cited needs. Continued investment in bilateral soft-landing programs and reciprocal missions would help. Initiatives like the Perth Landing Pad demonstrate how structured support works in both directions, and expanding follow-on pathways after programs like SLINGSHOT would strengthen commercial outcomes.
Why should Singaporean startups explore your market as part of their own global expansion journey?
Western Australia offers Singaporean startups access to a $450+ billion economy with globally significant strengths in mining, energy, agriculture, and defence, alongside a growing tech ecosystem and strong government commitment to innovation. Perth’s time zone alignment with Asia makes it a natural APAC base. West Tech Fest 2026 (7 to 11 December) provides a ready-made platform for Singaporean founders to connect with WA’s ecosystem across a week of events, bringing together investors, founders, and ecosystem builders. To find out more, visit www.westtechfest.com.au.
