Fundnel a crowdfunding and community platform serving all of AsiaPac, has announced it formed a first of a kind partnership with ThincLab, an Australia start-up incubator born out of the University of Adelaide. The collaboration will bring ThincLab’s network to Singapore, Fundnel’s home base, and create an inclusive and holistic Fintech community designed to help start-ups to succeed.
“We are thrilled to bring ThincLab and its expertise to Singapore,” commented Steven Fang, founding partner (APAC) and CEO of Fundnel Australia. “Being the hub of innovation in Asia, ThincLab will grow and nurture Singapore-based startups from ideation to growth stage through expert guidance from Australia, ultimately leading to an innovative society that rewards entrepreneurship.”
This week a “VIP Preview” was held at ThincLab’s office based at Helios, Biopolis. The event was said to be attended by academics and other prominent participants in the Aussie startup scene including a visit by Martin Hamilton-Smith, Australia Minister for Investment and Trade.
Fundnel explains that Singapore is the first stop for ThincLab but expectations are for additional “nodes” in Germany, France, China and Vietnam. Fundnel expects to create bridges in all these nodes at some point in the future.
Singapore start-ups in ThincLab will be able to access its investors and advisers across these countries. Companies within the incubator are expected to be from a wide cross section of industries including healthcare, agriculture, aerospace, environment, energy, gaming, and food and drink.
Thinclab Singapore will support Singapore-based start ups leveraging the Thinclab network to scale their business. Start-ups will be given access to the university’s brightest academic minds and business mentors to enhance their ideas, and support through a mix of office spaces, meeting rooms, private work stations and hot desks.
ThincLab is described as being a key facilitating bridge for Singapore and Australia to build relations between both countries’ Fintech and startup communities, and create success through collaboration.
Thinclab Singapore will also serve start-ups from Thinclab Adelaide and other upcoming Thinclab nodes to serve as a landing pad for their business expansion into Singapore and regionally including ASEAN and North Asia.
