Shanghai - foreign start-ups' launch pad

Singapore entrepreneurs cite the city's vibrant consumer culture, easy access to investors and mature business ecosystem as the main draws

Entrepreneurs cite the city's vibrant consumer culture, easy access to investors and mature business ecosystem as the main draws.
Innospace+, an incubator for start-ups in Shanghai. In recent years, thousands of incubators and "makers spaces" like this have sprouted across China, where tech start-ups can get free rental, support in setting up their firms, mentorship and sometimes fu
Innospace+, an incubator for start-ups in Shanghai. In recent years, thousands of incubators and "makers spaces" like this have sprouted across China, where tech start-ups can get free rental, support in setting up their firms, mentorship and sometimes funding. PHOTOS: CHONG KOH PING
Singaporean Emmy Teo runs retail tech start-up Fuse, a series of pop-up stores in malls, offices, hotels and fitness gyms that display products which shoppers can touch, feel and try before placing their orders via an online shopping app. PHOTOS: CHONG KOH PING
Mr Cornelius Sutrisno (front, left) with the team at his start-up, which sells dental products. He moved his business from Shenzhen to Shanghai, citing a mature ecosystem for start-ups there.
Mr Cornelius Sutrisno (front, left) with the team at his start-up, which sells dental products. He moved his business from Shenzhen to Shanghai, citing a mature ecosystem for start-ups there. PHOTOS: CHONG KOH PING
Chong Koh Ping
Business Correspondent
Updated
Aug 21, 2018, 03:43 PM
Published
Aug 18, 2018, 05:00 AM
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SHANGHAI • Four years ago, Singaporean Emmy Teo, 32, was running a fledgling e-commerce app business serving South-east Asia.

But she soon realised that the disparate markets with no single payment system and the inefficient logistical networks meant that her business had little chance of survival.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 18, 2018, with the headline Shanghai - foreign start-ups' launch pad. Subscribe

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