SINGAPORE - The start-up scene here has much to show for in 2021, producing an impressive string of built-in-Singapore unicorns, which are private companies now valued at more than US$1 billion (S$1.4 billion).

Despite the economic headwinds induced by the pandemic, technology companies like PatSnap, Carro, Nium and others have achieved remarkable growth, carving out dominant positions regionally and even globally - in areas such as e-commerce, intellectual property, fintech, the biosciences and property tech.