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Joint statement by BMWi and MTI Singapore:

  1. The devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic can be felt worldwide across countries, businesses, and communities. Now more than ever, governments are not only managing a health crisis, but also working on cushioning the economic impact of this pandemic. It is important that countries reinforce trade and economic cooperation amid current global travel restrictions and border closures.
  2. The Governments of Germany and Singapore have introduced measures to support businesses in riding out the COVID-19 crisis. Both countries also reaffirm their continued cooperation in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, through the partnership under the Global Innovation Alliance. Through the landing pad established in Singapore, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has established the German Accelerator Southeast Asia (GASEA), which facilitates the expansion of German start-ups to Asia via Singapore, while Singapore has established Scaler8, which supports the expansion of Singaporean start-ups to Germany.
  3. To support start-ups and maintain the flourishing interactions between the start-up ecosystems of Singapore and Germany amid the current safe distancing measures, both countries have developed new ways of safe collaboration. For example, GASEA and Scaler8 are now offering start-ups online versions of their programmes. These include webinars, workshops, and tailored mentorship sessions.
  4. Germany and Singapore will continue to provide support on the ground as well as virtually to German and Singaporean start-ups. “True friendship is proven in hard times. Germany and Singapore are determined to keep things going and to be prepared for the time when we have collectively beaten the virus,” said Dr Ulrich Nußbaum, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). “Germany and Singapore have a track record of strong bilateral cooperation and during these unprecedented times, it is even more crucial for us to maintain our collaborative efforts. We look forward to strengthening our bilateral relationship with Germany as we emerge together from the COVID-19 crisis,” said Gabriel Lim, Permanent Secretary for Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Information on the German Accelerator for start-ups:

The German Accelerator helps the most promising German start-ups expand at international level. At the innovation locations of San Francisco, Silicon Valley, New York, Boston and Singapore, a team of experienced experts and mentors actively supports selected firms by providing local knowledge and offering workshops and training. In addition, programme participants can use office space free of charge and have direct access to the global network of partners and investors. The programmes, which are free, are adjusted to the individual needs of the start-ups to help them successfully enter international markets. Since the German Accelerator’s launch in 2012, more than 240 start-ups have successfully participated in one of the programmes and have received a total of more than US$3 billion. The German Accelerator is managed by German Entrepreneurship GmbH and supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). You can find more information at www.germanaccelerator.com.