- Nine Italian FinTech startups join a four-week immersion in Singapore.
- Program fosters global expansion through partnerships, skill-building, and market validation.
- Demo Day at Plug and Play APAC Summit showcases startups to global investors.
Plug and Play APAC has teamed up with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) to assist in the global growth of nine innovative startups from Italy in the FinTech industry. Within the framework of ITA's Global Startup Program (GSUP), the group will participate in a four-week immersion experience in Singapore from October 21 to November 14, 2025.
The program aims to facilitate entry into the Singaporean and Southeast Asian markets, allowing Italian startups to forge strategic alliances, enhance organizational and technical skills, and prepare for worldwide expansion. While in Singapore, the startups plan to confirm their solutions in the Southeast Asian market, evaluate product-market alignment, investigate commercialization strategies, and initiate discussions with corporations and investors.
Commenting on the initiation of the fourth edition of the Global Startup Program in Singapore, Giorgio Calveri, Trade Commissioner of the Italian Trade Agency in Singapore, said, "The Global Startup Program has become a key platform for showcasing Italian innovation, empowering our most promising entrepreneurs to compete and grow on the global stage. With the program being held in Singapore for the fourth time, we are proud to further strengthen Italy's presence in major international hubs like Singapore, where FinTech plays a crucial role in shaping the future of business. By uniting our startups, global partners, and participation in the Singapore FinTech Festival through the Italian Pavilion, we are creating a bridge of opportunities that will enable Italian innovation to flourish worldwide."
Plug and Play, a global open innovation platform based in Silicon Valley, has a solid presence in the Asia Pacific with its regional headquarters located in Singapore. Through this center, Plug and Play links corporations, startups, and venture capitalists in its extensive ecosystem, fostering cross-border partnerships and speeding up innovation across various sectors.
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A significant feature of this collaboration will be the Italian Trade Agency Demo Day, occurring during the Plug and Play APAC Summit on 28 October 2025. The nine startups will present their solutions to a worldwide audience of corporations, investors, and leaders of the ecosystem. They will also participate in the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) and the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF).
Jupe Tan, Managing Partner, Plug and Play APAC, said, "We're proud to partner with the Italian Trade Agency to support Italian startups as they tap into the opportunities in Southeast Asia's rapidly growing tech markets. Through this program, we'll connect these innovators with our extensive network of corporates and investors, and our APAC Summit is the perfect stage to showcase their solutions. We look forward to strengthening cross-border innovation between Italy and Southeast Asia."