A*StartCentral (A*SC)

Venture Creation & Growth’s (VCG) A*StartCentral (ASC) is more than an innovation space - it is A*STAR’s deep-tech venture building platform, designed to empower Singapore’s next generation of founders with array of entrepreneurship and market access programmes.

Since 2016, over 1,000 scientists and entrepreneurs went through its programmes to transform research and science into solutions and products for more than 300+ deep-tech start-ups, with 70% securing follow-on funding and launching products across biomedical, chemical, and engineering domains. Collectively, these ventures have raised over S$1 billion and created 1,000+ high-value jobs, contributing to Singapore’s innovation economy.

Within ASC’s 18,000 sq ft of innovation space, founders and startups gain access to programmes, mentoring, and international networks that turn research into revenue. From science to market, ASC empowers deep-tech founders to build fast, scale smart, and lead with impact.

Founders access its wet-labs, engineering workshops, and a third space, for social interaction. It is more than just space — but a launchpad. From science to product to market, ASC nurtures the people and teams who turn bold ideas into world-changing organisations.

Uncovering Talent, Empowering Innovation

At A*StartCentral (A*SC), every idea deserves a stage and to be heard. There are always hidden gems and surprises.

Open Mike embodies this spirit of openness where A*STAR colleagues, regardless of seniority, role and scientific discipline, have the mic for an “elevator pitch” - 3 minutes of un-curated and unfiltered pitches to peers and senior leaders. More than 70 scientists and innovators had pitched from 2022 to 2024, with curiosity sparked and collaboration continued.

20 scientists and innovators went on to be in LUCK (Level-Up Competencies Kit), A*SC’s introduction programme for venture building. LUCK covers business viability, MVP, fundraising, IP strategy, tech-economics, impact design and team formation.

Grooming Entrepreneurs, Forging Teams

Entrepreneurship at A*StartCentral is hands-on and founders centric. The flagship 16-week Essentials Bootcamp immerses founders in market discovery, investor readiness and business building — culminating in Demo Day before venture capitalists and funders.

For those seeking co-founders, the ASPIRE Programme connects scientists with like-minded professionals from Institutes of Higher Learning in Singapore and Professionals, Managers,

Expediting Market Entry and Traction

A*StartCentral (A*SC), our market access programme serves to compress time-to-market by bringing founders and startups to direct engagement and exposure to customers, clinicians and key opinion leaders.

A*StartCentral’s Elevate Programme propels startups from prototype to product-market fit through real-world validation. Examples of partnerships include co11ab for health-tech, the A*STAR Partner Centre @ Suzhou for expansion in China and Cedars-Sinai Ventures for the United States.

Startups like CareCam benefitted by engaging key opinion leaders to refine their product-market fit.

• Read More : Cedars-Sinai Leaders, Mentors, to Host Startup Companies From Singapore

A*SC also organised Startup Challenges aligned with customer needs - ensuring that validation happens early, efficiently and with impact.

Co-Create and Catalyse Impact

Collaboration fuels innovation. A*StartCentral’s community brings together deep-tech entrepreneurs, investors, subject matter experts, Corporates, mentors and eco-system builders who share one belief — to turn deep-tech into impact. Within this network, venture capitalists, social entrepreneurs and founders from Biomed Tech and Science and Engineering co-create ventures that deliver both investment value and societal outcomes. The community has more than 200 mentors, subject matter experts and external entrepreneurial talents who are participating in the deep-tech venture building journey. These are our Startup Champions.

Where Deep-Tech Ideas Take Shape

Located in JTC’s One-North LaunchPad, A*StartCentral (A*SC) is along the innovation corridor of Singapore - connected via MRT to Biopolis, Fusionopolis, Singapore Science Park and Kent Ridge. The proximity to research institutes, corporates, universities and hospitals fosters a dense and powerful exchange. Its strategic location places deep-tech founders amidst a thriving innovation corridor of startups, scientists and investors.