Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing branch of Alibaba Group, has launched its first international startup program, Create@Alibaba Cloud. The program was announced in Singapore, home to Alibaba Cloud’s international headquarters, which will also serve as the regional hub for the initiative.

Singapore was selected as the regional hub due to its strong ties and access to other ASEAN markets, such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The company explained that Singapore’s robust connectivity and reputation as Asia’s most entrepreneurial economy enable participating startups to easily connect within Singapore and expand into neighboring markets.

Source: Alibaba Cloud. Yu introduces Create@Alibaba Cloud.

Create@Alibaba Cloud supports startups and helps them reach their full potential by leveraging Alibaba’s extensive support network and cloud infrastructure services. Yu Sicheng, Vice President of Alibaba Cloud, stated: “Our goal has always been to empower our global customers with our cloud expertise to achieve greater global coverage and expansion into international markets. Through our program, we aim to make our advanced networking solutions and big-data intelligence accessible to startups and small enterprises to accelerate their business growth. This is Alibaba Cloud’s first global startup program, expanding from previous initiatives in (mainland) China and Hong Kong, and we’re proud to launch it here in Singapore.”

Program benefits include eliminating IT infrastructure investments, providing professional cloud architect support, and offering co-branding opportunities with Alibaba Cloud for eligible startups. One significant benefit is up to US$10,000 in funding to cover IT expenses. Additionally, Alibaba Cloud can assist with the legal and regulatory hurdles of entering the Chinese market.

Yu mentioned that Alibaba Cloud already has startup programs and incubation centers at the Alibaba campus and is seeking to expand the ecosystem and resources to Singapore and globally. Current program partners include the Silicon Valley Association of Chinese Entrepreneurs Inc (SVACE), Hanhai Investment, and the Hong Kong Science Park.

Through the program, participants will receive funding for IT infrastructure investments for the first year, professional technology training, customized IT solutions crafted by Alibaba Cloud’s architects, and dedicated post-sales support.

Create@Alibaba Cloud also helps startups access overseas markets and potential connections. Participants will receive support through Alibaba Cloud’s global startup partners’ network for funding, workspaces, and incubation, as well as the opportunity to utilize Alibaba’s resources to enter the Chinese market. Participating startups will also be invited to join Alibaba Cloud’s online and offline marketing campaigns.

A series of competitions will be launched in key regions, including ASEAN markets, Hong Kong, Korea, the Middle East, and Europe, to identify startups with strong business potential. Regional competition winners will have the chance to pitch their business ideas and present live product demos at the annual Alibaba Computing Conference Hangzhou Summit in October 2016. Cloud workshops, entrepreneurship talks, and other events will be held in these key regions during the program rollout.

Pang Heng Soon, General Manager of Infocomm Investments (IIPL), stated: “We are constantly exploring ways to further develop a robust ecosystem for startups in Singapore through initiatives like the Create@Alibaba Cloud program. Startups require both technical expertise and market understanding to succeed. Through a support program like Alibaba Cloud’s, entrepreneurs can access cloud capabilities and insights on cross-border expansion to reach their full potential.”

Pang describes the startup ecosystem in Singapore.

Pang noted that software and internet startups, in particular, have shifted away from the traditional business expansion model of developing a product before seeking funding. An iterative approach of pitching a business model, securing funding, and then finalizing or refining the product is now prevalent. “They try fast, learn fast, fail fast, and do it again if they fail,” he commented.

Dr. Sun Wenting, Singapore-based CTO of the artificial intelligence-powered data analytics platform AD+, operates entirely on Alibaba Cloud. Dr. Sun explained that the startup experimented with the services last year and decided to fully transition to Alibaba Cloud this year. The company is also a participant in Alibaba Cloud’s startup program.

Dr. Sun highlighted that her research and development team is distributed between Singapore and China. “Alibaba Cloud has cross-border capabilities that facilitate closer collaboration,” she said. “We can (also easily) connect with Chinese investors and potential clients.”

Dr. Sun introduces her company and its flagship AD+ platform, which uses artificial intelligence to simplify sales conversions.

Since its launch in mainland China in March 2015, a comparable Alibaba Cloud entrepreneurship program has collaborated with over 40 venture capital and investment funds, supported nearly 10,000 startup projects, and partnered with over 200 incubators in China. Yu pointed out that the global program shares the same objectives as the China initiative but focuses on local startups, which might result in distinct offline events and content.

Yu added that the regional entrepreneurship support in Singapore complements a recently launched Singapore data center and Alibaba Cloud’s emphasis on customer and partner acquisition in the region as it strives to replicate its success from China. “We have a major partnership with a major telco [that] we haven’t announced yet,” he stated regarding partnerships in Singapore. “We’re in the process of establishing more partnerships that we’re going to announce at the Yunqi Conference in Shenzhen in the next two weeks.”

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