Singapore – Databricks will invest more than US$350 million in Singapore over the next three years to expand AI skills training, support startups developing AI-native products and help enterprises deploy AI applications at scale.
The data and AI company is working with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) on initiatives supporting Singapore’s National AI Strategy. The plans include training 20,000 people in data and AI skills, launching a startup accelerator and expanding its local technical workforce to more than 200 people.
The investment comes as businesses across Southeast Asia face challenges moving AI projects beyond experimentation, including fragmented data infrastructure and talent shortages.
Training 20,000 people in data and AI
Databricks aims to train an additional 20,000 people in Singapore over the next three years, building on its existing target of training 10,000 people by 2027.
Through its collaboration with IMDA and local higher education institutions, the company will expand access to industry-relevant training and certifications. Singapore Management University (SMU) will be the first to integrate Databricks training and certifications into undergraduate and postgraduate curricula.
Training will cover data engineering, analytics, generative AI, AI agents, application development and AI governance. The programmes will also introduce platform capabilities including Lakebase, Genie and Unity Gateway.
Databricks will also work with Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the National University of Singapore (NUS) and SMU on a cross-university hackathon. Students will develop AI solutions to real-world challenges, receive industry mentorship and connect with prospective employers. Startups and enterprises will also have access to training and certification through Databricks Academy.
Supporting more than 100 startups
The company will launch the Databricks Singapore Startup AI Accelerator in November, beginning with an initial cohort of 10 startups. The four-month programme aims to help early-stage companies develop AI-ready products and reach product-market fit, with plans to support more than 100 startups over the next three years.
Participating companies will receive technical support across the AI development process, alongside tailored training and certification. Each startup will also be eligible for up to US$200,000 in combined Databricks and Neon credits to support product development.
The initiative will provide opportunities for startups to connect with enterprises, venture capital firms and other investors to explore funding, partnerships and commercial growth.
Expanding enterprise AI deployment
Databricks plans to increase its Singapore-based team of Forward Deployed Engineers and technical specialists to more than 200 roles over the next three years. The team will help local enterprises identify AI use cases, develop applications and move projects from pilot stages into production.
With support from EDB, the company’s Enterprise AI Transformation programme will target sectors including financial services, healthcare, manufacturing and connectivity. Participating companies will receive a Databricks-sponsored Forward Deployed Engineer to help identify relevant use cases, deploy solutions securely with local partners and establish operating models for scaling future AI initiatives.
“Singapore is entering the next phase of its AI transformation. As our APJ headquarters, it will play a central role in how we scale across the region. That means investing across the entire ecosystem: helping startups become AI-native from day one, enabling enterprises to move their most important AI use cases into production, and developing the workforce capability required to scale AI responsibly,” said Simon Davies, SVP and GM of Databricks APJ.
“It’s why we believe Singapore is one of the world’s leading markets for enterprise AI, not just where we operate but where we’re building for the long term,” Davies continued.
“Singapore is focused on translating AI ambitions into real-world outcomes by enabling companies to deploy AI responsibly, and at scale,” said Beng Kong Pee, Executive Vice President of EDB.
“Achieving this requires deep technical capabilities, an AI-ready workforce, and partners committed to building and innovating here. Databricks’ expanded investment reflects this shared commitment, and we look forward to working with them and our broader ecosystem partners to strengthen Singapore’s position as a global hub for AI innovation and enterprise adoption,” Kong Pee continued.
