The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Singapore Chapter, is actively working to empower early-stage startups by providing essential capital, mentorship, extensive networks, and global platforms required for scaling. Chairperson Anuradha Shroff emphasized the chapter's commitment to promoting the India-Singapore startup community for the long-term prosperity of youth-led innovative businesses within a global business environment. Shroff conveyed this vision after hosting a successful demo-day innovation demonstration and investor pitching sessions.

This year holds particular significance as Singapore marked its 60 years of independence and simultaneously celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations with India. Shroff, drawing on her extensive three decades of experience in managing international businesses, highlighted the synergy, stating, "When two nations innovate together, innovation doubles." This cross-border program effectively connected startups from both India and Singapore. India boasts a vibrant startup ecosystem with over 100,000 startups, while Singapore's growing community is estimated to be around 50,000.

A significant initiative featured was "The NEXTLEAP Accelerator Program," a collaborative effort by the ICAI Singapore Chapter and BeyondSeed, an Indian-origin investor group based in Singapore. This program, supported by the Committee on MSME & Start-ups of ICAI, aimed to back early-stage innovations. Twenty startups participated in an intensive eight-week journey, which included masterclasses, one-on-one mentorship, and a rigorous, multi-layer evaluation by external juries. The top ten startups subsequently had the opportunity to pitch directly to an investor panel on Demo Day.

Kuldeep Mirani, Founder & CEO of BeyondSeed, reinforced the strategic importance of the India-Singapore collaboration, underscoring the purpose behind The NEXTLEAP partnership. The evening also featured a keynote address by Former Union Minister CA Suresh Prabhu. Speakers at the sessions, held on November 20, provided valuable insights into India's thriving startup ecosystem and explored collaborative pathways. Gyan Chandra Misra, Chairman of the Committee on MSME & Start-ups of ICAI, detailed India's dynamic economic, digital, and startup landscape, while Ignatius Rasiah, Program Director at the National University of Singapore (NUS), discussed innovation, leadership, and Singapore's evolving startup scene.