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Singapore unveils space lab to fuel ASEAN space economy
Supported by Deloitte, the new lab aims to spur adoption of space technologies in non-space sectors, connect space startups with potential investors and drive regional partnerships
The Singapore Space & Technology (SST) Think Tank has launched the city-state’s first dedicated space innovation lab in a bid to speed up commercial adoption of space technologies in non-space sectors across Southeast Asia.
Supported by Deloitte, the lab will serve as a regional gateway for corporations, startups, investors, and international delegations to learn how space-based capabilities, such as Earth observation, satellite communications, geospatial analytics, positioning, navigation, and timing, can help solve real-world challenges in industries like agriculture, maritime, finance, logistics, and urban planning.
The launch of the facility comes on the back of growing interest in building space technology capabilities among ASEAN member states. A joint report by SST Think Tank and Deloitte projects that the increased adoption of Earth observation data alone could contribute $100bn in additional GDP for the region between 2023 and 2030.
“Space is entering a new phase in Southeast Asia. The opportunity is no longer only about building space assets, but about translating space capabilities into economic value for industries on Earth,” said Nicolette Yeo, general manager of SST Think Tank.
“The Singapore Space Lab gives Singapore’s space ecosystem a physical front door. It is a place where startups can demonstrate their technologies, corporates can discover practical use cases, and investors can see the pipeline of innovation,” she added.
Integrating space data with AI
For enterprise IT leaders, the lab is housed within Pixel, the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore’s innovation hub for startups and corporate tech solvers. This co-location is actively designed to encourage the integration of space data with existing digital platforms.
Alvin Kang, head of innovation at IMDA, noted that mainstreaming space tech requires combining it with the tools enterprises are already using. “By bringing space technologies into the same ecosystem as AI, robotics, immersive media, and other digital capabilities, we can help corporates and tech solvers explore new combinations of innovation that address real industry needs,” he said.
Deloitte’s Southeast Asia Space Practice will play a key role in the initiative, working through the lab to connect space startups with corporate demand. The consultancy will focus on non-space industries seeking new solutions for operational efficiency, sustainability tracking, and risk management.
“Space is becoming an operating layer for the modern economy,” said Duleesha Kulasooriya, co-leader of the Centre for the Edge at Deloitte Southeast Asia. “The next wave of value will come from helping businesses understand where space technologies can be embedded into existing operations, whether in supply chains, sustainability, infrastructure, connectivity or risk.”
A springboard for regional capabilities
The facility opens amid a surge in regional space activity. Singapore formally launched its National Space Agency in April 2026, while neighbouring countries, such as Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, are actively strengthening their own space institutions and regulatory frameworks.
Beyond acting as a corporate showcase, the Singapore Space Lab will support SST Think Tank’s Enterprise Singapore-backed Growth Lab, an accelerator programme that helps homegrown space companies internationalise. It will allow those working in areas such as high-reliability semiconductors, geo-AI, laser communications and environmental intelligence to host prospective investors, clients and government partners.
The facility will also serve as an anchor for the Asia-Pacific Alliance for Space Trade Associations (AASTA), providing international members from Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the UK with a clear entry point to explore regional partnerships.
“The commercialisation of space will not happen through one company, one country or one sector alone,” Yeo added. “It requires a connected ecosystem: startups that can build, corporates that can adopt, investors that can scale, and partners that can open doors across markets.”
Read more about space technology in APAC
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- As terrestrial datacentres face severe power and cooling constraints, space-based facilities promise unlimited solar energy and low latency for AI inferencing, provided the industry can overcome challenges.
- The Australian market for LEO satellite communications services is set to become a mainstream enterprise technology, with end-user spending expected to reach A$664m in 2026.
