Cooley LLP has established an enviable reputation for advising leading venture capital and private equity firms investing in start-ups throughout Singapore and the wider region, highly active across all stages of financing. The practice is particularly noted for its considerable strength in the technology and life sciences sectors, having been involved in significant transactions spanning fintech, digital wealth, and investment platforms and payment solutions. Ferish Patel and Patrick Loofbourrow jointly lead the practice, offering a wealth of experience acting for elite founders, new economy companies and investment funds on matters across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the US. Andrew Harline acts for a broad range of clients from start-ups to well established companies; Matthew Bartus, splitting his time between San Francisco and Singapore, is also adept across the financing life-cycle from pre-seed to late-stage.

A pre-eminent firm in the Singapore start-up and venture capital market, Dentons Rodyk is vastly experienced when assisting tech and fintech start-ups across the spectrum of financing transactions, from seed-stage to advanced stages including series E and F, trade sales, MBOs, IPOs and SPACs. One of those leading the practice is corporate specialist S Sivanesan, who acts for a broad range of clients including founders, start-ups, fund managers and venture capital funds. Co-head Sunil Rai is well regarded for outbound and inbound India-related transactions, having been involved in a number of significant deals involving high-growth emerging companies and unicorns in the region. Ray Chiang, promoted to partner in January 2023, is also a key contact for venture-backed deals with an Indian nexus, while fintech and blockchain expert Li Chuan Hsu is active at all stages of fund-raising, from start-up to pre- and post-IPO.

Serving as a hub for the firm’s wider India and Southeast Asia practice’s, Gunderson Dettmer LLP’s start-up and venture capital offering in Singapore acts for major companies and funds of all sizes across jurisdictions such as the US, China, Europe and the Middle East. Managing and founding partner of the Singapore office Jonathan Pentzien leads the team and regularly advises global emerging growth technology companies throughout their life-cycle, as well as venture and growth equity investors. David He also brings extensive corporate expertise and has acted on a vast number of M&A, joint ventures, commercial contracts and public listing preparations for venture-backed start-ups.

Focusing on industries with both a technology and regulation nexus, Bird & Bird ATMD LLP represents a swathe of major corporate venture capital companies, private equity firms, start-ups and emerging companies. Some of these high-growth sectors include aviation, life sciences and healthcare, media and telecoms, with practice head Marcus Chow being a trusted adviser to major clients within these areas both throughout Singapore and the wider Southeast Asia market. Sandra Seah is also active within the market and brings particular expertise in the energy sector, while counsel Jolie Giouw also comes highly recommended.

The Singapore venture capital team at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP handles a steady stream of instructions from top regional clients including emerging growth companies, venture and growth funds, private capital and corporate investors. Praised as ‘responsive and solution-driven’, venture capital head Victor Chiew, promoted to partner in May 2023, specialises in start-up and emerging company fundraising.

With an even mix of company and investor side representation, Latham & Watkins LLP has accumulated significant experience at all stages of the start-up life-cycle, from financing needs and M&A to crypto payments, data and technology advice. Ji Liu heads the firm’s corporate offering in Asia and is a leading figure. James Clayton-Payne is also a key presence; having advised a broad range of start-ups, venture capital investors and corporate venture capital vehicles in all rounds of fundraising, beginning with seed and continuing to Series F+ and exit.

Boasting a diverse range of clients including venture capitalists, early-stage start-ups and unicorn companies, Linklaters are well integrated in key economic sectors in Singapore and Southeast Asia spanning technology, fintech, healthcare and financial services. Heading the team is Niranjan Arasaratnam, a recognised leader in the technology arena and overseeing a practice that provides the full range of legal services to start-up clients; from the raising of equity fund rounds and trade sales to employee incentive plans and data privacy policies and compliance.

Pinsent Masons MPillay regularly advises start-ups and emerging companies across the entire spectrum of their developments including formation, financing and listings. Combining the firm’s strength in corporate and TMT work, the practice adopts an approach which focuses heavily on companies in the fintech and medtech sectors. The practice is jointly led by the three-strong team of Nicholas Hanna, Mark Tan and Alexander Shepherd, with the trio overseeing a practice which is continuously acting for Southeast Asian companies looking to be listed on the London Stock Exchange, as well as advising on e-payments and cryptocurrency issues.

Dechert is a major player in the Singapore venture capital market, offering a wealth of experience representing venture capital funds, growth companies, start-ups and entrepreneurs, as well as institutional and corporate investors at all phases of the investment life-cycle. The practice has a particular focus on the technology sector, with co-heads Siew Kam Boon and ‘exceptional negotiator‘ Timothy Goh’s expertise particularly driving the firm’s growth in this area. The pair regularly handle an abundance of transactions involving start-ups and emerging companies in Singapore and the wider Asia Pacific region, including Indonesia, Malaysia, India and the Philippines.

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang (Singapore) LLP is continually active in the Singapore market, advising emerging companies and VCs on fundraising and other corporate matters across a number of key growth sectors, specifically TMT, energy and resources, healthcare, life sciences, digital assets and sustainability. Practice leader Toby Grainger is a trusted adviser to numerous regional start-ups and high-growth emerging companies, while co-head Babita Ambekar brings specialist expertise in the technology, consumer and renewable energy sectors.

Representing start-ups, emerging growth companies and major investors in Singapore, Sidley Austin LLP advises on all aspects of the tech investment cycle encompassing seed rounds, venture, capital growth investments, pre-IPO investments and exits. Led by Parthiv Rishi, the team works in close coordination with the firm’s private equity, regulatory and capital markets offerings in Shanghai, Hong Kong, London and the US.

Praised for its ‘strong understanding of the start-up and venture capital landscape in Singapore’, Simmons & Simmons handles cross-border investments, advising on various early to late-stage financing rounds and follow-on rounds, as well as acting for venture backed companies on debt and equity financing, strategic partnerships and regulatory and commercial matters. Dax Lim, who advises investment funds on structuring, formation and global investment transactions, jointly lead the team alongside Yingyu Wang, who is commended as ‘experienced, hard-working and committed’.