Why Singapore is attracting technology and AI headquarters
Singapore is increasingly where technology and AI companies place their Asia-Pacific headquarters. Three recent announcements, each reported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), show the pattern:
- Revolut, in October 2026, said it will invest nearly S$350 million in Singapore over five years and expects a team of more than 300 within three years. It has signed a five-year lease on about 8,880 sq ft on the 9th floor of Collyer Quay Centre, opening in early 2027 (EDB, 8 October 2026).
- PhysicsX, an AI company working on industrial engineering, launched its Asia-Pacific hub in Singapore in October 2026 with 20 employees, and plans to grow the team to more than 100 over three years. Temasek is an investor and EDB supported the hub (EDB, 8 October 2026).
- OpenAI committed more than S$300 million in May 2026 to set up an Applied AI Lab in Singapore, its first outside the United States, with a programme to create more than 200 Singapore-based technical roles (EDB, 4 June 2026).
PhysicsX’s chief executive said Singapore combines advanced industry, technical talent, research strength and long-term capital. For an overseas company, setting up a regional headquarters means deciding on people, tax and office at the same time, and the office needs planning early.
This guide sets out the office decisions in the order they come up: when to start, whether to begin with flexible space or a conventional lease, which part of the central business district, which grade of building and how much space. It then gives a short overview of government incentives and hiring, with links to the official sources.
It does not give tax, legal or immigration advice. Incentives, tax and work passes belong with the official bodies (EDB, IRAS, Enterprise Singapore and MOM) and your corporate secretarial, legal, tax and HR advisers.
Research reviewed 13 October 2026. Building facts come from our building pages and the owners’ pages. Rents and availability are not quotations.
What each team needs to decide
- Regional lead or MD: the address clients and regulators expect, and whether the office can carry the team’s growth in Singapore.
- Finance: the commitment you are making (term, deposit, fit-out, reinstatement), the entity that signs, and the tax and incentive position.
- Real estate and facilities: how much space, on which floors, in which building, and how soon it can be occupied.
- IT: cooling, power, cabling and connectivity for the equipment the team will run.
- HR and people: the hiring timetable, work passes, the commute from the MRT and what is around the building.
The five office decisions, in order
1. When to start, and who signs
Start the office search while the Singapore entity is being set up. Searching, shortlisting and viewing do not need a registered entity. Signing the lease will generally need your incorporated Singapore company, so agree the timetable with your corporate secretary early. A Singapore company also needs a registered office address in Singapore under the Companies Act, so ask your adviser how the lease or a flexible agreement will be used for that.
2. Flexible first, or a conventional lease?
| Start with flexible workspace | Sign a conventional lease | |
|---|---|---|
| Best when | Final Singapore headcount is not yet certain | Headcount and plans are committed for several years |
| Speed | Usually quicker to occupy; confirm with the operator | Needs lease terms agreed, then fit-out |
| Upfront cost | Typically no fit-out of your own | Fit-out and a security deposit; reinstatement at the end |
| Control | The operator’s layout and rules | Your layout, branding and security |
| Next step | Can move to a conventional lease later | Plan the lease end from the start |
Many companies begin flexible and move to a conventional lease once the team is settled. Our guide to serviced offices and flex spaces in Singapore covers the flexible side.
3. Which part of the CBD?
Most regional headquarters look at the same four areas, each with a character of its own:
- Raffles Place: the traditional financial core, with towers such as CapitaSpring, Ocean Financial Centre and Republic Plaza.
- Marina Bay: newer towers on the waterfront, such as Asia Square Tower 1 and the Marina Bay Financial Centre.
- Tanjong Pagar: Guoco Tower, Frasers Tower, CapitaSky and Capital Tower, with direct MRT links at Tanjong Pagar. Frasers Tower’s page lists both conventional office space and flexible workspace by The Executive Centre; confirm availability and terms for each option.
- Shenton Way: the southern end of the CBD.
Choose by where your clients and colleagues are. Our Guoco Tower vs CapitaSpring comparison shows how two of the best-known towers differ on this question.
4. Which grade of building?
Regional headquarters usually look at Prime Grade A and Grade A towers; Grade B suits back-office and operations teams more often. Grades are applied by the market, not by an official standard, so check the specification rather than the label. Our guide to office building grades in Singapore explains each grade.
5. How much space?
Start from headcount, then test it. Our office space calculator gives a starting figure, and floor plates differ widely between towers: Guoco Tower‘s floors are about 30,000 sq ft and CapitaSpring‘s 21,800 to 23,500 sq ft (owners’ figures), while several established towers, such as Republic Plaza, have much smaller floors. A larger plate suits a team that wants to sit together; a smaller one can suit a team happy to take part of a floor. Ask each landlord for the stack plan of the floors actually available.
Government incentives and tax: a brief overview
Singapore’s corporate income tax rate is 17%, and new and smaller companies may qualify for partial and start-up tax exemptions. For companies that anchor real headquarters activity in Singapore, EDB negotiates incentive awards case by case, and Enterprise Singapore lists grants and support schemes for businesses. None of these is automatic and each has conditions, so speak to the agencies and your tax adviser before you commit to headcount and space: the commitments tied to an award also shape how much office you need.
Read the originals:
- IRAS: corporate income tax rates and exemptions
- EDB: incentives and facilitation programmes and the International Headquarters Award
- Enterprise Singapore: financial support
Hiring and HR: a brief overview
Your hiring plan sets your office timeline. Overseas hires usually need a work pass, such as an Employment Pass, which has a minimum salary and a points test, and employers generally have to advertise the job on MyCareersFuture before applying, unless an exemption applies. Hiring must be fair and free of discriminatory wording. Work back from your first start dates, allow for the advertising and work-pass steps, and tell us when each group of hires starts so the office is ready on the day.
Read the originals:
The market you are entering
JLL reported that CBD Grade A rents rose 1.0% in the third quarter of 2026, and that CBD vacancy reached a near three-year low (JLL, 28 September 2026). Availability in the best buildings can be limited at any one time, so ask for current availability early and treat any rent as a starting point for a quotation, not a price.
Costs and lease basics
This article does not repeat them. Our Tenant’s Resources page explains the terms you will meet in a Singapore office lease (rent and service charge, deposit, stamp duty, rent-free and fit-out periods, reinstatement) and the leasing process; the conventional office guide covers costs beyond headline rent and what to negotiate. Our total cost calculator compares a conventional lease with flexible space over your planned term.
What to send us
A short brief is enough to start:
- headcount now, and in 12 and 36 months, and when each group of hires starts
- target start date, and the date your Singapore entity will be ready to sign
- preferred area, and any buildings already on your list
- flexible first, conventional, or open to both
- technical needs: server room, cooling, cabling, security
- budget, and the term you expect to commit to
Common questions
- Why are technology and AI companies setting up headquarters in Singapore? Recent examples include Revolut, PhysicsX and OpenAI, each reported by EDB in 2026. They point to advanced industry, technical talent, research strength and long-term capital, and to a business environment that suits regional teams.
- Can a foreign company look for an office before its Singapore company is incorporated? Yes. Searching, shortlisting and viewing do not need a registered entity. The lease will generally be signed by your incorporated Singapore company, so agree the timetable with your corporate secretary.
- Should a regional headquarters start with flexible space? If your Singapore headcount is not yet certain, usually yes: you can occupy sooner and decide later. If plans are committed for several years, a conventional lease gives you more control. Many companies move from one to the other.
- Are there government incentives for a regional headquarters in Singapore? Yes. EDB negotiates headquarters incentives case by case, and Enterprise Singapore lists grants and support. They are not automatic. See the links above and speak to your tax adviser before you commit to space.
- What does a company need to hire overseas staff in Singapore? Overseas hires usually need a work pass, and employers generally have to advertise the job first. See MOM’s pages linked above for the current rules.
- Which part of the CBD is best for a regional headquarters? There is no single answer. It depends on where your clients, regulators and colleagues are, and on the building’s specification. Raffles Place, Marina Bay, Tanjong Pagar and Shenton Way each suit different teams.
- Do you handle company incorporation, tax or work passes? No. We cover the office side. Your corporate secretarial, legal, tax and HR advisers handle incorporation, tax and incentive applications and work-pass applications.
- Does Find Your Next Office charge tenants an advisory fee? No tenant advisory fee is payable for our office-search service. We are paid by landlords or operators in most transactions. Confirm the terms for your own case when you enquire.
Request an office shortlist
Send us your brief and we will check current availability and send a shortlist across flexible and conventional space, then arrange viewings.
