SINGAPORE — Facebook and the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) have jointly launched a six-month programme to support data-driven start-ups in Singapore and around the region.

Called Startup Station Singapore, the programme — which begins in next February — aims to take in between eight and 12 start-ups in the inaugural batch, Facebook and IMDA said. Applications for the programme opened on Tuesday (Oct 2).

Among other things, the programme will offer mentorship opportunities with employees from the tech giant as well as experts, and free access to Facebook’s tools and services for start-ups.

Facebook will also provide participants with training, to help them advance and grow their businesses.

For the duration of the programme, start-ups can also make use of rent-free space at Pixel, IMDA’s innovation facility located at one-north.

The authority will be facilitating a regulatory sandbox for the participating start-ups.

Facebook did not disclose how much it invested in the programme, but a spokesperson said: “We look at investment from a resource perspective — we will give start-ups access to mentors within the Facebook network and externally, help them form connections with investors and provide them with… training, tools, and input throughout the programme.”

Startup Station Singapore is the second data innovation start-up programme in the world after a similar initiative in Paris, France and the first in Asia.

IMDA's chief executive Tan Kiat How said that partnering Facebook will “enrich our start-up ecosystem by bringing (the company’s) expertise in key digital economy areas such as artificial intelligence, product innovation and data protection with a global approach”.

Interested start-ups may apply at fb.me/startupstationsingapore.

Startup Station Singapore’s launch was announced at the opening of Facebook’s new premises at Marina One in the Marina Bay area on Tuesday. 

The tech giant’s spanking new space — at around 260,000sqf — takes up four floors of the building, and houses its Singapore and regional teams. 

The new office’s launch came on the back of Facebook’s announcement last month of its first Asian custom-built data centre in Singapore.

The company is investing more than S$1.4 billion in the 170,000sqm facility located at Tanjong Kling in Boon Lay.