Australia's Westpac launches Singapore innovation lab

co.lab will help Australian fintechs crack the Asian market.

Australian bank Westpac has unveiled an Asia innovation hub called co.lab in Singapore as it aims to ease the growth plans of fintech firms zeroing on Asia's fast-evolving fintech market.

Beyond serving as a springboard for Australian fintech, co.lab aims to enhance local partnerships by providing an open and collaborative platform pooling the bank’s capabilities and fintech talent especially in the areas of RegTech, Data Analytics, AI and Payments.

“Westpac’s co.lab is poised to leverage Singapore’s vibrant fintech ecosystem and leading regulatory landscape, as well as the incredible pool of talent as it looks to develop the city as a Smart Financial Centre,” Michael Correa, general manager, Asia Pacific said in a statement.

Westpac’s co.lab in Singapore will leverage Austrade’s Landing Pad, Singapore – one of 5 Landing Pad cohorts that provide market-ready access for Australian startups.

The bank's investment into co.lab coincides with a launch of its inaugural fintech report on the ASEAN in time for the Singapore Fintech Festival.

If you've been wondering whether SBR could work for your company — yes, probably.

A lot of the companies we partner with started as readers. They'd been following our coverage for a while, saw their own customers and competitors in it, and eventually asked the obvious question: could we do something with you? The answer is usually yes. The shape of it depends on what you're trying to do.

The options are broader than most people assume — thought leadership articles, sponsored content, industry summits across Southeast Asia, regional awards programmes, podcasts, and media placements in print and digital. Some partners use one channel; most use a mix. We figure out the right combination by starting with your brief, not with our rate card.

So if the question has been on your mind, here's the easy way to ask it.

We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and how. It's a better use of everyone's time.

Book a meeting

| Or download the media kit (PDF)

240,000 senior readers quarterly in print Top 1,700 Singapore companies reached

7 markets across Southeast Asia