It plans to grow its team in the city-state to more than 100 employees, from 20 currently
[SINGAPORE] British artificial intelligence firm PhysicsX, which builds software that simulates industrial designs and manufacturing processes, has set up its Asia-Pacific hub in Singapore.
It plans to grow its local team to more than 100 over the next three years and has signed a five-year, S$40 million partnership with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star).
The hub, announced on Thursday (Oct 8), was set up with support from Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB). It follows PhysicsX’s US$300 million Series C round in June, which was led by state investor Temasek.
PhysicsX already has 20 employees in Singapore and has plans to hire forward-deployed engineers, physics AI researchers and simulation engineers.
Under the A*Star partnership, both sides will commit S$40 million to develop AI-powered engineering simulation tools for complex design and manufacturing challenges.
Work will cover maritime engineering, advanced manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing and biotechnology.
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Lim Keng Hui, A*Star assistant chief executive for the Science and Engineering Research Council, said that the partnership reflects the agency’s commitment to building stronger AI capabilities and applying them to real-world engineering problems.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said Singapore is “a natural partner for PhysicsX”.
Decades of building capabilities in semiconductors, aerospace and biomedical sciences have given the Republic experienced engineers and specialised suppliers working on demanding technical problems, he noted.
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PhysicsX can develop and test its models against these industrial requirements, then adapt solutions that work for other customers, said Gan, who is also deputy prime minister.
Singapore will be PhysicsX’s second-largest base outside London and its key research and development and engineering hub for Asia-Pacific, he noted. The company will create more than 70 technical jobs here over the next three years.
Local partnerships
Temasek CEO Dilhan Pillay said that the firm sees the next major AI opportunity in applications and adoption, rather than only in infrastructure and models.
“While there is excitement around AI, we remain focused on fundamentals, not sentiment,” he said.
Pillay said that Temasek, which first backed PhysicsX at its Series B funding round, offers more than capital, helping the firm gauge industrial demand in Singapore and Asia, and connect with partners.
He pointed to PhysicsX’s work with Seatrium , a Temasek portfolio company, as an early proof point.
The collaboration has cut the time needed to optimise pipe-layout designs by about 40 per cent, he noted, adding that this has allowed faster responses to client requirements and a wider range of design options.
Lee Wey Lii, Seatrium’s digital senior vice-president, said that the mainboard-listed company sees opportunites to scale the technology across its business, from engineering, procurement and construction delivery, to product development and life-cycle services.
PhysicsX CEO and co-founder Jacomo Corbo said: “Some of the most consequential applications of AI over the coming decade will be in the physical world, helping us design better aircraft, chips, energy systems, vehicles and industrial infrastructure.”
Singapore is “an extraordinary place from which to build that future”, he added. “It combines world-class advanced industry with deep technical talent, research excellence, long-term capital, and a government with a clear ambition for AI.”
Corbo noted that establishing the company’s Asia-Pacific hub in Singapore “brings our technology and people closer to the organisations shaping the region’s industrial future”.
EDB managing director Jermaine Loy said that Singapore offers the engineering expertise, research strength and industry partnerships for PhysicsX to scale across Asia and beyond.
PhysicsX also plans to work with local universities on talent programmes, including possible support for PhD students.
Temasek has been an investor in PhysicsX since 2025. It has helped shape the company’s regional strategy and introduced potential partners such as Seatrium.
PhysicsX, headquartered in the UK, also has offices in London and New York.
