Meta revealed the commencement of an AI Accelerator initiative for Asia Pacific (APAC) startups at its regional headquarters in Singapore on October 3, coinciding with the Meta APAC AI Accelerator Finals.

The new program, witnessed by Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo and Meta President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg, aims to empower innovative companies and developers to incorporate Llama, Meta’s open-source AI model, into their products.

By granting access to cutting-edge open-source models and resources in AI, Meta’s goal is to assist these organizations in creating groundbreaking solutions that will shape the future of innovation.

During the event, Clegg unveiled plans for a Singapore-focused incubator scheme that will aid 100 enterprises in deepening their understanding of GenAI and Llama. This program will facilitate the connection of 20 participants with technical and business experts who will guide them in developing, refining, and launching Llama-powered solutions for their businesses.

Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) is in support of this initiative, which aligns with Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0 (NAIS 2.0) to promote the advancement and adoption of AI by businesses and startups.

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“Meta’s AI Incubator programme is a testament to Singapore’s commitment to assisting businesses in embracing cutting-edge technologies like Generative AI. By imparting technical expertise and mentorship to local enterprises, this initiative fosters innovation and facilitates the exploration of new opportunities through AI,” expressed Philbert Gomez, Executive Director, DISG.

“We are honored to collaborate with Meta on this program, which closely aligns with our National AI Strategy 2.0 to enhance AI capabilities and ensure that Singapore remains a pivotal hub for AI development in the region.”

As per Meta, over 720 companies and developers from various regions, including Singapore, submitted their projects showcasing impactful use cases of Llama to address challenges in education, public services, and economic development.

The top finalists from 13 markets gathered at Meta’s Singapore headquarters to exhibit their solutions and compete for a grant to further their work.

At the event, Traversaal.ai from Pakistan was announced as the winner of the regional finals, earning the company a US$100,000 grant for its innovative use of Llama in creating a state-of-the-art Urdu Llama model designed to serve 250 million Urdu speakers globally.

The first and second runners-up from Indonesia and New Zealand also received grants of US$15,000 and US$10,000, respectively, to advance their proposals.

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“Representing Pakistan at this level is an incredible honor for us. Being here in Singapore, known as a technology hub, is a great privilege, and we are immensely grateful to Meta for enabling us to turn our dreams into reality,” mentioned Hamza Farooq, the founder of Traversaal.ai.

Supporting the ecosystem

Meta has been at the forefront of advancing AI innovation worldwide through collaborations with governments, AI associations, and incubators.

The company recently presented Llama Impact Innovation Awards to startups that utilized Llama 2 or 3 to address social issues. One of the recipients was AiSee by the National University of Singapore, which developed an affordable wearable assistive device utilizing AI to aid visually impaired individuals in “seeing.”

At the event, Minister Teo and Clegg engaged in a fireside chat, discussing responsible AI development, including generative AI, and Singapore’s efforts in fostering AI innovation. Minister Teo highlighted Singapore’s partnerships with industry leaders like Meta and the open-source community, underscoring their role in realizing the nation’s vision of AI for the Public Good, in alignment with the revised Smart Nation strategy.

Clegg remarked, “Witnessing the work that startups are doing with our Llama models to address significant societal challenges in the Asia Pacific region has been remarkable. Making AI open-source helps ensure broader access to the opportunities that AI offers, as evidenced by the strong submissions we have received. I am encouraged by the vibrant developer community in APAC, the endorsement of AI innovation by governments, and the advantages it will bring to the region.”

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Image Credit: Meta AI

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