I’m excited to reunite with my friend, Minister Josephine Teo.  We are both firm believers in supporting female entrepreneurs operating in tech.

Last June, at the 2021 SelectUSA conference, I launched the Select Global Women in Tech Mentorship Network. More than 70 female founders from 30 different markets participated in the inaugural event.

The Select Global Women in Tech Mentorship Network allows for female tech entrepreneurs from around the world to receive mentorship and grow their businesses in the U.S. market.

During my trip to Singapore last November, Minister Teo and I co-hosted a roundtable discussion on assisting female tech entrepreneurs in seizing opportunities in the digital economy.

It was wonderful to hear from the women working in Singapore’s tech space about their successes and challenges.

In a few moments, Minister Teo and I will co-host a second Women in Tech discussion. We will hear from inspiring Singaporean entrepreneurs on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by female founders in tech.

And we’re taking these events one step further.

Through the U.S.-Singapore Partnership for Growth and Innovation, Minister Teo and I are excited to announce the U.S.-Singapore Women in Tech Partnership Program.

Through the Select Global Women in Tech program, U.S. mentors will support female Singaporean entrepreneurs who want to succeed in the U.S.

SelectUSA will be hosting a series of events in the coming months, and we look forward to participation from Singaporean companies. Under the program, Singaporean mentors will also support U.S. entrepreneurs looking to get exposed to the Singapore tech ecosystem.

I hope that initiatives like the Women in Tech Partnership Program that Commerce Department is launching today will help more female entrepreneurs from our two countries succeed in achieving their trade and investment goals.