Google For Singapore Celebrates 15th Anniversary With Key Initiative Showcase

While 15 years might seem short in Google’s wider history, Singapore has seen the tech giant build valuable products for and from the island nation.

Starting out from an office with just only 24 individuals in 2007, Google Singapore has grown its workforce in Singapore to 3,000 strong today. Having first opened its first Asia Pacific Tokyo office in 2001, Google now calls Singapore as its regional headquarters. Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lawrence Wong graced the Google For Singapore event and highlighted the company’s contribution to the country.

“To be an effective hub we also have to work with companies like Google to strengthen our tech ecosystem here in Singapore, especially in the areas of tech, innovation, and sustainability. And I’m glad that Google Singapore has been a strong partner in these aspects,” said Wong.

One such partnership Wong is referring to is the Skills Ignition SG (SISG) programme launched in 2020 that has since seen more than 5,500 individuals learning new skills and earning certification.

While this might all be a bit more serious in nature, the more consumer-facing side of Google illustrates how the company has made efforts to contextualize and better the lives of Singaporeans. These initiatives were all showcased during the Google For Singapore event.

With cycling increasingly evolving into a key part of the transport ecosystem in Singapore, Google had introduced bike-friendly routes within Google Maps. This was all made possible together with the help of the Land Transport Authority and the National Parks Board to ensure a safe ride for cyclists.

Having launched to massive fanfare, Google Pay has become one of the core mobile payment services in Singapore. Anyone who has used the service would easily notice the various small touches the team in Singapore has included in the app, from otters to motifs of the local skyline that illustrate life in Singapore.

The team also put together a pop-up store to showcase the entire purchase process in action, which is where some exclusive Google merch went up for grabs. By the time we arrived at this booth, the mugs were one of the hottest items that were being snapped up!

Showcasing a bus stop design from the past, Google Singapore is aware of all the small little quirks that make the nation special.

Prodding at Singapore’s obsession towards grades, there was a section that showcased Google Lens’ prowess in helping parents (or students) to solve math questions with ease.

However, the real best use case for Google Lens would be to point the camera towards foreign text to have it translated into your preferred language in real-time. Those who are looking to join the travel bandwagon will find this feature especially helpful when you’re out and about.

While Singapore can be considered small in the global scheme of things, the team at Google Singapore has been making great strides with impactful initiatives to improve the lives of Singaporeans in different ways. The hope here is that as the world continuously evolves especially in the digital arena through AI and technological leaps, Google continues to make tools accessible to the less privileged and for the betterment of humanity.