Asia Tech x Singapore, 2025, 01: Expo-nential
What began as a regular event at the Expo Exhibition during end May/beginning June, the humungous technology extravaganza was held during May 27-29 this year. This is where it began, and after stints at Marina Bay and Suntec City, it has returned to its roots, at Expo, in the far East of Singapore, which is where I first attended it, some 25 years back. It was then known as CommmunicAsia. Some years later, it added Satellite Asia, Broadcast Asia, TechXLR8 Asia and other related technological advancements, as add-ons. Soon, these became integral parts of the main event and it has now been re-named Asia Tech x Singapore. Though the accent is on exhibitors selling their products to visiting buyers, there were many conferences and presentations about the state-of-the-art stuff, under ATX Enterprise, Start Up Arena and the AI Summit Singapore.
A parallel event was organised by the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore, called ATxSummit, where entry was by invitation only. I was not invited. In the words of the website, Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG) is Asia's flagship tech event, jointly organised by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Informa, with support from the Singapore Tourism Board. The event features three main segments: ATxSummit, ATxEnterprise and ATxInspire. My forays were confined to Expo, which has a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT, Singapore’s metro network) named after it and located a short walk away. I arrived in Singapore on the 26th of May, the eve of the inauguration, and visited Asia Tech x Singapore on all three working days. My rounds were confined to the stalls/booths/pavilions, and not being a techie, I did not attend any conferences, seminars or summits.
In terms of timing, the event is held during a period when Singaporean and Indian schools have their annual vacations either over-lapping or merging. This makes flights, especially direct flights from India, costlier by as much as 300%. But if you book some two months or more in advance, seats are available at heavy discounts. Good for those who can plan three months ahead, whereas it is a drain on the pockets of those who can only firm-up dates a week or two in advance. Needless to say, I fell in the latter category this year. I had to book a late-night/early morning flight, with several hours of Transit, and arrived on the 26th of May, late in the evening, collapsing with jet lag, fatigue and loss of sleep. But the required rest was ruled out, for Asia Tech x Singapore was to roll out next morning.
As early as February, the organisers sent us journalists a press release, telling us what to expect.
“ATxEnterprise (ATxE) 2025, a flagship event of Asia Tech x Singapore (ATxSG), returns for its fifth year, providing a strategic platform for enterprises, governments, and technology leaders to drive innovation, cybersecurity resilience, and digital transformation. Taking place from 27–29 May 2025 at Singapore Expo, this milestone edition will explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enterprise strategy, the next frontier of cyber defence, and the future of digital connectivity.
AI continues to transform business operations by optimising workflows, accelerating decision-making, and redefining customer engagement. NTT’s 2025 Global CEO Survey found that 89% of CEOs consider AI essential to profitability, with 77% planning to increase investments this year. As businesses integrate AI, they must balance automation with human-centric innovation while addressing digital trust, workforce adaptation, and cybersecurit