ThinkX Global Launches Ventures with Impact Living Lab to Help Purpose-Driven Ventures Build Sustainable Businesses

Developed by ThinkX Global, the new Living Lab helps impact ventures validate solutions, engage beneficiaries, and build commercially sustainable businesses.

SINGAPORE, August 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- ThinkX Global today officially launched the Ventures with Impact Living Lab (VWILL) at Staytion Lifestyle Centre at Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, introducing a dedicated platform designed to help impact ventures move beyond ideas, pilot programmes and grant dependency towards commercially sustainable businesses.

The launch was officiated by Madam Halimah Yacob, Chancellor of the Singapore University of Social Sciences and former President of the Republic of Singapore, with Mr Zamani Razali, First Secretary, Brunei High Commission, and Mr Sanprapha Vudhivorn, Royal Thai Embassy, among the distinguished guests. The occasion was also marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between ThinkX Global and Staytion.

Developed by ThinkX Global and hosted at Staytion Lifestyle Centre, VWILL brings together founders, beneficiaries, corporates, funders and ecosystem partners in a shared environment where solutions can be tested, refined and validated under real-world conditions. Staytion serves as the Space Management Partner, providing an accessible community-centric venue that enables collaboration and engagement within one of Singapore's busiest transport hubs.

While Singapore has developed a strong startup ecosystem, many purpose-driven ventures face a different challenge after validating their ideas: securing commercial opportunities that enable them to sustain and scale their impact. Too often, promising ventures move from grant to grant or pilot to pilot without establishing a viable business model that allows their work to continue independently over the long term.
VWILL was created to bridge this gap.

Rather than functioning solely as a coworking space or accelerator, the Living Lab combines workspace with venture validation, community engagement and commercial connections. Participating ventures work directly with beneficiaries while engaging corporates, funders, public agencies and ecosystem partners that can support adoption, partnerships and long-term growth.

VWILL is also being developed as part of a broader Southeast Asian network of impact venture hubs. Singapore serves as one of the network's hubs, with ThinkX Global building another hub in Bangkok. The longer-term ambition is to extend the network to Brunei, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian markets, enabling ventures to test solutions locally while gaining access to regional partners, customers, communities and opportunities for scale.

"Too many ventures with a genuine social purpose struggle because they are unable to build sustainable businesses around them. VWILL was created to help founders validate their solutions, secure commercial opportunities and build organisations whose impact continues long after any initial funding has ended. Our ambition is to help purpose-driven ventures become businesses that create meaningful impact and lasting value. As we build out the network across Southeast Asia, our goal is to create more pathways for ventures to move from local validation to regional opportunities, while keeping their impact grounded in the communities they serve."
— Lim Wei Liang, Managing Director, ThinkX Global

The initiative has already demonstrated encouraging early momentum. Since quietly commencing operations in March 2026, the Living Lab has conducted eight activation sessions, engaged eleven ventures, and welcomed its first resident ventures into the space ahead of the official launch. Among them is Cirqulo, a venture that transforms plastic waste into functional lifestyle products, which secured its first paid commercial commission while participating in the Living Lab. Other participating ventures include MangaChat, an emotional learning platform used by more than 700 schools in Taiwan and endorsed by Taiwan's Ministry of Education, now headquartered in Singapore; Manmanhan, which delivers zero-waste event solutions by integrating sustainability into every stage of event planning and execution; as well as Champ Code Academy, EyeViser and Heartbid. Together, these ventures represent diverse sectors including sustainability, education, community development, healthcare and social innovation.

Residency within VWILL is intentionally selective. Ventures undergo a structured evaluation process that considers commercial viability, measurable impact, founder commitment and their ability to contribute to the wider venture community. Rather than operating fixed accelerator cohorts or taking equity, ThinkX Global focuses on creating an environment where founders can validate solutions, build meaningful partnerships and develop businesses capable of generating lasting impact.

The launch also formalised the partnership between ThinkX Global and Staytion through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. Under the partnership, ThinkX Global leads the design, curation and operation of the Living Lab, while Staytion supports the initiative as its Space Management Partner, extending its role beyond flexible workspaces to become a platform where entrepreneurs, organisations and communities can connect, collaborate and create positive social outcomes.

The launch programme featured the panel discussion "Perspectives on Ventures with Impact", bringing together ecosystem leaders to discuss the future of commercially sustainable impact ventures. Panellists included Ho Yuen Ping of NUS Enterprise, Jonathan Chang of Khetan Foundation, Renee Chong of MangaChat and Kelvin Koh of MINDS, moderated by Saiful Anuar of ThinkX Global.

“Staytion is pleased to support ThinkX Global’s VWILL as its Space Management Partner. By providing an accessible and professionally managed space, we hope to enable ventures to test, learn and form meaningful connections with customers, partners and the community. We look forward to supporting new opportunities for collaboration, business growth and sustainable impact.
— Ng Yan Jie, General Manager of Staytion.



About ThinkX Global
ThinkX Global is Southeast Asia's strategic venture architect, shaping the future of entrepreneurship, ecosystems, and NextGens with offices in Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, and Chongqing. With over 5,000 founders empowered, 500+ programmes run, 100+ businesses made profitable, US$25 million raised for ventures, and 20+ innovation and venture arms launched, we bridge the gap between validation and execution, transforming bold ideas into sustainable, revenue-driven businesses. From shaping policies through pilot programmes to guiding NextGens in turning inheritance into innovation, ThinkX delivers outcomes that last. We do not just talk about innovation. We build it, together.
For more information, visit www.thinkxglobal.com.


About Staytion
Staytion is an award-winning proptech startup based in Singapore and a leading hybrid work platform for on-demand spaces. A corporate venture of Stellar Lifestyle, the business arm of SMRT Corporation, Staytion was founded on the belief that work flexibility should be accessible and convenient. Its one-stop platform transforms how individuals and businesses live, work, and do business across Asia.

Lim Wei Liang
ThinkX Global
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