SingTel launches LifeLabs in Israel to invest in biometrics and mobile technology

SingTel, Singapore’s largest mobile operator, has launched a development center in Israel called LifeLabs. Through the center, SingTel will invest in Israeli startups, fund academic and commercial research, and collaborate with incubators and angel investors to spot promising new technology.

The telco will be focusing on voice and facial recognition as well as mobile and wireless infrastructure. It hopes to bring promising technology from Israel to Asia. This is the fourth such “LifeLabs” for SingTel, following similar efforts in Silicon Valley, Boston and Singapore. SingTel has collaborated with Amdocs, a software provider for telecom companies, on this effort.

SingTel has a number of initiative in place to invest in tech startups. Besides SingTel Innov8, a wholly-owned venture capital subsidiary, the telco also operates a Regional Seed Network, an alliance of incubation programs run by members of the SingTel Group.

These incubators are: SingTel Innov8, The Optus Innov8 Seed Program in Australia, Kickstart Ventures in Philippines, and AIS The Startup in Thailand.