In an Interview with Channel NewsAsia, Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at SMU Director and Professor of Information Systems (Practice) Arcot Desai Narasimhalu shared his views on the recent trend of the government helping startups to internationalise their businesses and connect with investors. Eleven of them recently went on a trip to Silicon Valley (organised by International Enterprise Singapore), where they got to meet potential investors and even pitch their ideas to them. Prof Narasimhalu said trips like the one organised by IE Singapore are a good way for startups to connect with investors and glean insights from the community. "They are very useful for companies to understand what the marketplace is like, what kind of funding is given to similar companies, and some of these investors may also be willing to invest through the friends in Singapore. They are all experienced investors, and some of them are entrepreneurs as well, so they can learn a lot,” he noted.