Zoom has announced they will double their Singapore data center capacity, along with a new research and development center and a rapid mass hiring of hundreds of new engineering professionals in the country.

All of the above are set to lend further support to Zoom’s existing R&D centers in the US, India, and China, as well as its engineering headquarters in San Jose, California.

Velchamy Sankarlingam, President of Product and Engineering for Zoom, points out that Singapore’s talent pool and advanced technology infrastructure makes the Lion City ‘a perfect gateway’ to engage with the wider Asia Pacific region.

“We plan to immediately hire employees, leveraging Singapore’s highly-educated engineering talent pool. Our new R&D center and data center will play a critical role in Zoom’s continued international growth,” he said.

More good news for Singapore’s tech scene

Zoom’s announcement means more positives for Singapore. Since the pandemic, the lion city has been gearing up to attract foreign tech companies and talent to grow its tech scene.

The government has introduced a slew of job upskilling initiatives for in-demand tech jobs, and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has recently announced a new visa specially for foreign tech professionals.

Zoom rise to a million-dollar IPO

Zoom was one of few firms that became a million-dollar company almost overnight due to the pandemic.

Eric Yuan’s brainchild has been around since 2011, and Zoom went public on Nasdaq in April 2019 with an IPO of $356.8 million raised.

However, with remote work becoming the norm worldwide, Zoom’s market value skyrocketed. According to Bloomberg, Zoom’s revenue almost quadrupled in one year to $777.2 million in October, a whopping 367% year-on-year increase.

“Zoom has changed the realm of what we thought was possible. We can work from anywhere rather than a fixed location. In some ways, we are more productive and fulfilled. I am thrilled that Zoom will be partnering with Singapore to set up an R&D center to explore possibilities,” he continued,” said Mr. Chng Kai Fong, Managing Director of the Singapore Economic Development Board.

The launch of a R&D center in Singapore represents Zoom’s strategy of developing its leading communications technology in multiple locations globally. The center will play a vital role as a source of innovation for Zoom, leveraging some of Singapore’s most talented professionals.