UOB FinLab earns two wins at Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards 2026

UOB FinLab catalyses SME growth in Singapore and ASEAN through its transformation programmes and vast ecosystem.

UOB FinLab, the bank’s strategic community enabler, clinched two wins at the Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards 2026: Sustainability Initiative of the Year - Singapore and SME Community Support of the Year - Singapore.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the ASEAN economy, representing over 96% of all businesses. However, many of these enterprises face structural vulnerabilities in keeping up with swift technological advancements.

UOB FinLab understands this challenge and has established a future-ready upskilling model built around three pillars: artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation, and sustainability. Rather than offering one-off training, UOB FinLab curates structured programmes that equip businesses with practical skills whilst embedding them within a network of mentors, peers and solution partners. This ensures SMEs are not only trained but supported as they navigate transformation.

Targeted initiatives such as the SME Elevate Programme, Women in Business Programme, and the AI Ready Programme provide curated training, advisory or mentorship, and practical implementation support. These programmes combine skills development, business strategy, and peer learning to support SMEs with tangible transformation.

Further, UOB FinLab’s ecosystem has delivered measurable outcomes, building a network of over 33,000 businesses across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. This multi-stakeholder ecosystem enables SMEs to access expertise, emerging technologies, and trusted partnerships within a single platform, transforming knowledge sharing into real collaborations.

By equipping SMEs with the skills to build long-term resilience, sharpen their competitive edge, and drive sustainable growth across the regional economy, UOB FinLab acts as both a capability builder and connector.

On the sustainability front, UOB FinLab developed a programme that enables SMEs to adopt sustainability practices. The UOB Business Outlook Study (BOS) 2025 (Singapore) showed that over 80% of companies in Singapore now consider sustainability important, yet only 20% view it as a top business priority, signalling a gap between intention and execution.

UOB FinLab’s sustainability strategy is anchored on two flagship initiatives - The GreenTech Accelerator and The Sustainability Innovation Programme. Both exemplify the dynamism and agility in responding to rapidly evolving market conditions. By strengthening both demand and supply-side capabilities, these programmes accelerate sustainability adoption and innovation across the region.

Together, the GreenTech Accelerator and the Sustainability Innovation Programme form a powerful and dynamic ecosystem — one that uplifts SMEs, accelerates green innovation, and drives real, measurable sustainability impact across the region.

Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards recognises outstanding organisations that are transforming the retail banking landscape. The awards programme enables retail banks to showcase their innovative solutions, retail products, digital banking initiatives, and exceptional customer experiences that are setting new industry standards.

The Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards is presented by Asian Banking & Finance Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2027 awards programme and be recognised for your company's innovative solutions, products, services, and deals that impacted the banking and finance industry, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez-Difuntorum at (+65) 3158 1386 ext 242 or [email protected].