The A*STAR Partners’ Centre (A*PC) officially launched the A*PC Innovative Science & Technology Partnership programme in Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) today. Established in November 2020, A*PC is a launchpad for Singapore technology companies and offers funding and infrastructure support for their expansion and R&D productisation journey in China via Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP).
The A*STAR-SIP Technology and Innovation Partnership Programme is a new model for international innovation between A*STAR and SIP. The programme will help A*PC member companies expand their business in China, by connecting them to relevant platforms, institutions, and industry resources such as capital providers and professional services providers. A mentorship initiative has been set up to provide in-depth guidance tailored to each company, with the first 10 mentors officially appointed at the event today.
A*PC intends to bring in outstanding entrepreneurs, scientists, academics and investors to be mentors for member companies from Singapore, and partner companies in China who are interested to expand in Singapore. Mentors will share their start-up experience and understanding of business development in China through lectures and start-up boot camps, to deepen companies’ understanding of the China market, avoid potential risks and gain access to more resources.
Within A*PC’s first year of becoming fully operational, 22 Singapore technology companies have come on board as partners. Since its launch, A*PC has set up a series of tailored programmes to connect more Singapore companies with the technology sector in the greater Yangtze River Delta region, covering the key areas of biomedical technology, machine automation, and nanotechnology.
In addition to A*PC’s role as a launchpad for Singapore tech startups and SMEs, we envision A*PC being a key platform for scientific and technological innovation exchanges between Singapore and China. Through A*PC, we also hope to seed a greater understanding of Singapore’s scientific research capabilities among local Chinese technology companies.
– Professor Tan Sze Wee, Assistant Chief Executive, Enterprise, A*STAR
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore’s lead public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit the economy and society. As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry.
The research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore and enhances lives by improving societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. A*STAR plays a key role in nurturing scientific talent and leaders for the wider research community and industry. A*STAR’s R&D activities span biomedical sciences to physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis.
The establishment of A*STAR Partners’ Centre came from consensus within the China-Singapore Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation, with strong support from the Jiangsu Provincial Government, the Suzhou Municipal Government, and the Suzhou Industrial Park Management Committee, reinforcing China and Singapore’s commitment to the co-development and shared expertise in scientific research and technologies.
A*PC is committed to building a community of innovators influenced by Singapore and facilitating synergy and mutual development for both Singaporean and Chinese partners. A*PC supports Singapore’s technology companies and helps them “go global” and enter the Chinese market through on-site technology research, commercialisation and marketing, using Suzhou Industrial Park as a launchpad.
As reported by OpenGov Asia, A*STAR’s research and development (R&D) efforts have enabled the country to address emerging challenges and seed capabilities in critical areas. But while R&D is an unquestionably valuable resource, capturing value through commercialising those research efforts is equally important.
A*STAR’s commercialisation initiatives have since resulted in a steady stream of landmark patents and successful collaborations, all of which have set Singapore on the path towards being an innovation-driven, knowledge-based economy, rich in job and research opportunities alike.