Breakthroughs and Successes Attributed to A*STAR and Considerations to Reform Operational Model and Policies
Ministry of Trade and IndustrySpeakers
Summary
This question concerns MP Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat’s inquiry regarding ASTAR’s globally recognized scientific breakthroughs and whether reforms to its operational model are needed to better translate R&D spending into high-value innovation. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong highlighted ASTAR’s high global ranking and achievements in semiconductor technology, such as the development of high-speed modulators for energy-efficient data transmission. He noted that ASTAR has catalyzed over 70 new companies, including public listings like Mirxes, while facilitating industrial collaborations that integrate local SMEs into global value chains. The Minister also detailed how the Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading (T-Up) Programme has significantly increased the revenue and employment of participating local enterprises through technical expertise. Under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 plan, ASTAR will sharpen its focus on sectors with clear industry demand to ensure research investments translate effectively into tangible economic outcomes.
Transcript
3 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) after decades of investment in A*STAR, what globally recognised deep-tech successes or scientific breakthroughs can be directly attributed to its efforts beyond general GDP contributions; and (b) what reforms to A*STAR's operational model, IP policies, and mandate will ensure R&D spending translates into world-leading innovation rather than high expenditure with limited high-value IPOs.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: A*STAR is currently ranked 21st amongst global Government institutions in the Nature Index, with 28% of its publications being among the world's top 10% cited papers. It has achieved globally recognised scientific breakthroughs in multiple fields. For example, in semiconductors, A*STAR has developed one of the world's fastest modulators and photodetectors. This enables electrical and optical signals to be converted interchangeably at a high speed of 400 billion times a second per channel, paving the pathway towards multiple-fold improvements in energy efficiency for data transmission.
Over the past five years, A*STAR technologies have catalysed the creation of more than 70 new companies, hiring more than 900 employees. Several have achieved good traction with international customers and investors, including Curiox, Mirxes and MetaOptics, which have completed successful public listings. Mirxes, for example, launched the world's first molecular blood test for early gastric cancer detection and co-developed with A*STAR the Fortitude test kit, which was supplied to over 40 countries worldwide. Today, Mirxes operates in over eight countries, with Singapore as its largest operation, serving as an integrated hub for research and development, industry 4.0 manufacturing, clinical testing laboratories and data/AI capabilities. About 60% of its global staff are here in Singapore and are largely Singaporean or Singapore PRs.
Besides creating value through spinoffs, A*STAR has entered into collaborations with both local and multinational companies to enable them to move up the value chain of industries and activities. For instance, A*STAR’s collaboration with Rolls-Royce and Singapore Aero Engine Services Pte Ltd (SAESL) has yielded 18 breakthrough technologies that improve fan blade manufacturing and repair, with eight local SMEs added to Rolls-Royce and SAESL's approved vendor list. A*STAR’s joint lab with local enterprise Mencast Marine has also helped the company to shift from labour-intensive sand casting to advanced wire arc additive manufacturing and hybrid technologies, enabling up to 30% increase in productivity in propeller manufacturing.
Overall, A*STAR has undertaken more than 2,400 projects with 925 local enterprises over the past five years. SMEs continue to be supported through initiatives, such as the Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading (T-Up) Programme, equipping them with technical expertise that facilitates talent development and enterprise transformation. Our evaluation studies show that these enterprises saw 44% higher revenue and 22% higher total employment than non-participating firms on average within three years of starting the T-Up project.
In Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030, A*STAR will sharpen its focus on sectors where it has strong capabilities and clear industry demand. This seeks to strengthen industry pull-through and increase the likelihood of research investments translating into tangible economic outcomes.