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To be at the forefront of any industry, businesses need constant revitalisation of knowledge and expertise. Singapore recognises the critical roles innovation and R&D play in this technologically sophisticated and ever-globalising commercial environment, and has, hence, created and maintained a robust enterprise ecosystem with a rich diversity of players, industries, and expertise to enhance the value of businesses here. By ensuring the availability of facilities, partners, funds, and the most stringent IP regime in Asia, Singapore offers a strong infrastructure for successful innovation and collaboration for both the public and private sectors.
R&D commitments have been on the rise in the past few years, prompting Singapore to target R&D spending of 3% of GDP for additional innovation-boosting activities, instead of the current 2%.
Singapore's current economy has been built up on efficiency and cost effectiveness. However, Singapore is now ready to move above and beyond mere efficiency, to exploit R&D, which has a thoroughly vital role to play in today's knowledge-based economy.
The Singapore Government's commitment to the R&D cause is evident in the formation of two new committees that will look into the establishment of an environment conducive to R&D. During his National Day Rally speech in August 2005, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the setting up of a Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council (RIEC), an advisory council to the government which will include talents from the private sector, the scientific community and academia, as well as key ministers. This council will be headed by the Prime Minister himself. In addition, a National Research Foundation (NRF), chaired by Singapore's former Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Tony Tan, will look into funding long-term research in strategic areas.
Case Studies
Dell's Singapore Design Centre is currently responsible for R&D development of all its displays and imaging products. This 35,000-sq.ft. facility houses 125 engineers and designers, and develops around 20 new products every year including flat screen TVs, projectors, monitors and printers. In addition, Dell also plans to co-develop its products with various technology partners. The choice of Singapore as its base is because of the country's "robust technology ecosystem, highly skilled, highly talented workforce, pro-business environment, sound infrastructure, good connectivity, well-regulated yet flexible financial infrastructure and sound intellectual property policies," according to Dell's CEO, Kevin Rollins.
US-based CIBA Vision, a Novartis subsidiary and global leader in the research, development and manufacture of optical and ophthalmic products and services, opened a US$250 million state-of-the-art plant in Singapore to manufacture Focus® DAILIES® for export to Asia-Pacific. This facility, dedicated to the production of disposable single-use contact lenses, is Singapore's first such global-scale manufacturing operation.
Hyflux, a fast-growing home-grown company in water technology, has won numerous landmark projects, including the largest seawater desalination plant in China and several water infrastructure projects in the Middle East. In 2004, it opened its membrane technology R&D centre in Singapore, the largest of its kind in Asia, and is expected to employ 130 researchers in the coming years.
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