Singapore SME Innovation Support Schemes - PRO INNO Europe

The study visit also included a visit to one of the A*Star research institutes, - the Singapore
Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTECH), which was not based at the Fusionopolis
Campus, but rather at the Nanyang Technical University. SIMTECH specialises
in the development of manufacturing technology underpinning a wide range of areas
such as electronics, semiconductors, precision engineering, medtech, aerospace, automotive,
marine, etc.
The research institute takes a very active role in putting projects together with industry,
and especially between large companies, A*Star and small companies. They seem to
have a small group of people dedicated to this task, who try to put together projects
which may involve several areas and researchers within the institute. The typical approach
is to attempt to analyse the value chain for an industry, by talking with larger
companies, understanding their needs and then communicating these needs to smaller
companies perhaps through workshops. For example one of the main areas of operation
for SIMTEC is in serving the local precision engineering companies, who are typically
subcontractors to the larger multinational companies. It appears that SPRING and EDB
have “ad-hoc” funding schemes which can be used to fund the industry participation in
this type of activity. In terms of licenses SIMTECH generate about 20 – 30 royalty bearing
licenses to industry per year. They also send about 20 people per year to work in
industry.
4.1.1 Exploit Technologies
Exploit Technologies is essentially the technology transfer arm of A*Star. It was founded
in 2002 with the aim of providing the link between A*Star researchers and industry and
actively promoting the commercialisation of technologies developed by researchers.
Exploit is set up as a limited company and has the sole and exclusive right to license
A*Star technology, although ownership of the IP is retained by A*Star.
Exploit’s activities go somewhat beyond the activities of the traditional technology
transfer office in the areas of Intellectual Property Management, in that it has the discretion
to provide gap funding for incubation and commercialisation of technologies, so
that they can be turned into licenses or spin-offs.
In its traditional IP management role Exploit provides prior art searches, patentability
evaluation, filing and prosecution of IP applications, and maintenance of the IP. Exploit
will also help in conducting the due diligence on technology disclosures, including identification
of the specifications required by industry.
Exploit also provides Technology and Commercial Intelligence, which includes the
evaluation of the commercial potential of IP, identifying if it is suitable for further commercialisation
funding though its GAP funding programme, and providing direction in
terms of insights into emerging markets and applications to ensure that technologies
are tuned to suit industry needs.
In the area of Technology Incubation, Exploit works closely with companies to determine
appropriate technical specifications and then directs the technology disclosures
towards satisfying these. GAP funding of up to S$1 million (€600,000) can be provided
to researchers to further develop the technology to being commercial ready over a peri-
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