What is the approximate stakeholder breakdown of your ecosystem?
The Singapore health technology ecosystem is a rapidly growing ecosystem with a high density of startups, small-and-medium sized companies, and multinational companies. Our network brings together >160 researchers (of principal investigator level) across 6 world-class universities and public research institutions with a focus in health technologies research. With a strong emphasis in commercialising technologies, universities’ & public institutions’ spin-off starts contribute to >400 innovative start-ups in the health technology sector in Singapore.
As the Singapore Health Technology Consortium (HealthTEC.SG), we support all our universities/institutes and close to 80 company members, majority being SMEs, in R&D partnerships within Singapore and across ecosystems. We also work closely with all the 3 public healthcare clusters in Singapore.
Who are the top 3 champions from your Ecosystem?
It is difficult to highlight only 3 as there are many public and private stakeholders in Singapore that support the ecosystem. However, we would like to highlight a few bio-med/healthtech-specific innovation platforms that we partner with. The National Health Innovation Centre (NHIC) funds and supports the development, implementation and adoption of innovation in the public healthcare institutions. On the research front, the Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech) in the National University of Singapore conducts cutting-edge research in the areas of precision diagnostics, smart sensors & AI, and mental health & aging. The Singapore Medtech Consortium is a group of Singapore-based medtech manufacturers and distributors that provide end-to-end manufacturing solutions, early-stage product development and box build assembly.
What EU funding/collaboration are you involved with, or you would like to be part of?
As a National Platform in Singapore, our goal is to facilitate local and global collaborations between Singapore-based entities and the global community. Singapore is part of the Eureka Network initiative, the world’s biggest public network for international cooperation in R&D comprising mainly of EU countries. HealthTEC.SG supports this initiative by working with global ecosystem partners to facilitate cross-border innovations, matching Singapore companies to potential overseas collaborators. Global ecosystem partners also leverage on the events we co-organize with them to create opportunities for cross-border collaborations.
Establishing partnerships with healthcare systems in other regions offer Singapore-based companies the chance to test and prove their solutions in larger markets. Such opportunities are crucial for the growth and expansion of these companies, as they allow them to reach beyond the limitations of our small domestic market.
What are the key priorities and themes for your ecosystem?
Key Areas of Focus for HealthTEC.SG
HealthTEC.SG works with our academic partners and other government/healthcare agencies to promote the value capture of technologies developed by universities and public institutions in Singapore, finding practical applications and commercial success for health technology innovations developed within the ecosystem to achieve economic and health outcomes.
We focus on most medical and health technologies, broadly categorized into 3 key areas, including but not exclusive to:
- Software technologies: AI/ML, Health analytics, Digital health, Digital therapeutics, Clinical decision systems, Health data exchange and management, AR/VR
- Hardware technologies: Therapeutic devices, Wearables, Sensors, Diagnostic and Imaging technologies, Point-of-care devices
- Health & Wellness: General health devices, Apps for wellness, Health Coaching, Apps for Social wellbeing, Nutrition
What is your primary strength as an ecosystem?
The Singapore Health Technology Consortium has a large network of companies, academic institutions & researchers, and supporting partners within the healthcare innovation ecosystem in Singapore. We have connections with several Asia-Pacific ecosystems and industry associations, and work with local partners to facilitate the entry of innovative foreign startups and their innovation partnerships in Singapore.
Our organize events and participate in exhibitions to highlight the innovations developed by our ecosystem and provide a platform for academic researchers, companies and healthcare professionals to interact and share knowledge. Our thematic “HealthTEC Connect” series showcase healthcare innovations from our academic institutions and company members, while the exhibitions we support include major healthcare-related exhibitions in Singapore such as Medical Fair Asia, CHI INNOVATE and Eldercare Exhibition & Conference Asia (ELDEX).
Which are the main hospitals in your ecosystem and which are the most active in your ecosystems?
There are three public healthcare clusters in Singapore: SingHealth, National Healthcare Group (NHG) and the National University Health System (NUHS). All three clusters champion academic medicine and innovation, of which the Singapore General Hospital (SingHealth), Tan Tock Seng Hospital ( NHG) and National University Hospital (NUH) are their flagship academic medical centres.
They work with specialty centres, such as the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), National Heart Centre of Singapore (NHCS), National Cancer Centre (NCC), National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and others to conduct cutting edge research and to drive adoption of healthcare innovation.
