A*STAR: Singapore as Asia's Innovation Capital
1. SINGAPORE, 15 MAY 2013 – Singapore has received recognition in five global tracking studies in the area of Innovation and Research and Development (R&D). After 20 years of long term commitment to Science and Technology planning and investments, these indicators provide validation that Singapore is forging ahead towards becoming Asia’s Innovation Capital.
2. Singapore’s rankings in the respective studies are as follows:
Ranked 3rd in the 2012 Global Innovation Index, co-published by INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), behind Sweden and Switzerland
Ranked top in the 2012 Global Innovation Policy Index (GPII) by Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
Ranked 2nd in the 2012 World Economic Forum Competitive Report
Most competitive city in Asia amongst 120 world’s major cities and 3rd worldwide in the 2012 Economist Intelligence Unit Study, behind New York and London
3. Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman, A*STAR, said, “Singapore’s journey in R&D is relatively young but one pursued with strong support and commitment from the government and the research community. The various rankings indicate that we are headed in the right direction and we are encouraged by such positive feedback. A*STAR is proud of how far Singapore has come in R&D and will continue to work hard to position Singapore as Asia’s Innovation Capital.”
4. “Innovation is without borders. It is important that we collaborate actively to raise the standards of the innovation process and speed at which research can be translated to economic and societal impact. This Singapore-U.S. Innovation Conference aims to bring together key research performers, thought leaders and policy makers from both countries to advance ideas in R&D management and the national innovation framework. We are privileged to count the US as our long standing partner in setting and achieving high bars of outcomes from investments in scientific enterprise," added Dr Raj Thampuram, Managing Director of A*STAR.
5. Jointly organised by A*STAR, the U.S. National Academies and supported by the National Research Foundation, the two-day conference themed “Innovation Economies and New Global Paradigms: Policy Challenges for Science, Technology, and Innovation” is a by-invite-only event. The event will include keynote addresses and panel discussions on the challenges of innovation policies, the relationship between civilian and military R&D, the state of biomedical innovation, creating an innovation economy, drawing and keeping talent, and rounding up with opportunities for cooperative innovation.
6. The U.S. and Singapore, through A*STAR, have had a strong history of collaboration – ranging from research and commercialisation, talent cultivation, to infrastructure and ecosystem. To name just a few examples:
The Advanced Digital Sciences Centre (ADSC), an extension of The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign research centre in Singapore’s Fusionopolis, has resulted in the founding of four start-ups and has initiated 15 research projects.
The Singapore-Stanford Biodesign (SSB) Fellowship has nurtured multi-disciplinary teams of innovators who combine their engineering, medical and business expertise to identify opportunities for medical technology innovation.
Private sector initiatives have included collaborations between A*STAR and Proctor & Gamble; as well as Applied Materials
7. Dr Charles Wessner, Director of the Academies Innovation Program said, “This is an important event in furthering cooperation within an already close relationship between the two countries. In cooperation with Office of Naval Research, we initiated the idea of a bilateral conference on innovation policy between the US and Singapore. Singapore was chosen as the partner and location for the conference, because of its large growth in R&D and scientific talent as well as its world-class research infrastructures. A*STAR was chosen as co-organiser because of its unique role in Singapore’s innovation ecosystem, as the lead government agency in cultivating scientific, intellectual and human capital.”
8. The Singapore-U.S. Innovation Conference is held at the Four Seasons Hotel from 15-16 May 2013. Attendees include a mix of government officials with policy and operational responsibilities, distinguished academics, other experts and representatives from industry and venture capital.
For more information, please contact:
Ms Amanda Lee
Corporate Communications
Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL)
DID: (65) 6478 8443
Mobile: (65) 9776 4218
Email: amanda_lee@etpl.sg
Ms Tan Hwee Har
Corporate Communications
Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd (ETPL)
DID: (65) 6478 8459
Mobile: (65) 9049 1319
Email: tan_hwee_har@etpl.sg
About A*STAR
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector agency that fosters world-class scientific research and talent to drive economic growth and transform Singapore into a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation driven economy.
In line with its mission-oriented mandate, A*STAR spearheads research and development in fields that are essential to growing Singapore’s manufacturing sector and catalysing new growth industries. A*STAR supports these economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry.
A*STAR oversees 20 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research entities, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis as well as their vicinity. These two R&D hubs, house a bustling and diverse community of local and international research scientists and engineers from A*STAR’s research entities as well as a growing number of corporate laboratories.
Please visit www.a-star.edu.sg
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