SINGAPORE, 2 October 2018 – The seventh edition of Singapore’s premier technology-industry brokerage event, TechInnovation concluded successfully, with over 4,900 participants from more than 55 countries in attendance, a 25% increase from last year’s turnout. The annual two-day technology marketplace brought together technology providers and seekers to explore collaboration opportunities through open innovation.
Organised by IPI, TechInnovation is held in association with the Singapore Week of Innovation and TeCHnology (SWITCH). The opening address was delivered by Dr Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, who launched IPI’s TechExpert matching platform. The platform enables enterprises to engage technical experts from various industries to support product design, prototyping, hardware development and testing of new innovations.
“In today’s competitive business world, companies that do not innovate run the risks of being obsolete and irrelevant. As more and more enterprises place an emphasis on open innovation and seek new partners beyond their existing networks, IPI will continue to create even more opportunities to facilitate collaborations between technology seekers and providers, to better support our SMEs’ innovation aspirations,” said Professor Lam Khin Yong, Executive Director of IPI.
IPI underscored its commitment to the industry by inking two Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) at TechInnovation. The MOU signed with RB, a global leading consumer health company seeks solutions in several future consumer health areas while the MOU with Innovate UK will promote UK-Singapore technology transfer and R&D collaboration.
Strong support from the global innovation community
TechInnovation attracted strong support from the global innovation and enterprise community with first-timers making up half of the 165 exhibitors that showcased a spectrum of 400 enabling technologies. New thematic technology pavilions and country booths on the exhibition floor included Logistics Innovation, Urban Agritech and the Innovate UK Hub showcased the vibrancy of the innovation ecosystem.
New exhibitors included technology providers from Brunei, France and Vietnam. The Innovate UK hosted 15 UK SMEs with innovative technologies to explore business and collaboration prospects at the event.
Tim Luft, CEO of Virtual Reality Simulation Systems, wants to bring his host of VR services to Singapore and possibly Malaysia. Set up at Innovate UK Hub at TechInnovation, Luft demonstrated to keen observers what his VR platforms can do.
“We are in Singapore on a fact-finding visit, and to explore opportunities to set up an operation here. We are trying to show our technology to Singapore to see if this is what they would embrace. So far, we’ve had a lot of interest in blue chip clients and interest from people in the training industry,” said Luft.
Another first-time TechInnovation exhibitor, Advantir Innovations, presented Swirl.GO, a world’s first smart capsule system for soft serve and desserts at the expanded Food Innovation pavilion. CEO & Founder Jeremy Tan of the Singapore start-up said, “Within the first few hours, we’ve met some of the biggest brands in the food industry. Some have showed interest in commercialising our technology and we hope to engage these potential collaborators to develop business partnerships.”
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About TechInnovation
TechInnovation is a premier technology-industry matching event that brings together international technology providers and enterprises to explore technology commercialisation and initiate business collaboration through open innovation. Organised by IPI, TechInnovation is a leading conference and exhibition in Singapore that focuses on the matching of industry’s needs to enabling technologies in info-communications & electronics, manufacturing, materials & chemicals, health & personal care, medtech, energy and environment from global sources. For more information, visit www.techinnovation.com.sg.
About IPI
IPI catalyses and enables enterprises to grow their businesses through technology and innovation. An affiliate of Enterprise Singapore, IPI promotes open innovation, and works with enterprises to source for technologies locally and abroad. In addition, it facilitates technology partnerships to bring new and innovative products and services to the market. Connected to a global network of technology partners, including the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), IPI is well-positioned to facilitate connections between technology seekers and providers, driving growth and innovation opportunities for Singapore enterprises. For more information, visit www.ipi-singapore.org.
Media Contacts
Selena Sheikh
Director, PINPOINT Public Relations
Mobile: +65 9746 8519
Email: selena@pinpointpr.sg
Charlene Boh
Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications, IPI
DID: +65 6653 4913, Mobile: +65 9767 7792