Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB)

L'Oréal, the global beauty leader with its South Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa (SAPMENA) HQ in #Singapore, has named the three winners of its inaugural Beauty Tech startup competition! They are the Creatively Squared team from Singapore, along with live2.ai and NeuralGarage(VisualDub.ai). Congratulations to the teams, which surfaced innovative tech solutions that will elevate the consumer beauty experience. They will now work with L'Oréal to take their ideas to market through one of the French MNC's 37 international brands. They will be mentored by L'Oréal senior executives and gain exposure to some of the world's fastest-growing markets. Launched in May 2024, the Big Bang Beauty Tech Innovation Program attracted hundreds of startups. The program is among several open innovation platforms in Singapore, which offers startups connections to partners, access to capital and talent, and government support to innovate and grow their business. MNCs in Singapore can also tap on a diverse pool of talent, draw on cutting-edge research from top universities, and work with local enterprises to generate new ideas together. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g8mSuwRs #BigBangLOreal #BeautyTech

#Upskilling, #innovation, and productivity benchmarking are key to the transformation of Singapore’s Energy & Chemicals sector. At this year’s #Productivity Improvement Forum, plant owners, Process Construction and Maintenance (PCM) contractors, and representatives from the Singapore Chemical Industry Council (SCIC) and the Association of Process Industry (ASPRI) convened to celebrate milestones and advance their commitment to continuous improvement. Here are highlights of the forum: ✨ SCIC and ASPRI, with support from Enterprise Singapore and EDB, signed an MOU to set up the Centre of Excellence for Productivity Improvement. The COE will strengthen collaboration, facilitate knowledge-sharing, and set productivity benchmarks that elevate the PCM sector’s standards 🏆 15 PCM companies were recognised for their productivity certification achievements 💡 Sessions explored advanced approaches to project efficiency, from digitalisation to modularisation, and success stories of how companies have helped upskill employees Learn more about Singapore’s Energy & Chemicals sector: https://lnkd.in/gYQS5hR2

Embracing #innovation is critical but disrupting existing business models to uncover new opportunities is easier said than done. Hear from Markus Strobel, Former Global President of Skin & Personal Care from Procter & Gamble; Rohit Girdhar, Vice President, Strategy and M&A at Infineon Technologies; Alvin Foo, Head of PSA Singapore unboxed; and Marco Placidi, Head of IMI Venture Studio on how they navigated both internal and market challenges to innovate for growth in #Singapore. Their experiences revealed compelling lessons: ⚪️ A smaller, agile team can pivot more quickly to innovate and test niche ideas. ⚪️ With a safe space, teams can explore new ideas without constraints while remaining aligned with the company’s long-term goals. ⚪️ Existing networks and initiatives, such as EDB’s Corporate Venture Launchpad, can surface the right innovation partners. ⚪️ Singapore’s innovation ecosystem offers rich pickings when it comes to talent and resources. Read the full story on their #VenturesMadePossible journeys. Learn how your business can be a part of EDB’s Corporate Venture Launchpad: https://lnkd.in/gVwZwYxt

News from #COP29: EDB announced a new grant for Singapore-based companies carrying out early-stage carbon project development and financing activities that could generate high quality Article 6 carbon credits. Such credits provide viable #decarbonisation pathways for hard-to-abate sectors but are lacking in supply globally. Through the grant, EDB seeks to address current early-stage project financing gaps, and spur the development of and investment in more carbon projects, including those in the region. With a diversity of potentially investible projects ranging from forestry conservation and restoration, to blue carbon, #SoutheastAsia could be a potential source of high quality carbon credits. The grant is part of Singapore’s diverse initiatives to develop itself into a vibrant carbon services and trading centre in the heart of Asia – that is already home to more than 120 firms across the carbon management value chain. Find out more about the grant and the eligibility criteria here: https://lnkd.in/g2P-6dYe

#AsiaPacific is set to be the world’s 2nd-largest source of demand for #MedTech. And global companies are doing more in Singapore to serve their growing customer base and strengthen supply chain resilience, including tapping into a network of 2,700 precision engineering companies. The world’s top 30 global MedTech companies, like Danaher Corporation, BD and Thermo Fisher Scientific, have a mix of manufacturing, research and development (R&D), and headquarter functions here. Agilent Technologies’ Singapore facility is recognised by the World Economic Forum's Global Lighthouse Network for AI-enabled manufacturing, while WSAudiology has accelerated their time-to-market for new hearing solutions through seamless R&D and production integration in Singapore. Learn what makes #Singapore the best hub in Asia for MedTech manufacturing, innovation, and partnerships: https://lnkd.in/gdR5aqME

Peek inside the mind of an #AI leader in #Singapore – using #GenAI. Watch the story of how Kevin Chung, Chief Strategy Officer at Writer, an enterprise AI company, moved from Silicon Valley to Singapore, and why he thinks the city-state is the best place to be for AI. Whether you’re a tech titan, a business with AI ambitions, or a budding startup, Singapore’s dynamic tech ecosystem is your ideal launchpad. Discover tools and insights that will help you explore, expand, and scale AI opportunities effectively from Singapore: https://lnkd.in/gDVPcWie Note: The video in this post includes visuals created with generative AI.

Motorola Solutions, the US company that introduced the world’s first commercial portable cell phone in 1983, is marking 50 years in #Singapore. Building on its engineering capabilities and roots in cellular technology, Motorola Solutions has grown from a sales office with 6 employees here to hosting corporate functions including engineering and #innovation teams. Motorola Solutions’ voice communication, software, and video security technologies continue to support essential services including border security, public transportation, and emergency medical services. Motorola Solutions is also committed to #talent development through programmes such as LEAP, helping employees develop critical skills and competencies for leadership. Ranked the 5th best employer in Singapore by The Straits Times, Motorola counts among its workforce Singaporeans that have built their careers with the company, like Singapore Country President Kar Weng Chang, Sales Manager Alexis Wong and Practice Director Raja Sekaran. Read on to learn about the global companies that have grown with Singapore: https://lnkd.in/gxa7mG7E

Enterprise management #SaaS company Kingdee International Software Group has opened a Singapore office and data centre. Headquartered in Shenzhen, Kingdee, which is China’s #1 enterprise management cloud SaaS company, seeks to help businesses in #digital transformation and #innovation, in areas such as finance, supply chain, and human resource management. The data centre will support Kingdee’s global operations through more secure and efficient cloud services that strengthen data security and compliance. Kingdee is among the leading tech companies tapping Singapore’s business and tech ecosystem to build products and solutions for Asia and the world. The company has also formed an alliance with Microsoft, Intel Corporation, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and iSoftStone to explore opportunities in international markets. Learn more about Singapore’s tech ecosystem and why companies like Kingdee continue to set up here: https://lnkd.in/gBr6vupJ 📸: Kingdee

Singapore unveils its first academy dedicated to training local talent for its #CarbonServices and trading sector. Jointly launched by Enterprise Singapore, EDB and Nanyang Technological University Singapore at the Financial Times Commodities Asia Summit, the Carbon Markets Academy of Singapore (CMAS) will train and upskill 300 professionals by 2027 to support the growth of Singapore’s carbon services and trading sector. As more corporates in Asia prioritise #sustainability and manage their carbon footprints, the CMAS will ensure that Singapore has the right talent and capabilities to fill new and emerging roles in the carbon services and trading sector. It will: 1️⃣ Work with government agencies and industry partners to develop Continuing Education and Training (CET) and postgraduate programmes for roles such as carbon project development, and environmental, social and governance (#ESG) assurance and certification. 2️⃣ Serve as a thought leadership platform to promote the exchange of insights among academics, industry practitioners, and policymakers in the region. The CMAS’ first programme, an Executive Certificate in Carbon Markets, is currently open for enrolment. CMAS will also offer an Executive Master of Science (MSc) in Sustainability Management, set to commence in April 2025. The academy is an added boost to Singapore’s efforts to nurture talent who can be part of a vibrant carbon services and trading centre in the heart of Asia. Learn more about the CMAS: https://lnkd.in/gDSJkvUN

Coinbase has launched a new engineering hub in Singapore, which aims to nurture local talent as Singapore develops as a hub for responsible #blockchain innovation. The US #cryptocurrency platform will provide local #developer talent with resources and training to upskill and innovate. This is important to ensure they can meet the needs of emerging blockchain technology use cases and ensure Singapore remains competitive, especially when it comes to financial services and technology. Currently, Coinbase employs over 600 people in the APAC region, including 70 employees in Singapore, which is intended to expand with the launch of this Hub. Learn more about Coinbase’s new engineering hub, and how it will advance capabilities in Singapore’s blockchain ecosystem: https://lnkd.in/gxaESQWn