The new National University Health System (NUHS)’s Centre for Innovation in Healthcare (CIH) is now poised to propel Singapore’s Medtech growth as a regional hub. It has supported more than 20 Medtech innovations in clinical trials, adoption and assessment since 2018.  These innovations had attracted more than S$100 million investment funds so far by 30 investors.

On 29 Oct 2020, the Centre announced the setup of a new Venture Capital Fund by Asia Research & Innovation Alliance Limited (ARIA) and supported by ARIA’s Asia Pacific partners in the likes of Korea’s C&R Healthcare Global, China-Singapore (Chongqing) Business Incubation (of Chongqing Creativity Initiative), Taiwan’s National Tsing Hua University （国立清华大学）, to mention a few.

ARIA will target a seed funding of S$50 million through a joint commercialisation programme with the NUHS Centre for Innovation in Healthcare, for startups, spin-offs both in Singapore and also through its partners overseas. The intent of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed this morning is to facilitate and create partnership opportunities and expansion of Singapore healthcare startups and spin-offs into the Asia Pacific region and enable them to gain market entry into the Asia Pacific market.

• A first Singapore-Norway research collaboration using Virtual Reality (VR) Trauma Training Simulation in the A&E.
• Remote pregnancy monitoring program is targeted at high-risk pregnant women.
• Surgically implanted tag with reader for on-demand, home-based, real-time monitoring for post-surgical complications.
• Self-drive, autonomous robotic wheelchair.
• Soon-to-be trialed patient scrubs for post-stroke and patients with disabilities.

Joint commercialisation programme with the NUHS Centre for Innovation in Healthcare for overseas expansion of Singapore healthcare startups and spin-offs to gain market entry into the Asia Pacific market.