This article was written by Chan Eng Chye, general manager of the
Singapore-Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD). It appeared in the
June 4, 2005, edition of the Business Times, a Singaporean newspaper,
under the headline "US$50m spent on joint R&D projects since 1997." It is
reprinted here with permission of SIIRD.
47 projects, staffed by 700 engineers, research scientists
THOUGH it's not widely know, Singapore and Israel have been partners on the
high-tech front since 1997, having spent a total of US$50 million on joint
research projects to date.
Through the Singapore-Israeli Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD), the
two countries have cooperated on 47 projects, which employ nearly 700 research
scientists and engineers. And now both want to organise brokerage meetings
for SIngapore and Israeli IT companies during CEBIT 2006 in Germany.
"They will typically meet each other in a designated meeting place over one
a period of one to two days," said SIIRD general manager Chan Eng Chye. "This
is effect for companies to meet many potential partners within a short period
of time. They could proceed with more detailed discussions on their own if
they find the partners suitable."
Set up in 1997, SIIRD was the result of a bilateral cooperation agreement
signed by both countries in 1996. The non-profit foundation is now administered
by Singapore's Economic Development Board and Israel's Office of the Chief
Scientist in the Ministry of Industry and Trade. It funds up to half the
cost of joint technology development programmes undertaken by companies rom
Singapore and Israel. Funding for SIIRD is contributed equally by both governments.
"For Israeli companies, Singapore serves as a gateway to the Asia Pacific
region and offers fast-growing R&D and technological competence," said
Mr Chan. "On the other hand, Israel has a global reputation for its entrepreneurial
spirit, large numbers of start-ups, high-level research base and vast human
intellectual resources."
Some of the projects under way include a car-park management system that
incorporates license plate recognition, and intelligent pest control system,
and a portable robotic platform which can automatically seed, transplant,
and harvest vegetables anywhere in the world any time of the year. Right
now, 80 per cent of the projects are at different stages of commercialisation.
Mr Chan reckons that the setting-up of the SIIRD also promoted greater awareness
among business of the advantages offered by both countries.
Currently, the number of Israeli companies [in Singapore] is estimated to
be around 50, although the figures may be higher if one counts U.S. and European
firms with Israeli origins. In March, the listing of Sarin Technologies on
the Singapore Exchange was the first by an Israeli company.
From Singapore, Vertex Management, a unit under Singapore Technologies, has
two funds totalling US$190 million that is used for investment in Israeli
companies.
The Israeli Economic Mission in Singapore says Israel-Singapore trade last
year came to US$556 million, of which US$316.2 million consisted of Israeli
exports to Singapore.
