SINGAPORE – Developing a breakthrough technology is only the first step for start-ups. The bigger challenge is proving that it works in the real world, finding their first customers, and building a viable business, said Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry Tan See Leng.
This is particularly difficult for climate and energy technologies, which often require substantial capital, rigorous testing, and industry partners willing to adopt new solutions before they can achieve commercial success.
Singapore is strengthening partnerships to help start-ups overcome these hurdles and expand overseas, Tan said in his speech at the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) held at Sands Expo & Convention Centre on Oct 28.
SWITCH is an annual innovation and technology event that brings together start-ups, investors, researchers and industry leaders from around the world. This year’s edition runs from Oct 27 to 29.
“No startup can make this journey alone,” said Tan.
“It needs researchers to push the boundaries of what is possible; investors to back new ideas; and industry partners to test, adopt and scale solutions,” he added.
He said that the ambition is not just to develop technologies here, but to translate them into commercially viable solutions and scale them globally.
He outlined three areas of focus: developing and validating technologies, connecting start-ups with corporate customers, and helping them access international markets.
Tan pointed to Singapore-based CRecTech, which converts biogas into bio-methanol for shipping, as an example of how industry partnerships can help bring technologies to market.
The company joined the inaugural South-east Asian cohort of the Breakthrough Energy Fellows programme in 2024. Since then, it has strengthened its understanding of customer needs and developed a clearer strategy to commercialise its technology, he said.
In August, CRecTech signed an agreement with Indonesia’s Pertamina New & Renewable Energy to jointly develop Indonesia’s first biogas-to-biomethanol demonstration plant in Sumatra.
Launched in 2024 as the first Breakthrough Energy Fellows hub outside the United States, the programme has funded 12 companies from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
Participating fellows receive up to US$500,000 (S$641,172) in funding, alongside technical and commercial support and access to networks of industry partners, mentors, investors and experts.
The regional fellows programme was established by Breakthrough Energy, the climate organisation founded by Bill Gates, together with Temasek and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG).
On Oct 28, they announced their renewed support for the programme for another three years, covering three new cohorts from 2028 to 2030.
New corporate partners Olam Agri, Pertamina NRE and ExpresSo NB, which is the venture arm of Thai energy group PTT, will provide fellows with more access to industry expertise and opportunities to test and use their technologies across South-east Asia.
CRecTech co-founder and chief executive Kang Hui Lim said: “The BE Fellows programme has helped us accelerate our technology development through clear milestones, quantify its potential economic and environmental impact, and pressure-test our assumptions about customer needs and commercial viability.”
He added: “This foundation has enabled us to partner with industry players such as Indonesia’s Pertamina NRE to take our bio-methanol technology from the lab to a first-of-a-kind pilot facility for real-world testing and validation.”
On the importance of securing corporate customers, Tan announced that Aether Fuels and Singapore Airlines Group have entered into a binding agreement for the airline group to buy sustainable aviation fuel from the start-up.
“Such commitments provide startups with greater commercial certainty and a stronger foundation to scale their operations,” he said.
Aether Fuels, which was incubated in Singapore by venture builder Xora, is advancing its technology through Project Beacon, a sustainable aviation fuel production facility being developed here.
Tan also announced the launch of the Lenovo-Enterprise Singapore Global Accelerator Programme to connect start-ups with the technology company’s research teams, corporate customers and wider networks.
In a separate release on Oct 28, EnterpriseSG said the 24-month programme will support start-ups in areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced materials.
It will help them validate their technologies in real-world settings, integrate their solutions into enterprise workflows and progress from proof of concept to customer pilots.
To support overseas expansion, EnterpriseSG is also extending its Global Innovation Alliance through a partnership with Bakar Labs at the University of California, Berkeley,
Singapore-based start-ups will gain access to Bakar Labs’ laboratory facilities, specialised equipment and technical expertise to test and validate their technologies. They will also benefit from mentorship and connections to investors and industry partners across UC Berkeley and the wider Bay Area, the agency said in its release.
Eligible start-ups can receive support for up to 70% of qualifying costs, including the use of facilities and equipment, materials and consumables, access to researchers and technical experts, and relevant business-matching activities.
Bakar Labs chief operating officer Jeremy Alberga told The Straits Times: “We want to go beyond opening doors. We connect founders with the right expertise, investors, industry partners and opportunities to turn bold ideas into commercially viable solutions.”
EnterpriseSG also said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to strengthen start-up exchange and market access through reciprocal immersion programmes and business connections.
The partnership will support Singapore start-ups seeking to expand into Japan, while helping Japanese start-ups use Singapore as a base to enter regional and global markets.
Tan said Singapore’s small domestic market makes access to overseas capabilities and customers essential for start-ups to fulfil their potential.
“Getting there takes more than technological ingenuity. It takes patient capital, industry know-how, customers willing to embrace new solutions, have an open mindset and partnerships that bring these elements together,” he said.
