Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) developing their technological capability will be able to use the specialised and sophisticated equipment at seven A*STAR research institutes by year end.
The seven A*STAR research institutes are the Data Storage Institute, the Institute for Infocomm Research, the Institute of Chemical & Engineering Sciences, the Institute of High Performance Computing, the Institute of Materials Research & Engineering, the Institute of Microelectronics & the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology.
The new programme by A*STAR and SPRING Singapore was announced by A*STAR chairman Lim Chuan Poh at a seminar at Biopolis earlier today.
According to a joint statement from A*STAR and SPRING Singapore, "technology-intensive SMEs with the knowhow to develop new technologies on their own but lack access to R&D equipment can make use of the specialised and sophisticated equipment as well as analytical services" at the research institutes.
This access will allow them to conduct failure analysis, characterisation, prototyping and solution formulation, which are important steps in research and development (R&D) activities.
As for those equipment that need certification before the SMEs can use them, the institutes will provide the training and certification to equip the SMEs with the skills to use the equipment.
About 200 SMEs are expected to benefit from the programme, which is the latest initiative under GETUP.
GETUP is a joint multiagency collaboration among A*STAR, Economic Development Board, International Enterprise Singapore and SPRING Singapore.
Since its start in 2003, over 880 SMEs have been introduced to GETUP. At present, about 200 companies have tapped on GETUP's three existing programmes: Operational Technology Roadmapping, Secondment of Research Scientists and Engineers Technical Advisory Support.
SMEs interested in the new facilities programme can email astar_getup@astar.edu.sg to inquire.
