Debated in Parliament on 4 Feb 2026.
Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what proportion of Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) funded deep tech projects achieve commercial viability; (b) whether the Ministry has studied Israel's model where innovation grants are repaid only upon commercialisation success; and (c) whether RIE2030 will introduce similar outcome-linked funding mechanisms.
Investing in deep tech is a complex endeavour that takes years. There is no single or simple metric of commercial viability that applies. The Government uses a range of indicators for Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE)-funded projects, such as Intellectual Property (IP) licensing, capability and knowledge building, growing startups and catalysing private sector investment. For example, in RIE2025, of the corporate laboratories that support partnerships between public researchers and companies to co-develop technologies for industry, about 80% are expected to generate licensing revenue from jointly created IP.
Singapore keeps abreast of good practices in deep tech commercialisation from other countries, including Israel. The objectives behind our support schemes and mechanisms for deep tech commercialisation have broad similarities to those of other countries, but the governance and funding structures have been adapted to meet the needs of our RIE ecosystem.
We capture value from RIE through various means, including licensing revenue generated when commercial partners license IP from research institutions or returns from equity stakes when startups built around these technologies achieve commercial success. In addition, research collaborations with both global and local industry partners help anchor them in Singapore, thereby contributing to a more dynamic and competitive economy.
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