Small Size Does Matters – Opportunities in Nanotechnology
SPEECH BY MR BOON SWAN FOO, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, EXPLOIT
TECHNOLOGIES PTE LTD AT THE OPENING OF NANOBIZ MEET 2007, SINGAPORE,
9:10 AM, 25th JUNE 2007, LEE KONG CHIAN LIBRARY (NATIONAL LIBRARY
SINGAPORE)
Good morning distinguished guests, ladies and gentleman.
1. A warm welcome to NanoBiz Meet 2007, a timely forum to bring like-minded parties
– investors, industries and academia - to discover emerging business and
investment opportunities in nanotechnology.
2. I am pleased to note a significant increase in the attendance today compared to the
keynote address I last gave at the World Nano-Economic Congress held here in
October 2004, noticeably, an increased participation from the local industries. This
is an encouraging sign, reinforcing my belief that the business climate is just right, if
not better, for nanotechnology business and investment in Singapore.
Introduction
3. Nanotechnology describes enabling technologies that allow us to create and
manipulate structures at the nanometer scale. Nanotechnology encompasses the
production of physical, chemical and biological systems at scales less than 100
nanometers, as well as integration of the resulting structures into larger systems.
4. The market is ripe for nanotechnology business and investment. The US-based
Nano Science and Technology Institute (NSTI) listed no less than 15 industry
sectors that have benefited from the application of nanotechnology, including
semiconductors, sensors, telecommunications, displays and optics, coatings,
polymers, food, personal care, health sciences, environment, energy, textiles,
amongst others. To quote a recent example, QuantumSphere, a US-based outfit
founded in 2002, making nano catalysts for energy, electronics and defense
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sectors, partnered Dermacia, a skin-care company, to use nanosilver particles to
address sensitive skin conditions (e.g., acne) worth US$50 billion.
5. At the recent NSTI Nanotech 2007 conference, held at Santa Clara, 20 – 24 May,
the US government announced a 2008 budget of US$1.5 billion for the National
Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), more than triple the estimated $464 million spent in
2001. This reflects the consistent and strong support the US government places in
nanotech R&D investment to support economic competitiveness, national security,
and public health.
6. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD
published a report recently saying “R&D has high priority on national science
agendas of member countries. The US, Europe and Japan each spend between
US$500 millions – US$1 billion a year on nanotechnology”. The report went on to
forecast a market of several trillions US dollars within the decade that includes
nanotechnology-related production techniques and components.
7. Notwithstanding this, a report issued by the Allianz Group, a German insurer, said
that doubt has been raised about risks associated with human exposure to
nanoparticles. This has prompted more attempts to study its long term effect on
human health and the environment and to introduce appropriate risk management
to promote the growth of the nanotechnology industry.
What Singapore can offer for Nano-Business
8. Singapore has invested heavily in the pursuit of Science & Technology with a view
to transform an investment-driven economy into an innovation-driven one, able to
create high-value jobs for a knowledge-based economy. The Economic Review
Committee (ERC) has identified nanotechnology as one key area that could shape
Singapore’s future economic and competitive landscape.
9. Nanotechnology is all about creating a great result from many small things. Its
attraction lies in the rapid assembly of individual particles into a whole that is
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greater than the sum of its parts. Being a small country, Singapore is long used to
leveraging our strengths to create a whole stronger than the sum of its individually
insignificant parts. Let me elaborate.
10. Firstly, we have a strong manufacturing base. Whilst Singapore is a small red-dot
on the world map, we have played an important role in the global supply chain with
our strong manufacturing base. Singapore is home to more than 7,000 MNCs,
many of whom have a strong range of activities ranging from R&D, design and testbedding, to manufacturing, logistics and global and regional headquarter services.
This provides a strong customer base and relevant exposure in micro- and nanoscale technologies, for example, in semiconductor and wafer processing, hard disk
manufacturing amongst others.
11. Secondly, we have a good talent pool and expertise. Being small has not limited
our appetite to source and develop human capital to nurture nanotechnology
development. Our open policy on hiring talents has allowed us to grow no less than
1,000 research scientists at the Universities, the Research Institutes of the Agency
for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the Institutes of Higher
Learning working on nanoscience and nanotechnology.
12. We are pleased at A*STAR to leverage on top scientists to work in areas of
nanotechnology – Prof. Jackie Ying, who is a speaker in this conference, Executive
Director of A*STAR Institute of Bioengineering & Nanotechnology (IBN) and her
outstanding work in nanomaterials; Dr Zheng Yuankai on Magnetic Random
Access Memory at Data Storage Institute (DSI) and Dr Han Yu on nanoscale
particles for drug delivery at IBN. These are listed as outstanding scientists in MIT
Technology Review category in 1999 and 2004, respectively.
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The work of these talented individuals has resulted in a portfolio of more than 540
active patents and applicants in nanotechnology. A*STAR has been able to license
about 17 of them. Besides this portfolio, a much more subtle measure of our
increasing influence has been the regularity that our work has featured in high
impact scientific journals that highlights the mindshare that our contribution to the
scientific community makes.
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13. A*STAR has been awarding scholarships to local undergrads and postgrads to
pursue research in nanotechnology at both local and overseas universities. A total
of 100 PhD scholarships is targeted annually. As an example, Ms Loh Huanqian,
an A*STAR National Science Scholar (NSS) at MIT, received the 2006 LeRoy
Apker Award for her outstanding contributions in the realization of high-brightness
photo pair source in atomic physics. When these scholars complete their studies,
they will add to and strengthen Singapore’s current talent pool of nanoscience and
nanotechnology researchers.
14. Thirdly, strong network and collaborations. Singapore, being small, has its
advantages. We can respond speedily to changes in the economic and research
environment. Our size also challenges us to reach out, to connect and foster good
networks amongst the global communities involved in nanotechnology research.
This works to our advantage as nanotechnology is highly mutli- and interdisciplinary by nature.
15. Our strong networks in nanotechnology research are already evident. The National
University of Singapore (NUS) and A*STAR jointly setup the Silicon Nano Device
Laboratory. Nanyang Technology Universities (NTU) signed a MOU with the
California NanoSystems Institutes to collaborate in nanoscience, nanotechnology
and nanaosystems research. The Science & Engineering Research Council (SERC)
of A*STAR has also initiated several research initiatives and funding to build strong
collaborations in nanotechnology under the Thematic & Strategic Research
Program (TSRP). Existing and new programs include Nanoscience, Polymer and
Molecular Electronics and Nanomanufacturing.
16. Collaborations
go
beyond
academia.
In October 2006,
the
Institute
of
Microelectronics (IME) of A*STAR collaborated with UMC, a leading semiconductor
foundry to jointly develop Radio Frequency (RF) modeling solutions for 90nm
technologies. IME went on to collaborate with local biotech company, SiMEMS and
Australian-based Company, BioChip Innovations in Feb 2007 to develop a first-ofits-kind silicon nanowire biochip for genetic testing.
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17. Fourthly, commercialization. Singapore believes strongly in commercialization. We
have developed infrastructure and set aside adequate funds to support
commercialization. We have a good intellectual property rights regime to protect
your innovations and businesses, access to research at the Universities and
A*STAR Research Institutes and a pool of over 100 VCs to propel intellectual
capital to market.
18. Exploit Technologies, the strategic marketing and commercialization arm of
A*STAR, plays a proactive role to bridge good R&D to the industry. We do this
through IP awareness and protection, marketing, licensing of A*STAR intellectual
property and seeding potential startups from A*STAR. As an example, we are
pleased to support Dr Adrian Burden and Dr Peter Moran, founders of Singular ID
Pte Ltd and former scientists from the Institute of Material Research and
Engineering (IMRE) at A*STAR. Their work on commercializing nano-magnetic
fingerprint technology for anti-counterfeit goods applications will address a market
worth US$35 billion.
19. In 2004, we initiated the Commercialisation of Technology (COT) funding, a gap
funding that bridges research outcome to industrial needs and in this way, makes
IPs more licensable to the industry. To date, we have funded over 18 projects
($3.5m) that has translated to 9 commercial licences or technology transfers to our
industry partners. Many more COT projects still ongoing.
20. In 2006, we embarked on our Flagship Programme – a bold initiative to identify,
fund and drive strategic projects that could put Singapore on the world map as an
attractive place for high value-added industries. We have identified Flagship
projects in areas relating to Printed Electronics, RFID, Media (MPEG-SLS), Liquid
Forging, Oxidative Desulphurisation, to name a few and committing a total funding
in excess of $50m.
21. Exploit Technologies is keen to explore and champion new applications in
nanotechnology and seed Flagship projects that will fuel exciting applications and
industries in Singapore. We held an industry forum on NanoImprint Lithography
(NIL) in March 2007 and received good feedback and interest from the industry.
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Potentially, this is one area where we could seed more investment and create new
applications.
22. Fifthly, enterprise development. Singapore has witnessed the growth and
participation of industry in nanotech investments. STMicroelectronics has set up its
carbon nanotube research lab here and in 2006, BASF opened its first research
center for nanotechnology in Asia with an investment of 13 million Euros.
Singapore enterprises have also risen to the challenge to provide nanotechnology
solutions; notably, NanoMaterials Technology, NanoTechnology Manufacturing,
NanoScience Innovation, Singular ID to name a few. We noted that Energenics
Holdings Pte Ltd has recently signed a joint agreement with Advanced Nano to do
R&D, production and marketing of fuel borne catalyst systems and biofuel additive
formulations using nano particles. Singapore, through EDB, SPRING, A*STAR and
other government agencies, will support enterprise development involved in the
emerging field of nanotechnology.
Conclusion
23. As the sum is greater than its parts, so I hope that these factors add up to provide a
strong and conducive environment to support the business of nanotechnology in
Singapore.
24. I hope the forum today will fuel opportunities in nanotechnology, strengthen the
industry structure and generate new applications that do not exist today. I wish you
all a fruitful conference ahead.
Thank you.
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