19 Feb 2019 Benefits and Efficacy of Collaborative R&D Between Israel and Singapore
Though seemingly far apart, Israel and Singapore are “old friends” with a long history of diplomatic and commercial relations. The Singapore-Israel Chamber of Commerce commenced operation in 1990 and the Singapore-Israel Industrial Research and Development Foundation (SIIRD) was established in 1997 to promote R&D collaborations between Singapore and Israeli commercial companies.
The success of the SIIRD programme allowed it to expand beyond the commercial—Israeli companies can now work with non-commercial R&D entities and research institutes in Singapore. Joint Singapore-Israeli ventures can be provided research grants of up to US$1 million by SIIRD.
The close ties and collaborations could have been fostered by similarity. In a joint press conference with Lee Hsien Loong in 2017, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel and Singapore are “kindred spirits”, as both were “small nations that have become in many areas global powers”.
This article will further discuss the effectiveness of collaborative R&D between Israeli and Singapore, and how it would contribute to the two countries’ success.
Israel and Singapore Partnership in Research and Development
Israel ranks second in the world in terms of innovation and availability of venture capital according to the World Economic Forum. The country is known for spending a large percentage (about 4.23%) of their gross domestic product on research and development (R&D) compared with more developed countries like the United States (at 2.79%) and even the European Union (at 1.95%).
Singapore also prioritizes R&D as the country realizes its importance in renewing industries, opening new markets, and increasing productivity, particularly the small and medium enterprises. Recently, the government of Singapore allocated a record budget of 19 billion Singapore dollars to fund research, innovation and enterprise activities in the country until 2020.
Considering how important research and development is to both Israel and Singapore, an R&D partnership between the two can only result in positive things. To date, there is existing formal cooperation between the Israel Innovation Authority and the Singapore Economic Development Board to promote, facilitate, and support collaborative efforts on research and development between companies based in Israel and Singapore. The partnership also aims to provide research funding for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The current collaboration on research and development between Israeli-based and Singapore-based companies is expected to produce the following benefits:
- Access to knowledge, techniques, skills, and facilities
Every company, including Israel-based and Singapore-based companies, have weaknesses and limitations. These inadequacies can hamper the development of advanced technology and products if the company would carry out the project on their own.
The environment is significantly changed, however, when companies from Singapore and Israel work on a project together since they can share and have access to knowledge, techniques, skills, and facilities that they never have before. As discussed above, each country has something to offer considering the investments they put in on research and development. Thus, given the availability of resources, the companies are poised to create advanced products and technology the world has yet to see.
- Creation of innovative breakthroughs to address issues in existing technology
One of the major advantages of the research and development collaboration between Israeli and Singapore companies is that it helps find solutions to problems in current technology through the creation of ground-breaking projects. The making of such revolutionary projects can only be realized by combining the technological expertise and knowledge of the companies from both countries.
One R&D project that received funding focuses on the development of scents and sensations for inclusion in games and entertainment. An Israeli start-up company involved in digital scent technology and Singapore company from the semiconductor industry teamed up to create an affordable miniature digital scent module that can be mass produced.
The digital scent module would then be integrated into mobile gaming devices, home theatre systems, computers, and similar devices. Through this innovation, users can enjoy a truly realistic/4-dimensional entertainment experience in the comfort of home.
- Creation of new products that significantly help people
While the projects to be created through the collaboration of Israel and Singapore-based companies are primarily intended to increase profit and grow the business of the companies involved, many of the products are expected to directly improve the lives of people from all over the world. For instance, one of the projects that received funding aimed to create a skin cream that would address radiation dermatitis, a skin problem caused by undergoing radiation therapy.
The team of Israeli leaders in skin treatment and a biotechnology firm in Singapore are working on the creation of the topical cream. Once the team has successfully created the skin cream, it would greatly help cancer patients from all over the world find relief from radiation dermatitis.
Another approved project, a cyberbullying detection mobile application, aims to assist parent and their children against cyberbullying. This app would have features that will update parents if their children are experiencing cyberbullying. Essentially, this technology could help parents to immediately take counter-measures so that their children would not be harmed further.
- Boost economic progress and development
One of the major factors in realizing sustainable economic growth is the development of industrial technology that will make business and operational processes more effective and efficient. Through the R&D collaboration of Singapore and Israeli-based companies, technological advancements and enhanced products can be developed and enjoyed by the market much faster. Consequently, it allows both countries to tap the hidden talents and strengths of their people which can also fuel economic growth.
- Build trust and confidence between countries
The collaboration between Israeli and Singapore companies in the area of research and development can also foster trust and cooperation between countries. While Singapore and Israel have amicable relationships now, that does not mean that it will never change. Should conflicts and tension arise in the future, the players involved in the joint R&D collaboration can be useful in restoring trust and confidence between the two nations.
Considering the items mentioned above, it is clear that the partnership between Israeli and Singapore-based companies on research and development projects will yield benefits beyond the companies and countries involved. The results of their collaboration will also positively impact people from across the world as they can use the end-products and discoveries of the Israel-Singapore collaboration.