Singapore is Southeast Asia’s premier research gateway, combining world-class universities, a strategic location for Asia-Pacific corporate R&D, and one of the most active government research investment programs in the world. Melan works with teams across Singapore’s research ecosystem to structure partnerships that bridge Asian and global innovation networks.
The Singapore Research Partnership Landscape
Singapore’s research ecosystem is led by the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University — both consistently ranked among the world’s top research universities. The Agency for Science, Technology and Research operates 18 research institutes across biomedical sciences, physical sciences, engineering, and data science. The Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology is a model international research partnership.
Corporate R&D presence is substantial. Singapore hosts Asia-Pacific R&D headquarters for GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, IBM, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and Dyson. The government’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 plan commits S$25 billion to research across health, climate, manufacturing, and digital economy priorities. The National Research Foundation provides competitive grant programs that specifically incentivize corporate-academic partnerships.
Singapore’s partnership landscape is defined by its role as a gateway to Asian markets, a stable IP and legal environment, and a government deeply committed to research commercialization. Melan navigates this ecosystem to help organizations form partnerships that bridge Singapore’s research strengths with global commercial opportunity.
What Melan Does for Teams in Singapore
Melan helps organizations across Singapore form research partnerships that leverage the city-state’s unique position as an Asia-Pacific research and commercialization hub.
For corporate R&D teams: We identify academic and A*STAR research partners aligned with your R&D priorities — from NUS’s strength in engineering and computing to NTU’s leadership in materials science and A*STAR’s biomedical research capabilities. We structure partnerships that access Singapore’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise funding programs.
For Singapore universities and A*STAR: We help TTOs and research offices find corporate partners who can commercialize their discoveries, navigate the IP framework for government-funded research, and structure cross-border collaborations with partners in Southeast Asia and beyond.
For international companies expanding to Asia: We provide strategic guidance on establishing R&D partnerships in Singapore, accessing the city-state’s research infrastructure and talent pipeline, and leveraging Singapore’s free trade agreements for cross-border research collaboration.
FAQ
How does Melan help companies partner with NUS or NTU?
We map the specific research groups and PIs aligned with your priorities, then approach NUS’s Industry Liaison Office or NTU’s Innovation and Enterprise Office with a pre-structured framework tailored to Singapore’s research funding landscape.
What makes Singapore unique for research partnerships?
Singapore combines top-20 global universities, a government that invests 1% of GDP in research, a robust IP legal framework, and strategic access to Southeast Asian markets — all in one city-state.
Does Melan work with A*STAR research institutes?
Yes. We work with companies seeking research partnerships across A*STAR’s 18 research institutes covering biomedical sciences, physical sciences, engineering, and data and computational sciences.
How do I start a research partnership in Singapore?
Contact Melan at themelan.com/contact-us. We discuss your R&D priorities and map the Singapore research ecosystem to identify the right collaborators for your goals.
Ready to form a research partnership in Singapore?
Melan helps corporate R&D teams, universities, and research institutes across Singapore structure successful research collaborations.
