Government agencies are tying up with private sector partners to EXperiment, Commercialise and Innovate in a Test-bed Experience at one-north, JTC Corporation’s (JTC) research hub at Buona Vista. So if an innovator has a good idea, he can “test-bed” and get market feedback for it at one-north. If it proves workable, he could get funding and support for introducing it in the market!

With the roll-out of EXCITE @one-north, innovators will find it easier to test-bed new ideas and even commercialise them.

Jointly initiated by JTC and the Economic Development Board (EDB), this programme has the full backing of private sector partners. It aims to encourage innovators to transform their ideas into marketable products and place Singapore on the world map as a global innovations hub.

Giving new, unproven ideas a chance
Speaking at the EXCITE@one-north launch ceremony on 18 August 2004, EDB Chairman Teo Ming Kian said: “New and unproven ideas face big hurdles for adoption, however great these ideas may be. EXCITE@one-north therefore aims to help technopreneurs and enterprises overcome some of these hurdles.

“It provides opportunities to test-bed ideas in a supportive environment with cooperation from industry players and the provision of supporting services, in order for innovations to scale up and commercialise.”

Comprehensive supporting services
EXCITE@one-north has in place a network of programme partners which offer a full suite of supporting services. Four pioneer partners — Eivio Pte Ltd, Intelleigen Pte Ltd, the Singapore Environment Council and The Enterprise Challenge (TEC) — will provide soft support services to innovators.

The services cover areas such as funding, business advisory, endorsement and standards creation, technology evaluation for market readiness, fast prototyping, technical consultation and intellectual property management.

An experiment playground
On the choice of one-north as a test-bedding hub, JTC CEO Chong Lit Cheong said: “Right from the start, we have envisioned one-north to be an environment where creativity flourishes and imagination knows no bounds. It is an experiment playground for inventors and innovators, an innovation hotbed for entrepreneurs and researchers.

“EXCITE@one-north fits well into the one-north vision to create an intellectually stimulating and creative environment for entrepreneurs, researchers, venture capitalists and businessmen.”

Opportunities abound
Aspiring individuals and companies will have opportunities to test-bed their innovations at one-north in four broad areas:

Launch pads
Within one-north, Phase Z.Ro Technopreneur Park, Biopolis and Rochester Park have been identified as the launch pads for test-bedding under the EXCITE@one-north programme.

Several other hotspots including Buona Vista Park, Fusionpolis and the business hotel at one-north will be gradually added to the list.

Bustling marketplace
Public agencies have reasons to be “EXCITEd” too. EXCITE@one-north will be a bustling marketplace where technology buyers from the public sector can shop and source for breakthrough innovations from a pool of private sector technology sellers.

Those wanting to cast a wider net for innovative ideas can plug into EXCITE@one-north’s extensive network by voicing their technology needs to technology providers and letting them come back with innovative proposals.

Support from TEC
For innovations with the potential to create new value or quantum leap improvements in the delivery of public services, TEC offers funding for trial testing and linkages with relevant public agencies to test-bed the innovations within the agencies or in one-north.