Innovation That Matters

Global innovation spotlight: Singapore

Global Innovation Spotlight

From a SaaS platform for integrating impact into business operations to a process for separating chemicals without heat, discover exciting innovations from Singapore

Reflecting our global Springwise readership, we explore the innovation landscape and freshest thinking from a new country each week. This week, we’ve headed to Southeast Asia…

Singapore Innovation Facts

Global Innovation Index ranking: 8th

Climate targets: reduce GHG emissions intensity by 36% by 2030 (compared to 2005), net zero by 2050

Sustainability challenges

Dependence on food imports – Over 90 per cent of the food consumed in Singapore is imported. This not only incurs carbon emissions from transportation – it also makes the city-state vulnerable to supply problems and price hikes.

Waste management – Despite its reputation for cleanliness and investment in waste management, Singapore faces unique challenges when it comes to waste. Recycling rates are low, and more than 40 per cent of rubbish produced by the city-state is incinerated. 

Energy security – Around 95 per cent of Singapore’s domestic electricity is generated from imported natural gas. Natural gas is a fossil fuel, and Singapore’s reliance on imports makes it vulnerable to high energy prices. In response, the government recently announced targets to import around 30 per cent of the country’s electricity from low-carbon sources by 2035.

Sector specialisms

Deep tech

E-commerce

Fintech

Source: Startup Universal

Three exciting innovations from Singapore

Photo source Oyika

A BATTERY SWAP STARTUP TURNS PETROL-POWERED MOTORBIKES INTO EVS

In Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia between 83 and 87 per cent of households own motorbikes. Despite being smaller than cars, the sheer numbers of these vehicles on the road contribute to ongoing air pollution problems in many urban areas. Seeking to change that, startup Oyika has created a battery swapping service that turns petrol-powered motorbikes into electric vehicles (EVs). Read more.

Photo source Handprint

A CSR PLATFORM ENABLES COMPANIES TO CHOOSE AND TRACK VERIFIED IMPACT PROJECTS

Singaporean startup Handprint is providing businesses with an easy way to improve their planetary impact. The Handprint platform offers companies a choice of pre-verified impact projects grouped into themes such as social justice, clean water, and deforestation. Each company can then choose to support the ones that best align with its brand and values. Software tools allow client companies to integrate contributions to those projects into core business processes such as e-commerce. Read more.

Photo source Seppure

NANOFILTRATION REDUCES INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL SEPARATION EMISSIONS

An invisible polluter, industrial chemical separation is a necessity in many industries, including pharmaceuticals, oil refinement, and semiconductor and vegetable oil production. The process of separating chemicals for commercial and industrial accounts for up to 15 per cent of the world’s energy use. In response, Singapore-based Seppure has built a membrane capable of separating even the harshest chemicals at the molecular level without using heat. Read more.

Words: Matthew Hempstead

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