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Enterprise Singapore kicked-off its inaugural run of the Scale-up SG programme today with 25 local companies. Scale-up SG is a 2.5-year programme that will help aspiring, high-growth local companies scale rapidly. We aim to groom future global champions in their respective fields who can contribute significantly to Singapore’s economy and create good jobs for Singaporeans.
Mr Peter Ong, Chairman of Enterprise Singapore, said, “Scale-up SG is a specially curated programme which aims to groom our high-growth local enterprises into global champions. The companies, while vastly diverse in terms of revenue size, sectors, business models, exhibit the common trait of hunger and the strong ambition to grow. Leaders learn best from leaders; the diversity of the companies will enrich peer learning, spurring each of them towards even greater growth.”
The participating companies, which displayed a good track record of growth and leadership team with strong growth ambitions, are of varying revenue sizes and come from various industry clusters like lifestyle and consumer; trade and connectivity; manufacturing and engineering; and urban solutions.
Enterprise Singapore will run the programme in collaboration with public and private sector partners, including government agencies, management consulting firms, professional services firms, institutes of higher learning , research institutes and private equity funds, among others.
The Scale-up SG companies can benefit from: Peer learning and collaboration between a close-knit community of CEOs and founders. Some may even partner up to grow their business, and serve as mentors to future cohorts of participating companies and development of leadership team and succession planning through strengthening the competencies of the next generation of leaders; and also access to expertise and networks of Enterprise Singapore and our programme partners, to support their growth objectives.
Participating companies will go through the programme in cohorts, each comprising 10 to 15 companies. The programme will be conducted in phases and include activities such as executive business programme with leading IHLs, peer networking, and industry sharing sessions.


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Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry launched the Jobs Transformation Map (JTM) for Retail as a guiding resource to help retail companies plan and ensure that their workforce is equipped with the necessary skill sets to meet evolving business needs.
Following the release of the Retail Industry Transformation Map (ITM) 2025 in October last year, Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) collaborated with the Ministry of Manpower to create the JTM, which was supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG).
Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), in collaboration with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), has been designated as a programme partner for the Jobs Skills Integrator for Retail (JSIT-R).
The JSIT-R is a dedicated intermediary that offers retailers end-to-end solutions for workforce transformation, staff training, and job matching services. When engaging with retailers, the JSIT-R will consult the JTM.
Retail trade associations and chambers (TACs) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SNEF and NTUC to demonstrate their support for the JSIT-R and the implementation of the JTM. TACs are committed to reaching out to and collaborating with over 1,100 member companies and other retailers to accelerate employment transformation for their workforce of about 94,000 employees.
To ensure that the Retail sector can continue to attract and retain talent while also creating quality jobs, a study was conducted to identify future industry trends as well as anticipate how future job roles and required skill sets must change to create new opportunities and meet evolving business needs.
Four major trends and opportunities have been identified:
- Shifts in consumer needs as a result of changes in lifestyle, preferences, and awareness;
- Emergence of new retail models (e.g., omnichannel, customer-centric retail experience, and innovative business model) that enable enhanced brand and shopping experiences;
- Using data analytics and improvements in retail technology to increase productivity and efficiency;
- Create a resilient and agile supply chain to improve inventory management and enable more fulfilling alternatives in an increasingly complicated and turbulent supply chain environment.
The JTM analysis highlighted existing work roles that are likely to change somewhat or significantly, such as sales associates and store managers. Changes such as new technology and shifting consumer needs will transform these jobs.
A fundamental recommendation in the JTM report for adapting to these trends and technology improvements is to transform the workforce through human capital development programmes that include training, job redesign, and skills-based career progression pathways.
Such efforts would allow employees to focus on more value-added work and plan their evolution, which would help the growth of businesses.
Some emerging job roles include Sustainability Specialist, Product Innovator, Customer Experience Manager, Customer Intelligence Analyst, Omni-channel Manager, Digital Marketer, Digital Transformation Manager, UI/UX Designer and Full Stack Developer.
Further, retailers can stay competitive in a continuously changing industry by utilising data analytics and developments in retail technology. It helps them to provide personalised experiences, optimise operations, and boost customer satisfaction, resulting in higher profitability and long-term success.
The utilisation of data analytics and improvements in retail technology is critical for merchants looking to increase productivity and efficiency. Retailers can obtain important insights into customer behaviour, preferences, and market trends by leveraging the power of data analytics.
This data enables them to make data-driven decisions, improve inventory management, personalise marketing efforts, and improve overall operational efficiency.
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A*STAR, in collaboration with a local F&B-centric robotics and automation SME, has developed a joint research and innovation initiative to foster innovation in robotic platforms for the Food Services industry.
This programme will combine both parties’ Advanced Remanufacturing and Technology Centre’s (ARTC) skills to develop solutions that incorporate Food and Beverage (F&B) domain knowledge, as well as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and automation.
The F&B-centric robotics and automation SME and A*STAR’s ARTC will invest S$3.5 million in developing a modular vision platform that can assist robotised operations in F&B by assisting these robots to self-navigate and self-calibrate in dynamic and space-constrained environments such as restaurant kitchens.
The combined effort will also use a digital twin platform to establish a digital representation of the F&B robotic system, allowing for real-time analytics that enables remote monitoring and optimisation of operations, accelerating the deployment of new robotic systems and decreasing operational downtime.
The combined research and innovation project embodies both A*STAR’s and the firm’s desire to leverage mutual capabilities to perform research combining F&B domain expertise, robotics, automation, AI, vision, and digital twin technologies.
The partnership is sure that the technology they produce will assist support and building the digital and automation capabilities of F&B firms. Besides, they believe that this will help Singapore establish itself as a major F&B robotics and automation hub, increase the efficiency of Food Service personnel, and help address the sector’s manpower problem and rising operational expenses.
The collaborative effort intends to create solutions that will enable the Food Services industry to automate operations and boost efficiency, lowering the amount of repetitious and physically demanding work and allowing F&B personnel to focus on higher-value jobs.
A*STAR’s ARTC engages with local enterprises to co-develop breakthrough technologies and co-innovate industry solutions to seize new growth possibilities locally and worldwide, according to Dr David Low, CEO of A*STAR’s ARTC.
He added that such public-private collaborations are critical in bringing complementary expertise together to address problem statements and increase productivity and efficiency in the Fast-Moving Food Services industry and beyond.
The Food Services business is set to expand and evolve further. Digitalisation and automation are critical to assisting F&B businesses in thriving and overcoming obstacles such as a labour shortage.
This collaboration will develop solutions to assist F&B enterprises in optimising their operations. They anticipate more similar cooperation between innovation and IT ecosystem partners to boost F&B company growth.
Drive innovation is critical for the food services industry because it has the potential to revolutionise operations and address significant concerns. Innovation serves as fuel for growth and sustainability in an era characterised by technical advancements and shifting consumer expectations.
Automation streamlines operations and reduces reliance on manual labour. Tasks such as food preparation, cooking, and serving can be carried out more efficiently by adding robotics, AI, and automation technology, resulting in higher productivity and lower operational expenses.
Improved consumer experiences are made possible by innovation. From self-ordering kiosks and smartphone apps to personalised recommendations and delivery drones, technology advancements improve consumer convenience, speed, and personalisation. This results in increased client happiness and loyalty, which ultimately drives corporate success.
It is also critical in addressing labour shortages. With rising labour costs and a diminishing workforce, automation and robotics provide options to fill the gaps, allowing food service enterprises to remain efficient and successful.
In addition, food service industry innovation can reduce environmental effects. Through innovative technologies, sustainable practices such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, and eco-friendly packaging solutions can be integrated, leading to a greener and more socially responsible industry.
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The Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) and a major cloud computing company have announced the launch of the Artificial Intelligence Government Cloud Cluster (AGCC), a comprehensive platform designed to accelerate AI adoption in Singapore’s public sector, advance local applied AI research efforts and support the growth of the local AI startup ecosystem.
The AGCC has been implemented by SNDGO and the cloud tech company for usage by Singapore’s government agencies and the research, innovation, and enterprise (RIE) ecosystem. The AGCC is hosted in Singapore in a specialised cloud computing environment.
Agencies can use the AGCC to build and deploy scalable and impactful AI applications rapidly, safely, ethically, and cost-effectively by leveraging an AI technology stack and a vast partner ecosystem of software-as-a-service firms, consultancies, and AI startups. AI technology stack capabilities include:
First, an AI-optimised infrastructure. High-performance A2 supercomputers powered by NVIDIA’s A100 GPUs and hosted in an open, scalable, secure, and energy-efficient infrastructure. This enables cloud developers to train computationally complex AI models at fast speeds while minimising costs and environmental impact.
Customisable first-party, third-party, and open-source AI models follow. A central repository enabling AI practitioners to access pre-trained generative AI models, with built-in features to assist users in customising these models for specific requirements.
The repository contains a wide range of first-party, third-party, and open-source models designed for certain needs. These include models for summarising and translating text in different languages, sustaining an ongoing discussion, converting audio to text, producing, and modifying software code, and generating and repairing written descriptions.
International AI businesses interested in making their foundation models available to Singapore government departments can collaborate with the Cloud computing company to store these models in the repository.
Another category is no-code AI development tools. A Generative AI App Builder enabling developers (especially those with limited technical expertise) to swiftly construct and seamlessly embed chatbots and enterprise search experiences driven by Cloud’s generative AI models.
Finally, there are explainable AI and data governance toolkits. A set of built-in technologies that can assist government agencies in using AI in a secure and responsible manner. This includes features for access control and content moderation, as well as novel mechanisms for incorporating human feedback to improve model performance and the ability to audit the sources of AI model outputs to detect and resolve potential bias and ensure that model behaviour is compliant with regulations.
The Government Technology Agency (GovTech) is Singapore’s first public-sector organisation to use the AGCC. Its Open Government Products (OGP) team has integrated with Vertex AI and is investigating the use of its models in Pair, which are large language model-powered assistants that civil servants can use to help them boost productivity while maintaining the confidentiality of government information.
To help government agencies deploy AI applications as effectively and responsibly as possible, the Cloud tech company will collaborate with GovTech to design and run whole-of-government Digital Academy programmes that will assist agencies in developing in-house data science and AI expertise, developing AI innovation strategies, and implementing data governance best practices.
The programmes will be delivered in a variety of specialised formats to 150,000 public servants from 16 ministries and over 50 statutory boards.
Government agencies in Singapore will be able to use the AGCC and other authorised services through the Government on Commercial Cloud (GCC) 2.0 platform beginning in June 2023. The GCC platform, developed by GovTech, offers agencies a standardised and regulated means to implement commercial cloud solutions.
GCC 2.0, the platform’s second generation, is integrated with cloud-native capabilities and cloud security practices, enabling agencies to access into a larger ecosystem of services and people to accelerate the development of new digital applications.
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According to Masagos Zulkifli, Second Minister for Health at the recently concluded 8th Advance Care Planning International Conference, person-centred care includes prioritising the patient’s choices and involving the patient and their family in care decisions. As a result, advance care planning (ACP) allows individuals to communicate their enhanced healthcare preferences.
ACP has been adopted in Singapore under the Advance Medical Directive Act and the Mental Capacity Act. Over 35,000 Singaporeans have completed their plans under the “Living Matters” programme, which promotes ACP.
In the future, the Ministry of Health hopes to raise awareness and acceptance of ACP, which has earned global prominence for aligning care with individual beliefs.
Minister Masagos noted that three issues must be overcome to promote the wider adoption of ACP. To begin, Singapore’s traditional society requires a mindset shift to normalise dialogues about death and dying, particularly among the elderly.
Second, additional facilitators, particularly trustworthy doctors, should be included to effectively engage the community. Finally, the present ACP facilitation approach requires an improved structure that can accommodate a larger group without losing quality.
In addition, technology should be used to reach out to digitally literate populations and increase scalability. Overcoming these obstacles will allow ACP to gain wider support and implementation in Singapore.
The Ministry of Health hopes to improve accessibility and ease in the ACP process as Singapore embraces technology. Individuals can now complete their ACP autonomously, without the necessity for in-depth talks with facilitators, thanks to the use of digital technologies, especially for those who are generally healthy.
This transition to digital solutions tackles the scalability and resource intensity issues that have plagued traditional ACP facilitation. It also serves a growing generation of digitally literate consumers who want more control over their healthcare decisions.
The ACP community must work with the healthcare system’s continuing improvements, particularly the Healthier SG project, which emphasises preventive care. Key shifts are required to enhance ACP knowledge and implementation.
Also, a societal mindset shift is required, which includes outreach, providing ACP outside of clinical settings, and establishing a statewide Pre-Planning Campaign. Roadshows, workshops, and a digital campaign on the My Legacy site will be part of this effort.
Individuals can use this gateway to get extensive information about ACP, start conversations, and make informed decisions about their life preferences. These programmes not only empower individuals but also promote early planning, ensuring that their values and priorities fit with their care goals.
Individuals and their families will benefit from these efforts, which aim to stimulate talks and early planning for end-of-life care. It is critical to begin these discussions and make the appropriate arrangements, including as purchasing insurance and establishing a durable power of attorney and wills.
Two critical shifts must occur for ACP to be widely adopted. First, healthcare personnel should be encouraged to incorporate ACP dialogues into routine treatment, giving them the knowledge and ability to discuss end-of-life planning with their patients.
This involves starting early dialogues with people who have significant illnesses about how to connect their care plans with their values. Second, to improve the ease, the ACP procedure should be digitalised.
While third-party facilitators are still required in some circumstances, digitally savvy persons who are relatively healthy can self-facilitate the broad ACP without in-depth conversations. Citizens can empower themselves to finish the ACP process independently by leveraging technology and digital platforms.
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According to Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, digitalisation plays a pivotal role in achieving a sustainable economy across various industries. He highlighted four dimensions of sustainability, and these are environmental, social, economic, and resilience.
Digitalisation offers ways to lessen the global impact of economic activity in terms of environmental sustainability. Businesses and individuals can adopt sustainable practices, maximise resource use, and reduce waste by utilising digital technologies.
Singapore’s dedication to programmes like the One Million Trees programme exemplifies how digitalisation is incorporated into efforts to preserve the environment. Additionally, digitisation can assist in addressing how climate change is affecting the biosphere and ecosystem of the world, which has an impact on food security and calls for international cooperation.
The effects of digitalisation on social sustainability are substantial. DPM Heng emphasised that technological advancement and innovation will drive future economic growth while the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and digitisation raises concerns about the future of work and skill sets.
He added that adopting digitalisation ensures adaptation to changing technology environments in industries like education, where professors may use AI systems. The development of digital skills and literacy must be encouraged if people are to be able to flourish in a world driven by technology.
Global economic digitisation has significant benefits and the potential for economic sustainability. Businesses now have access to previously inaccessible global markets because of digitisation.
According to DPM Heng, the phrase “unicorn” serves as an example of the possibility for substantial economic growth due to a digital economy. Discussions of ideas like universal basic income come up, underscoring the importance of carefully considering economic sustainability considering the effects of digitalisation.
In addition, the impact of technology on the labour market and the widespread adoption of digitalisation were acknowledged by DPM Heng as significant challenges in the years to come. While Singapore, with its tiny and ageing population, would embrace technological advancements, developing nations with young populations might confront greater difficulties.
The potential for economies to change because of robotics and AI breakthroughs raises concerns about employment loss and other economic changes.
DPM Heng emphasised that digitalisation contributes to the capacity to withstand accelerated change. During times of crisis, financial resources are crucial for sustaining economic growth. Thanks to prudent financial management and accumulated savings, Singapore was able to survive the COVID-19 pandemic without borrowing.
Likewise, social resilience emerged during the pandemic, highlighting the significance of trust, caring, and collective action in times of crisis.
DPM Heng cited that multiple dimensions of a sustainable economy are facilitated by digitalisation. It provides solutions to environmental problems, transforms the future of employment and skills, presents economic opportunities, and challenges, and strengthens resilience.
He furthered that to ensure a sustainable future, societies embrace digitalisation, promote digital literacy, and adapt to an ever-changing technological landscape, all while resolving the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability.
Also, utilising digitalisation is essential for Singapore to create an economy that can withstand and adapt to the challenges of a world that is rapidly changing. By embracing technological advances and innovation, Singapore harnesses the power of digitalisation to generate sustainable economic growth and ensure long-term economic stability.
Utilising data-driven insights, implementing agile strategies, and fostering a culture of innovation, digitalisation enables the nation to strengthen its resilience. By leveraging digitalisation, Singapore is poised to flourish in a constantly shifting economic environment while promoting sustainability and resiliency.
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Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong recently participated in the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) Meeting in Detroit, Michigan. With the theme “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All,” the APEC MRT meeting was hosted by the U.S., APEC 2023 Chair, and was attended by Trade Ministers and Senior Officials from the 21 APEC economies.
Minister Gan made three suggestions to ensure that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) responds more effectively to the challenges nowadays. First, restoring a fully functioning and effective Dispute Settlement System. Second, updating the WTO’s rulebook to address emerging issues on digital trade and environmental sustainability. Third, improving the WTO’s decision-making process.
In today’s interconnected world, digital trade is critical for facilitating frictionless transactions, improving market access, and supporting economic progress. It increases efficiency, creativity, and global connectivity while decreasing barriers and expenses while environmental sustainability is critical for protecting the planet’s resources and combating climate change.
Hence, countries can achieve a healthy balance between economic development and environmental stewardship by integrating digital trade and environmental sustainability, assuring a profitable and sustainable future for future generations.
In addition, Minister Gan spoke on Singapore’s commitment to transition to a green economy. He highlighted that Singapore remained steadfast in securing greener sources of energy, investing in new technologies, strengthening businesses’ capabilities, and upskilling the workforce. The Minister added that Singapore would continue to look towards new trade architectures, such as Green Economy Agreements, to harness green growth opportunities for the people.
One year, after Leaders launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) in May 2022, Ministers from the 14 IPEF partner countries, announced the substantial conclusion of negotiations on an IPEF Supply Chain Agreement.
This is the first multi-country arrangement to strengthen the resilience and connectivity of supply chains through collective and individual actions. Three coordination bodies will be established to advance cooperation among IPEF countries:
- A Supply Chain Council that will develop sector-specific action plans to strengthen resilience in critical sectors and key goods;
- A Crisis Response Network to facilitate emergency communications and coordination between governments during supply chain disruptions; and
- A tripartite Labour Rights Advisory Board that will help promote labour rights in IPEF countries’ supply chains.
The Ministers also introduced a regional hydrogen initiative to encourage the widespread deployment of low-carbon and renewable hydrogen and its derivatives in the Indo-Pacific region, by drawing upon expertise from both the public and private sectors.
According to Minister Gan, Singapore joins other IPEF partners in welcoming an innovative Supply Chain Agreement that will enhance the individual and collective efforts to strengthen the resilience and connectivity of the supply chains.
This will also put the nation in a stronger place to anticipate and respond to any future disruptions to these supply chains. Singapore looks forward to the early operationalisation of the Agreement, as well as further progress being made on the negotiations on the other IPEF pillars. Singapore welcomes the introduction of the hydrogen initiative among interested IPEF partners, to capitalise on the promise of growth in this area and support the respective green economies.
To support these efforts, Minister Gan announced that Singapore will offer capacity-building programmes on topics relevant to each of the four IPEF pillars, such as trade and business development, supply chain management, clean energy and emission reduction, and anti-corruption.
The programmes are organised by Singapore government agencies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Infocomm Media Development Agency (IMDA), Maritime Port Authority (MPA), Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), Tax Academy, and the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), as well as with other IPEF partners like Japan.
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Digital innovation empowers ageing individuals by promoting better health management, social engagement, cognitive stimulation, safety, and access to resources, ultimately improving their overall quality of life.
While ageing is frequently accompanied by a deterioration in functional mobility, loss of muscle strength, and an increase in body fat, this trend could be reversed thanks to a novel magnetic muscle therapy developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
Weekly exposure to very low levels of proprietary pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) using the BIXEPS device invented by NUS researchers in 2019 is associated with significant improvements in mobility and body composition after 12 weeks, particularly in older people, according to a recent community study conducted in Singapore involving 101 participants aged 38 to 91 years old. After three months of magnetic muscle therapy, participants reported reduced pain perception.
Associate Professor Alfredo Franco-Obregón, who led the research team and is a Principal Investigator with NUS iHealthtech and co-founder of QuantumTX, says that the BIXEPS device uses a specific magnetic signature to target the muscles in a user’s leg and create metabolic activity in the cells, just like when a person exercises.
Studies from the past showed that when magnetic muscle treatment was used on one leg after knee surgery, the whole body’s metabolism improved. This was mostly seen as changes in the blood lipid profiles. That is, the effect went beyond just the leg that was treated and led to changes throughout the whole body.
After eight weeks of treatment, 72% of individuals reported improved skeletal muscle maintenance along with reductions in total and visceral fats, with 85% of subjects reporting improvements in functional mobility after 12 weeks, most notably among the elderly.
These encouraging findings suggest that this PEMF-based technology could be a beneficial adjunct to traditional geriatric therapies aimed at lowering the prevalence of frailty and metabolic diseases in the elderly population.
Importantly, visceral fat is an inflammatory fat that has been linked to a variety of metabolic diseases, including diabetes. Previous research has found that people in Southeast Asia retain visceral fat more persistently than persons in other regions of the world, despite exercise.
As a result, people in Southeast Asia get diabetes at a lower BMI than persons of other ethnicities. This has created a significant challenge for the Southeast Asian health business. Researchers finally have a solution to this local healthcare dilemma in the form of magnetic field therapy.
Based on the promising findings of the community study, the team has collaborated with research groups in the United States and Hong Kong to perform randomised controlled clinical studies to further validate the advantages of frailty across various ageing groups.
Since 2022, the team has also begun a senior-focused study with 200 elders across four Singapore community care centres to assess how the technology can improve function and ease chronic problems. This research is projected to be completed in 2023.
Real-world pilot data from current community programmes have also shown promise of improved HbA1c control – the most common measure for diabetes progression – after beginning weekly BIXEPS sessions.
The research team is currently collaborating with the Singapore General Hospital to perform a clinical trial to evaluate further the therapeutic potential of PEMF-based therapies for diabetes progression management.