Life Sciences & Health

© Hans Roggen

Similar to the Netherlands, Singapore faces the challenge of an ageing population, a growing disease burden for cancers, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, and expected growth in public health expenditure. Shared challenges, as well as a flourishing MedTech startup- and research ecosystem, a high digitalisation degree and high quality hospitals and research facilities, make the two countries suitable partners to share best practices and start R&D pilots together.

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Singapore / Netherlands Digital Health Week

The Netherlands Innovation Network Singapore has begun exploring R&D niches between Singapore and the Netherlands, as the market for trade is highly competitive. The first SG / NL Digital Health week comprised of four expert sessions focusing on Health Data Infrastructure & Governance, Prevention & Living with chronic disease, Dementia and Medical Imaging & Devices. Based on the insights gained from these sessions, next steps will focus on lowering the boundaries for future R&D cooperation. These steps include exploring a pilot for securely sharing and modeling health data cross-border, innovations for preventing and managing diabetes, research on early diagnostic tooling for dementia and field labs and medical imaging R&D.

Innovation matters podcast episodes

Image: ©Innovation Matters
The Netherlands and Singapore both see digitalization, and use of data science specifically, as playing a pivotal role in achieving a future-proof healthcare system that is effective and efficient. Two podcast episodes have been recorded with the research team behind SELENA+ - one of Singapore’s National AI projects to diagnose diabetic retinopathy  - to better understand their research experience as well as clinical practice in developing and deploying AI solutions for the Singaporean healthcare system. Give the podcasts a listen: AI & Health and Medical Data.

Singapore as a gateway to Southeast Asia

Twente-based high-end technology supplier DEMCON’s move to open a subsidiary office in Singapore in 2019 was a logical choice, as the company already had many customers in the region before. The office in Singapore would function as a gateway to Southeast Asia for business development and to provide engineering services to the MedTech and other hightech industries.

Sioux Technologies is another high-end innovative technology partner with office in Singapore. Their 700 specialists can be hired to support R&D activities or act as the R&D and production department of clients. It has developed and produces advanced medical systems for major multinationals, medium-sized and small companies.

Royal Philips established the Digital and Computational Pathology Center of Excellence together with Singapore General Hospital (SGH). Located within SGH’s Division of Pathology, one of the largest pathology laboratories in ASEAN, the Center aims to establish ASEAN’s first fully digitized histopathology laboratories.