During InnovFest China 2023 in Suzhou, Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President and Chairman of NUSRI China Management Committee, engaged in a hands-on experience with a rehabilitation robot developed by Haobotics Medical Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.
The week-long event was a melting pot of inventive ideas from Singapore and China, bringing together seasoned entrepreneurs and emerging startups to catalyse innovation across a spectrum of sectors from healthcare to artificial intelligence.
InnovFest China 2023, held from 9 to 13 October, marked the first gathering of innovative technology companies from Singapore and China since the COVID-19 pandemic. Jointly organised by NUSRI Suzhou and NUSRI Chongqing, and in close partnership with NUS Enterprise, the event was an international platform for top-tier technology and business exchange, offering entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with potential collaborators, partners, and enterprise customers.
Themed ‘Deep Tech from Lab to Market: Building an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem’, the first leg of the event at Suzhou drew over 500 attendees encompassing entrepreneurs, academics, and government officials from around the world. A plethora of nascent technology startups from diverse sectors showcased their innovations, covering healthcare, sustainability, food technology and artificial intelligence (AI). Among them was Spec. & Mass Guangzhi Testing, a startup from BLOCK71 Suzhou specialising in soil environment testing. Founded by NUS alumna Dr Xu Wei in 2020, the startup provides comprehensive third-party testing services for soil and groundwater pollutants. In 2022, it returned to BLOCK71 Suzhou to further enhance its research and technology translation initiatives.
The stride into immersive medical training is led by VRtist (Suzhou) Information Technology Co. Ltd. VRtist combines extended reality, AI and Web3 to create intelligent surgical systems that offer enhanced surgical training and operational efficiency. Since its incubation at BLOCK71 Suzhou in June 2023, the startup has broadened its horizons into healthcare education, spearheaded by its co-founders Dr Derek Zhang and Alex Dai, with over 40 patents under its belt and recognition as a national high-tech enterprise.
In a similar vein, Haobotics Medical Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd is using robots to address rehabilitation challenges plaguing stroke patients. By merging advanced rehabilitation robots with tailored training programs and real-time assessments, the startup caters to the varied needs of patients from shoulder to ankle, with a particular focus on affordability and accessibility. Supported by a joint investment of CNY17,000,000 from the Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute and Suzhou Industrial Park, Haobotics is led by NUS Professor Yu Haoyong, Dr Han Shuaishuai, Huang Rui, and Chen Yang. Their initiative dovetails with the ‘Healthy China 2030’ blueprint, enhancing healthcare standards in China and beyond.
The Chongqing leg of InnovFest China 2023, themed ‘China-Singapore Cooperation and Industry Upgrade and Innovation’, saw startups in areas such as smart vehicle technology, advanced materials and information technology showcasing their offerings. With over 400 local and international scholars, industry experts and entrepreneurs participating, InnovFest Chongqing buzzed with insightful keynote speeches, engaging discussions, lively networking sessions and exciting technology showcases.
A highlight of InnovFest Chongqing was the signing of 11 projects, reflecting a deepening collaboration between Chongqing and Singapore in talent development and industry-university-research (IUR) innovation.
Among the agreements signed was the establishment of a new technology laboratory by NUS, Changan Auto, and NUSRI Chongqing. This collaborative venture will explore technological innovations, particularly in AI technology, the integration of smart cars with the ICT industry, as well as new energy batteries. By leveraging the strengths of universities and research institutes in the innovation ecosystem, the laboratory aims to address challenges faced by enterprises during the engineering and mass production phases, facilitating a holistic IUR development.
Additionally, the signing ceremony saw NUSRI Chongqing forming a partnership with Chongqing University for talent development. Nine industry-research strategic contracts were also inked with enterprises based in Chongqing, catalysing a robust innovation ecosystem in line with the event’s theme.
InnovFest China 2023 puts a spotlight on the expanding collaboration between Singapore and China, underscoring the crucial role of cross-border partnerships in fuelling innovation and progress and enabling both nations to better navigate the challenges of today’s ever-evolving technological landscape.
