The Singapore Agri-Food Innovation Lab (SAIL) was launched in November 2021 as a national platform, operated by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in partnership with Enterprise Singapore, to seed partnerships between SAIL’s Corporate Partners, startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research institutes, and institutes of higher learning (IHLs) to drive agri-food innovations.
To ensure business sustainability and enhance food security
To improve crop yield and food quality, climate resilience, pest management
To optimize business practices and drive profitability
To create a circular economy for agri-food
As potential solution providers for our Corporate Partners’ Challenge Statements
To leverage sustainable finance for driving sustainability across agri-food supply chains
To scout for cutting-edge agri-food research which could be translated into applied and commercial solutions
To identify and create opportunities to scale and internationalise high-impact agri-food innovations
To build networks of agri-food tech startups as potential solution providers
To influence and shape regional and global policies, frameworks, and regulations that govern agri-food innovation
If you'd like to discuss collaboration ideas with SAIL
Singapore is a densely populated urban city state with less than 1% of its land dedicated to agriculture. Food produced in Singapore currently accounts for only 10% of the country’s needs. Yet, despite its limited agricultural production capacity, Singapore has a significant footprint on the global agri-food system. Supported by its well-established finance industry and world-leading trade and logistics sector, Singapore currently captures more than 20% of the global market share in agri-commodities trading – a figure that is forecasted to touch 30% by 2025. This is reflected in the fact that Singapore is home to more than 70% of the top agri-commodity trading companies in the world. The trading community in the country has also expanded its presence beyond trading to include other activities such as manufacturing and R&D, generating significant economic benefits in Singapore.
In recent years, Singapore has also sought to expand its domestic food production capacity, leveraging technology and innovation to overcome its inherent disadvantages of small size and lack of natural resources. This ambition has culminated in the government’s ’30 by 30’ target to produce 30% of the country’s nutritional needs locally by 2030. In achieving this, Singapore aims to emerge as a global agri-food tech and innovation hub.
Singapore boasts a strong innovation infrastructure – comprising of research institutes, institutes of higher learning (IHLs), and a forward-looking policy and regulatory environment. This has fostered a vibrant community of innovators and entrepreneurs in the country as well as attracted investors from all around the world to Singapore. In recent years, the country has made significant strides in agri-food innovation, notably in areas of indoor/vertical farming and alternative proteins. Singapore, for instance, is currently the only country where all three kinds of alternative proteins – plant-based, fermentation-enabled, and cultivated – are sold commercially.
This formed the background for the establishment of SAIL in November 2021 as a national platform to drive agri-food innovation. Food security is emerging as a key threat to countries across the world, spurred by the disruptions caused by the ‘3C-s’ of COVID-19, climate change, and conflict. In this context, Singapore is well positioned to provide innovative solutions for transforming agri-food systems to be more sustainable and resilient – leveraging its position as a global trading hub and capitalising on its innovation ecosystem.
To support Singapore’s development as an agri-food tech and innovation hub, SAIL is tasked with building and strengthening partnerships with and between diverse ecosystem actors including startups, SMEs, accelerators, institutes of higher learning (IHLs), research institutes, industry and trade associations, and international and non-governmental organisations active in the agri-food space in Singapore.
International Organisations
Government Agencies
Accelerators
Industry & Trade Associations
NGOs
Consultancies
