How SMEs can benefit from Open Innovation.

Open Innovation (OI) is not just for large multinational corporations; small and medium enterprises also have a lot to gain.

Promising to deliver crispy, tasty food cooked with 80 percent less oil, the AirFryer has found its way onto many a kitchen countertop. Since it was launched by Dutch consumer appliance giant Philips in 2010, air fryers have taken the world by storm, spawning numerous copycats and creating an entirely new class of kitchen gadget.

With increased recognition of the environmental impact and the potential loss in value of the by-products from aquatic wastes, such as frog and fish, which have been traditionally discarded, researchers are increasingly looking at how to recover biomaterials such as collagen and develop them into high value-added products for various applications in the medical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries.

Molecular diagnostics is used to measure and detect the presence of genetic material associated with specific diseases, and applied as a tool by healthcare professionals and patients to improve clinical outcomes and medical decisions. Asia Genomics, a Singapore-based molecular diagnostics company specialising in clinical genomics in areas relating to genetic diseases was seeking to advance its in-house capabilities and know-how particularly in cancer diagnostics.

Dysphagia refers to swallowing difficulty. While it can affect anyone, it is more common in the elderly and patients who have had a stroke. Singapore nutrition SME, Health Food Matters (HFM), was keen to partner a local technology partner to develop texture-modified meals in local flavours so as to meet the growing market demand.

Collaboration can bring about solutions that cannot be produced in-house alone. The real challenge often lies in finding the right partner with the right competencies. Mase International Marketing Services, a leading distributor of cosmetics and toiletries in Asia, had previously found a partner via IPI’s network to develop a novel dye ingredient for a new range of hair dye products that limits hair damage and retains colour for a longer period.

Established in 1976, Mase International Marketing Services started off as a distributor of hair colour products. Over the years, the company has grown to become a leading distributor of cosmetics and toiletries products in Asia. Mase places great emphasis on innovation in Research & Development (R&D) in its hair products and is the only Singapore SME in this field with an R&D facility focusing primarily on hair dyes and hair growth formulations.

VolitionRx Ltd is a Singapore-registered life sciences company that develops novel, early diagnostic tests for cancer and other conditions. Its patented technology is based on the identification and quantification of increased presence of specific nucleosomes that are released into the bloodstream or other bodily fluids, as a result of cell death associated with certain diseases including cancer.

With Singapore’s population, of those 65 years and above, projected to triple from 8% in 2000 to 24% in 2030, developing solutions that enhance the independence and improve the quality of life for the elderly is crucial. InnoPal is a Singapore-based startup company specialising in developing innovative and cost effective healthcare and wellness products and services.

Founded by Glen Hinshaw, Intelligent Mobility Pte Ltd (IM) is a local start-up company incorporated in Singapore with products for healthcare and sports applications. IM’s products include custom insoles, 3D foot scanning, and a new generation of wireless foot pressure and heating monitoring insoles.