Centre of CCK Campus Enabling and energizing growth of SMEs through innovation One stop dedicated centre of technology within the CCK campus to support SMEs in product & process research, development and test- bedding of technologies Core technology development team with extended team from lecturers from the School of Business, Engineering & Electronics and IT to partner the industry

Assistive & Rehab Technology Hospitality Innovations Elderly Handicap Rehab Therapy F&B Hotel & Resort Retail Tourism Core Competencies Business & Process Innovation Process Automation Business Excellence Automation ITE R&D Teams Technology Partners Centre of Technology

PROJECT FUNDING CW ITE College West TDC has identified some Government Policies and Grants, targeted at the education sector as well as the commercial sector, to stimulate and encourage relevant industrial collaboration within the local industry. Relevant Schools/TDC can utilize the various schemes and work with the stakeholders to provide value added services in the areas that we specialize in for our industry partners and other SMEs: – Educational: IP/SIR/TIF/NRF – Commercial: Productivity Assistance schemes

Social Innovation Research Fund (SIR) Application will officially open on 3 Jan 12. The Tote Board has set aside $1.5 million per year for three years (from FY 2010 to FY2012). The purpose of the SIR Fund is to provide seed funding for research and development work to be carried out in the areas of social service and social environment by lecturers and students of the five polytechnics and ITEs. Research projects qualifying under the SIR Fund means studies, prototyping and developmental work. It extends all the way to the proof-of-concept stage and can potentially include limited trials and pilots. It does not include implementation and rollout for which other funding can be available after successful research and development. The scope of the research project must be in an area of social service or the environment. Social service includes models, technologies, programmes, etc that help vulnerable communities (e.g. elderly and disabled) or deal with specific social issues (e.g. intergenerational bonding, interreligious harmony). Environment includes sustainable practices, issues related to climate change, improvement of living and health conditions of the community, etc.

Social Innovation Research Fund (SIR) Projects that can be funded under SIR are as follows: Social Service Projects – Criteria – 1.Technologies created must be low cost, attractive and appropriate for the underprivileged e.g. the elderly and disabled. – 2.Technologies / programmes must assist the underprivileged to be independent and to promote social interaction. – 3.Projects should include plans to present findings to the communities. – 4.Technologies / programmes must be cost effective and able to be easily transferred to the wider community. – Examples – A comprehensive monitoring and alert system to ensure the safety of senior citizens staying at home alone. – Design and develop wet floor detection and drying device for elderly homes. – Design an innovative wheelchair for the needy. – Create an affordable assistive trans-radial prosthetic device to aid amputees when performing tasks.

Social Innovation Research Fund (SIR) Social Environment Projects – Criteria – 1.Projects should improve the living and health conditions for the community. – 2.Increase awareness of how environmental issues affect quality of life and disposable income. – 3.Make traditional “sustainable” practices relevant to modern lifestyles. – 4.Reach out to all generations and cultural backgrounds. – 5.Projects / programmes should provide the possibility to create income for local communities, based on waste utilisation and/or recycling. – Examples – Programme to educate the public on domestic waste management for a sustainable environment. – Design a grease trap to separate oily waste from culinary water for food courts to reduce smells and pests. – Set up greenery garden for elderly based on modular container system. – Community-based enterprises to collect unwanted handphones, laptops and other electronic wastes which can be sent for precious metal recovery.

Social Innovation Research Fund (SIR) The funding is provided for up to $100,000 per project from the SIR Fund, with co-funding of the same amount by the institution. In other words, each project may receive up to $200,000 of funding. All projects must be led by a lecturer(s) of one of the six institutions, and should also involve students. Additional manpower and expertise (e.g. research assistants) can be contracted to undertake the work. The funding will not cover the lecturer’s salary, but can cover the costs of any additional manpower and out-of- pocket expenses incurred by the lecturers and researchers. This includes allowance for the students. Generally, there is no restriction on the proportion of equipment, consumables and contract work costs. The research projects must be planned to be completed within two years from the start. All projects must start within six months of the award. The key criteria by which projects will be judged for funding are: – The social and/or environmental impact – The innovativeness of the project – The conduct of the project (resources, timelines, risks) – The implementability and likely implementation of the project subsequent to research

Translation and Innovation Funding (TIF) The Translational and Innovation Fund (TIF) grant call is opened to Polytechnics and ITE. And will be managed as a unitary grant (i.e. the TIF) with two modes: (a) general-route (i.e. IF) and (b) translational-route (i.e. TRD) grant. The TIF will give staff an opportunity to embark on larger-scale innovative projects through collaboration with industries. The TIF will provide a maximum grant of $500,000 for each project over two years, to cover EOM, Equipment and OOE. The faculty salary cost will be covered as part of the grant, capped at 25% of the total cost. For Translational-route (ie TRD) grants, another additional objective is to enable translational R&D projects to develop commercial products, systems and applications using intellectual property (IP) from the universities and research institutes.

Translation and Innovation Funding (TIF) The MOE TIF's objectives are to : enable new innovations which will improve or develop new products, processes and systems that generate economic payoffs; enable self-initiated applied research ideas to be developed to the point which demonstrated potential for product development or improvement that could attract industry funding; support the Polytechnics in building up capabilities beyond the few selected niche areas of Centres of Innovation (COIs); and support the Polytechnics' and ITE's partnership with the industry, especially local SMEs, to augment technological capabilities; improve the overall quality of Polytechnic and ITE education by updating and developing staff expertise and providing realistic project work opportunities for students; and enhance the Polytechnics' and ITE's standing as innovative and world-class education institutions. For Translational-route (ie TRD) grants, another additional objective is to: enable translational R&D projects to develop commercial products, systems and applications using intellectual property (IP) from the universities and research institutes. The MOE Translational R&D and Innovation Foundation (MOE TIF) will be officially launching its grant call on 19 Feb 12. Official Closing Date for submission online to MOE TIF is 1 Apr 12. Updated details will be available on the MOE TIF OLGA system once the grant call opens on 19 Feb 12.

The National Research Foundation (NRF) The National Research Foundation (NRF) will be officially launching its 7th Proof-of-Concept (POC) grant call on 2 Jan 12. Official Closing Date for submission online to NRF is 24 Feb 12. Updated details will be available on the NRF website once the grant call opens on 3 Jan 12. The NRF Proof-of-Concept grant scheme provides funding for proof-of-concept development to researchers in the institutions of higher learning (IHLs) so as to facilitate the commercialisation of technologies developed in the IHLs. The NRF POC grant will be awarded through a competitive application process to fund projects which are technically proven and have potential for commercial viability. Applicants awarded the grant will receive up to S$250,000 for their project, which should last no more than one year. Application & Internal Selection by the ITE Innovation Panel The official closing date for submitting online at the NRF website by team leaders is 24 Feb 12.

SPRING Innovation Voucher Scheme The Innovation Voucher Scheme (IVS) connects public Knowledge Institutions (KIs) with SMEs to encourage them to adopt technology to develop their innovative ideas. The SMEs can approach participating KIs (ITE College West is a listed member) via TDC to discuss the scope and viability of the IVS application. The SMEs then applies for the scheme directly to SPRING with their choice of KI. Successful applicants will receive a $5000 innovation voucher to be redeemed at participating KIs for related advice and services to offset their development costs.

Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) In an effort to increase productivity of various industries in the Singapore to cap rising costs of businesses, the Productivity and Innovation Credit (“PIC”) was introduced in the Singapore Budget 2010 and has been enhanced in Budget 2011 to provide tax benefits for investments by businesses in a broad range of activities along the innovation value chain. The tax benefits under PIC will be effective from Years of Assessment (YA) 2011 to YA The six activities along the innovation value chain that will qualify for PIC benefits are: Acquisition or leasing of prescribed automation equipment; Training of employees; Acquisition of Intellectual Property Rights; Registration of patents, trademarks, designs and plant varieties; Research and development activities; and Investment in approved design projects. Under the PIC scheme, all businesses can enjoy deduction/allowances at 400% on up to $400,000 of their expenditure per year on each of the six qualifying activities instead of the 100%/150% tax deduction/allowances under the existing tax rules. Schools/TDC provides consultancy or hardware and/or software solutions (i.e. system design, integration and prototyping) to support the productivity drive through Government endorsed tax incentives.