FAQs

The Open Innovation Network (OIN) is set up by Enterprise Singapore and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to provide a single gateway to the open innovation ecosystem in Singapore.

Learn more on our About OIN page.

As the national gateway to open innovation in Singapore, the Open Innovation Network (OIN) features challenges, resources, news, events and more, to encourage users to join the local open innovation ecosystem.

A full list of the OIN’s features are as follows:

1. Directory of open innovation challenges

• The page features ongoing and past Singapore-related open innovation challenges. The filter button can be used to find industry-specific challenges.

2. Share your innovation challenge

• For Challenge Owners or organisers that want to feature their challenge on the OIN.

3. List of success stories

• Features successful open innovation stories across different industries.

4. List of resources

• Features available resources for companies throughout their open innovation journey.

5. News and events page

• A compilation of the latest open innovation news and events in Singapore.

6. OIN Alerts

• Stay updated on the latest open innovation news, events, challenges, and stories in Singapore through the OIN Alerts - customised to your interests.

7. About OIN

• Learn more about open innovation, the background of the OIN and our National Innovation Challenges.

8. Our network

• The OIN's list of partners and intermediaries.

Open Innovation Network (OIN), which was jointly launched by ESG and IMDA in 2019, is the national gateway to the open innovation ecosystem in Singapore. OIN aggregates ongoing open innovation challenges mainly in Singapore, such as IMDA’s digital-centric Open Innovation Platform, ESG’s Southeast Asia Open Innovation Challenges (SEAOIC), and more, and features them on the single platform. Through OIN, users will be re-directed to the host’s open innovation challenge site, where they can find more information about each specific innovation challenge and how they can participate.

Open Innovation Platform (OIP) is one of these challenges, led by IMDA. It is a virtual crowd-sourcing platform that focuses on digital-centric innovation opportunities for Solvers to innovate and develop digital solutions for challenge owners.

The current solver pool on the OIN comprises diverse expertise from companies (primarily startups and small and medium-sized enterprises), Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), Research Institutes (RIs) from within and beyond Singapore. Areas of expertise include domain areas such as Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), Blockchain, Immersive Media, Cybersecurity, Robotics, Automation, and applied to areas such as Healthcare and Biomedical, Transport and Logistics, Construction and Building, etc. You may refer to the success stories from some of the selected Solvers here.

We are open to listing overseas open innovation challenges on the OIN if the challenges provide Solvers, including Singapore-based companies, with clear opportunities to develop innovative solutions to solve challenge statements in other markets, especially if there are key events/activities in Singapore or having Singapore as a priority market.

Open innovation is a way to access ideas and resources from a greater pool of talent, and accelerate the development of viable solutions.

Companies are increasingly developing new or better products/processes in the face of increasing global competition and the need to maintain/grow profit margins.

However, as companies embark on innovation initiatives, they are often faced with increasing complexity, growing uncertainties, ever-shortening product life cycles, and rapid technological change.

Success in new innovative products/processes includes creativity, speed to market and specialist knowledge. Companies realise that they no longer need to depend solely on their own R&D. It requires opening up of their innovation processes in order to tap on experts and talents outside of their companies for new ideas, technologies, and competencies.

A Challenge Owner can be any company or organisation looking for innovative solutions to solve its challenge statements. Typically Challenge Owners could range from large corporates, government agencies, to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Challenge Owners should be prepared to devote time and resources to the process, as open innovation requires an equal commitment from both Challenge Owners and Solvers.

For more on the suggested roles and responsibilities of Challenge Owners, click here.

Solvers can be any enterprise interested in developing a scalable solution that addresses the Challenge Owners' challenge statement. Solvers should also commit and adhere to the challenge and project timelines, especially for milestone deliverables.

For more on the typical roles and responsibilities of Solvers, click here.

We encourage Challenge Owners to clearly state their challenge statements and requirements as part of the challenge. Challenge Owners may also find it useful to conduct a briefing session or have an open channel to address queries and communicate expectations directly to potential Solvers.

Solvers should reach out directly to the Challenge Owners for any clarifications as most of the open innovation challenges are driven by the industry.

The distribution of IP rights depends on the arrangement and agreement between the Challenge Owner and Solver.

Challenge Owners can indicate their preferred IP arrangement for their specific challenge and agree on the IP arrangement with the Solver upfront. Otherwise, the default IP ownership should be based on inventorship. Solvers usually prefer to own the IP to proliferate the solution developed to a wider segment of the industry, which can lower cost of the solution and create a bigger impact to the industry. For public research performers, all IP howsoever arising from the project typically, at the first instance, will be the property of the institutions in such proportions as they may determine.

Gain competitive advantage (Make an impact)

• An open innovation community can give companies a competitive advantage. This is especially important in challenging economic times. Challenge Owners could enhance their competitive advantages from differentiation in their product and processes and generate new revenue streams from new markets and/or new business created.

Lower R&D costs and minimise innovation risks (Divide the risks)

• Today’s business must invest proportionally more in R&D than companies of earlier generations did, just to achieve the same level of results. However, risk always accompanies innovation. Open innovation allows companies to expand the breadth of ideas, opportunities, and know-how while minimising the technical and market risks associated with innovation.

Gain access to external talents and expertise (Access talent and resources + Expand your network)

• Open innovation acts as a bridge between various communities and networks, exposing organisations to a more diverse set of ideas and concepts from different people. Drawing on the ideas of external partners like startups, individuals, or universities and research organisations could cost less, while opening your company to new ideas.

Faster time-to-market (Accelerate your solutions)

• Open innovation accelerates time-to-market because many tasks can be done in parallel, by multiple organisations. As a result, improvements on old products and innovative new products can make it to market faster, so ROI can be captured sooner.

A summarised video on why you should consider open innovation can be viewed here.

Some typical roles and responsibilities of Challenge Owners include:

Scoping pain points into challenge statements

• Identify and prioritise the problems that need to be solved based on: 
  • Urgency to solve the problem
  • Importance/Impact of the project
  • Uniqueness of the solution

• Scope and refine challenge statements, working closely with business units in charge of implementing the solution.

• Seek management buy-in and their agreement to roll out the future completed solution.

• If there is an open innovation intermediary appointed for the challenge, work closely with them to launch the challenge.

• Conduct a challenge statement briefing and handle queries from interested Solvers, and conduct site visits if necessary.

• If applicable, consider putting up incentives (financial and non-financial) as an award for the challenge to be solved.

Evaluate proposals 

• In a timely manner, evaluate the proposals submitted and select the winning proposals.

Co-develop and test-bed solutions

• Be willing to devote resources to co-develop the solution by sharing user/domain knowledge, guiding and project managing the Solver, and providing test facilities to validate the product.
• Be mindful to collaborate with Solvers as co-innovation partners and not contractors.
  

For those new to open innovation, the Getting Started page provides an example of one of the ways open innovation could work, and how new Challenge Owners and Solvers can prepare for open innovation.

If you are interested in featuring your challenge on the OIN, please fill up the form here. Depending on the requirements and readiness of your challenge, the team will get in touch if there are synergies on OIN. 
You may wish to refer to our Innovation Challenges page to view some of the past challenges that were featured on OIN.

We do not require payment to feature open innovation challenges on the OIN. However, we encourage Challenge Owners to set aside developmental budget for prototypes with shortlisted Solvers.  

If you are interested in featuring your challenge on the OIN, please fill up the form here. Depending on the requirements and readiness of your challenge, the team will get in touch if there are synergies on OIN. 
You may wish to refer to the Innovation Challenges page to view some of the past and present challenges featured on OIN.

OIN hopes to encourage enterprises to innovate and grow through open innovation. 
Hence, we are interested in demand or market-driven challenges that provide either pilot trials or co-development/test-bedding opportunities with other corporates, with the goal of commercial adoption. Featured challenges on OIN generally require the awarded winners to conduct their R&D in Singapore as well.

If you are interested in featuring your challenge on the OIN, please fill up the form here. Depending on the requirements and readiness of your challenge, the team will get in touch if there are synergies on OIN. 
You may wish to refer to our Innovation Challenges page to view some of the past challenges that were featured on OIN.

Please click here to find the list of resources that are applicable to those interested in launching an innovation challenge. 

You may also refer here to the list of OI intermediaries that provide open innovation services.

There is no limit to the number of challenges or challenge statements you can submit.

Ensure value creation and market fit during product development

• Through open innovation, Solvers have visibility of real business needs articulated from the Challenge Owner. There may also be opportunities for the Challenge Owner to validate and test your solution, becoming your first reference customer. Working with Challenge Owners ensure greater market fit and acceptance and reduces the risk of developing something that is not commercially relevant.

Build capabilities and credibility by partnering experienced reference customers

• There are opportunities to work closely with the Challenge Owners to tap their domain knowledge, gain valuable user feedback and guidance, access facilities for testing which may otherwise not be open to others, and co-develop solutions with what the customer wants.

Broaden the business segment or application of products

• This includes the chance to get into a new business segment, access to new markets, and the acquisition of new customers with the innovative solutions developed during the open innovation challenge.

For eligible companies and projects, receive funding support

• Receive funding support to help defray part of the developmental risks. 

*Please note that not all Challenge Owners will offer funding support. It is also important to check the eligibility criteria (if any) for the challenges that do offer monetary support. Solvers are encouraged not to be fully dependent on external funding support to embark on open innovation projects.

To see how some Solvers have worked together and benefited through open innovation, check out the OIN’s success stories page. 

Some suggested roles and responsibilities of Solvers include:

Participating in an open innovation challenge

• Understand the terms and conditions of the challenge.
• Be committed to challenge and project timelines, especially for milestone deliverables. Solvers should inform Challenge Owners at the earliest possible time if there are expected delays.

Pitching your solution to Challenge Owners

• Solvers should be prepared and open to share and pitch their solutions for Challenge Owners to evaluate and select proposals that meet their business needs. 
• Ensure that confidential information and IP rights are protected, while promoting knowledge sharing and information exchange with the Challenge Owners. In some cases, it may require the signing of NDAs.
• Understand that the challenge organiser and the Challenge Owner’s decisions, with regards to the challenge are final and no disputes will be entertained.

Co-develop and test-bed solutions

• Depending on the challenge, funding support may only be provided to eligible companies and qualifying projects. Solvers are encouraged not to be fully dependent on external funding support to embark on the project.
• Solvers should be prepared to scope pilots and validate the proof of concept with the Challenge Owners.

Explore opportunities on the Open Innovation Network (OIN)

• For those new to open innovation, the Getting Started page provides an example of one of the ways open innovation could work, and how new Challenge Owners and Solvers can prepare for open innovation.
• Explore the ongoing challenges on the Open Innovation Network and look out for challenge statements that may fit your area of expertise.
• Register your areas of interest on the OIN Alerts and receive customised and up to date open innovation challenges, news and other open innovation articles.

Preparing to participate in an open innovation challenge

• Check the challenge guidelines to ensure participation eligibility. Some challenges may only be open to Singaporean companies, whilst others may be focused on start-ups, or Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Partnering with others for an open innovation challenge

• If you are unable to fully address the solution, consider collaborating with partners to propose the complete solution.
  • Consider working with researchers in the universities or research organisations where more specialised, cutting-edge technologies are available.
  • If you are looking for partners in specific areas and to explore collaboration opportunities, you may wish to visit our resources page where we have listed some programmes that seek to facilitate collaboration.
  • When matched, be mindful to resolve and agree early, any IP licensing or rights issues, and collaboration issues with partners.

Submitting your proposed solution

• Ensure your proposed solution addresses the challenge statement, as proposals that address the challenge statement directly usually stand a higher chance of being shortlisted.
  • If you are interested in some factors you can consider when assessing how your solution may stand out, click here.
• Follow the proposal submission instructions included in the challenge and submit your proposal before the call closes.

Below is a table that may help in assessing your proposed solution’s strengths and suitability in answering the Challenge Owner’s challenge statement. 

The National Innovation Challenges (NICs) announced by DPM during the Fortitude Budget (with the first round rolled out by Enterprise Singapore, IMDA and NRF on 22 Jul 2020) aims to accelerate innovation efforts and help enterprises develop solutions to overcome mid- to longer-term sectoral challenges and emerge stronger in the post-COVID world. The NICs will run on an accelerated cycle from prototype to deployment, with the three agencies involved providing support to drive adoption of solutions, including funding. Solution development will be industry-led, and collaboration with public researchers will be encouraged to augment the innovative capabilities of enterprises.

Compared to existing open innovation challenges, the NICs rolled out from 22 July 2020 will be targeting challenge statements with economy-wide and industry-wide impact.

The NICs builds on existing innovation efforts, such as Enterprise Singapore’s open innovation challenges, government-led innovation challenges, and IMDA’s Open Innovation Platform (OIP).

Starting from July 2020, the NICs will be launched throughout the year when challenge statements with economy-wide and industry-wide impact are identified. 

The first seven National Innovation Challenge statements were launched on 22 July 2020, spanning the transport, logistics, built environment, MICE, arts & culture and maritime sectors. You can use the filter to find all previous and current National Innovation Challenges and challenge statements here. 

While we aim to accelerate the solution to market, we are aware that solutions for different challenges operate on different timelines. For example, digital solutions that are more software based may take less than 6 months to be developed, while a robotics solution with AI might take more than a year to be ready for commercial use.

A total of S$40 million will be set aside for the NICs. Each challenge is allocated up to S$2 million, from prototype, deployment to adoption. Public research performers will receive up to 100% funding for prototype and deployment phase, while qualifying enterprises will receive a co-funding of up to 70% for the three phases. More significantly, NICs also offer commercial opportunities for Solvers. Challenge Owners (or their commercial partners) are potential first clients of Solvers and can receive ESG’s or IMDA’s support for adoption. Commercial contracts with adopters will form good customer references for other clients facing similar challenges, locally or globally.

The challenge statements can be accessed on the Open Innovation Network's Innovation Challenges page.

You may use the filter function, clicking on Others - National Innovation Challenges, to see all past and ongoing NICs and their challenge statements.