Agency for Science, Technology and Research

What Agency for Science, Technology and Research does

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is a statutory board under the Government of Singapore and the country's lead public sector R&D agency. Founded in 1987 (with its scholarship programme launched in 2001), A*STAR operates 19 research institutes primarily co-located at the Biopolis (biomedical sciences) and Fusionopolis (physical sciences and engineering) campuses in Singapore, supported by a 5,200-strong workforce drawn from over 50 countries. Its R&D spans biomedical capabilities (mRNA therapeutics, precision medicine, computational biology, immunology, drug discovery) and physical sciences & engineering capabilities (advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, quantum photonics, communications, materials, metrology, microelectronics). Notable proprietary assets include Asia's first non-GMP mRNA BioFoundry, the National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Centre (NSTIC) for Gallium Nitride, the Aspire 2B supercomputer with 1,500+ Nvidia H200 GPUs, the Singapore Emission Factors Registry (319 factors), and the open-source Robotics Middleware Framework (RMF) for cross-vendor robot interoperability. Its core technology stack is anchored in deep research infrastructure rather than commercial software products.

A*STAR's revenue model is structurally distinct from a typical commercial enterprise. It is primarily funded through Singapore government appropriations under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) framework, supplemented by industry partnership revenue generated through joint labs (e.g., Halliburton's S$35M NEX Lab, Applied Materials' US$210M research partnership extension), licensing and IP commercialization, and venture creation. Recent infrastructure commitments include a S$500M biomedical infrastructure refresh, a S$500M NSTIC semiconductor fabrication facility (operational by 2027), and an S$800M five-year decarbonisation challenge. The agency serves manufacturing (representing ~20% of Singapore GDP), healthcare and biomedical industry, semiconductors and electronics, aerospace, energy, and financial services sectors through direct enterprise partnerships with multinationals (Microsoft, Google, AWS, Rolls-Royce, Applied Materials, GlobalFoundries, Halliburton, Mindray), government bodies (EDB, Enterprise Singapore, MOH), and deep tech spin-offs (Lucence, Cirrus Therapeutics, Engine Biosciences). Leadership is chaired by Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (Permanent Secretary National R&D) with Mr Beh Kian Teik serving as CEO following the November 2024 transition from Mr Frederick Chew.

Name

Agency for Science, Technology and Research

Legal name

Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

Website

https://a-star.edu.sg

Company type

Public

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

A*STAR is Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency, operating 19 research institutes at Biopolis and Fusionopolis with 5,200+ staff from 50+ countries, advancing biomedical, physical sciences, and engineering research through government funding, industry partnerships, and licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Research and Development

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technology Transfer & Innovation-Driven Research Universities (High Commercialization) (EDAHABAH)

Keywords

• Public sector R&D
• Biomedical research
• Physical sciences engineering
• Technology translation
• Open innovation partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government R&D Funding: A*STAR operates as a public sector R&D agency funded primarily through government appropriations for research, innovation, and enterprise activities that advance economic growth and improve lives for Singapore.
2. Industry Partnership Revenue: Revenue generated through collaborative research partnerships with industry, including joint labs, licensing agreements, and co-development projects with companies across semiconductors, aerospace, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors.
3. Licensing and IP Commercialization: A*STAR commercializes breakthrough technologies and intellectual property through licensing arrangements with businesses, turning scientific research into market-ready solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels15 records

Core offering

A*STAR is Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency that conducts mission-oriented research spanning biomedical sciences and physical sciences/engineering across 19 Research Institutes at Biopolis and Fusionopolis. The agency operates a translational model that bridges academia and industry by running its own research programmes, providing shared research infrastructure (such as the Aspire 2B supercomputer), and commercialising outputs through industry partnerships, joint labs, licensing, and venture building. Core deliverables include collaborative research, joint laboratories, licensing of intellectual property, and the development of spin-off ventures.

Product overview

A*STAR operates as a multi-faceted research ecosystem spanning biomedical sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. The organization does not offer a unified commercial product but rather provides research platforms, facilities, and industry partnerships. Key offerings include the Singapore Integrated Transport & Energy Model (simulation platform for EV charging), Aspire 2B Supercomputer (national research HPC infrastructure), NEX Lab (energy research facility with Halliburton), Robotics Middleware Framework (open-source interoperability platform), and Plastics Passport Program (circularity platform). Research partnerships include photonic quantum computing with Xanadu, fusion energy with Commonwealth Fusion Systems, qubit design with Keysight, and advanced chip packaging. A*STAR also supports spin-off companies including Lucence (liquid biopsy cancer tests) and various deep-tech startups. The ecosystem connects research excellence with industry application across healthcare, semiconductors, AI, sustainability, and manufacturing sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Biomedical Research Council (BMRC): Oversees and coordinates public sector biomedical research and development activities in Singapore
• Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC)
• Innovation & Enterprise (I&E)
• A*STAR Graduate Academy
• A*STAR Global Network
• Singapore-Southeast Asia Fellowship (S-SEAF)

Products and services

• Aspire 2B Supercomputer Singapore's national research supercomputer featuring over 1,500 Nvidia H200 GPUs with computing power equivalent to 120,000 high-end AI laptops, supporting climate modeling, weather forecasting, disease prediction, and multilingual language processing for public researchers.
• Singapore Integrated Transport & Energy Model Simulation model developed by A*STAR's Institute of High Performance Computing to forecast EV charging demand and grid capacity needs across Singapore.

Quantifiable outcome

• Manufacturing sector accounts for ~20% of Singapore's GDP through A*STAR-enabled transformation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers30 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mayo CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026Lucence, an A*STAR spin-off, partnered with Mayo Clinic to expand liquid biopsy cancer screening tests (US FDA approved, Medicare covered) across Southeast Asia and United States. Tests can screen for up to 50 cancer types, currently priced at S$600.
• Bain & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2026Bain & Company report developed in partnership with A*STAR, Enterprise Singapore, JP Morgan, SG Growth Capital, and Singapore EDB projecting India's medtech sector presents $35 billion opportunity by 2030, identifying India as APAC's prominent access-led innovator.
• Applied MaterialscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026Applied Materials opened US$500 million Tampines campus on June 9, 2026, doubling its advanced clean-room capacity, alongside a US$210 million research partnership extension with A*STAR's Institute of Microelectronics focused on advanced chip packaging. This partnership reinforces Singapore's role in the global semiconductor value chain.
• QuantinuumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Singapore launched Aspire 2B supercomputer at NTU featuring over 1,500 Nvidia H200 GPUs, to be linked to Helios quantum computer by Quantinuum by 2026 enabling researchers to solve complex problems beyond either system alone.
• GooglecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026Google and Singapore's Ministry of Digital Development and Information announced expanded National AI Partnership including healthcare AI co-clinician systems with public healthcare institutions and Google DeepMind, AI research training with National Research Foundation, AI-enabled scientific analysis with A*STAR, and AI safety governance frameworks.
• SingHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026MoU between SingHealth and A*STAR's Diagnostics Development Hub to accelerate AI-enabled diagnostic solutions into market-ready products, signed at ATxSummit 2026 SingHealth AI in Health Symposium.
• Standard CharteredcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Standard Chartered and A*STAR launched three-year partnership to advance AI-led innovation for financial services, positioning Singapore as a hub for AI-powered financial technology development.
• Mindray SingaporecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Mindray launched Singapore as strategic regional hub for R&D, talent cultivation, and supply chain capabilities in medical technology, signing strategic partnership agreements with A*STAR, EDB, and NUS to collaborate on medical AI, advanced medical imaging, in-vitro diagnostics, surgical robotics, and cardiovascular disease treatment.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Microsoft is partnering with A*STAR to develop agentic AI solutions for manufacturing under National AI Strategy 2.0, targeting Singapore manufacturers to close the 'frontier gap' through trusted execution of AI deployment.
• Bridge Data CentrescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026Bridge Data Centres exploring alternative energy pathways including nuclear power through partnership with A*STAR IHPC to evaluate nuclear energy as long-term clean power source for AI infrastructure.
• Cirrus TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Multi-million dollar strategic partnership with A*STAR to advance ophthalmic assets, including second pipeline program, as part of Cirrus' expansion into Singapore for Asia-Pacific biopharma market.
• Temasek FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 February 2026The Liveability Challenge 2026 launched with record S$4 million in catalytic funding including contributions from Temasek Foundation, A*STAR, and Enterprise Singapore to support sustainable innovation scaling.
• tesacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026tesa opened Debonding on Demand laboratory in partnership with A*STAR to accelerate development of market-ready adhesive solutions, serving as Asia-Pacific centre of operational best practices for 45-year Singapore operations.
• HalliburtoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2026Halliburton and A*STAR launched the Next-Generation Energy Accelerators Joint Lab (NEX Lab) in Singapore, a S$35 million research, engineering and testing center focused on advancing well-completion technologies and low-carbon energy solutions. Backed by Singapore's Economic Development Board, the initiative bridges early-stage research and field deployment.
• Keysight TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 December 2025Keysight Technologies announced five-year Master Research Collaboration Agreement with A*STAR, NUS Centre for Quantum Technologies, and NTU to advance qubit design, measurement, and control technologies for scalable quantum computing using Keysight's Quantum Control Systems and QuantumPro simulation tools.
• Xanadu Quantum TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025Xanadu Quantum Technologies signed MoU with A*STAR to expand existing photonic quantum computing partnership, adding A*STAR's Institute of High Performance Computing and Quantum Innovation Centre. Focus areas include error mitigation for GKP state generation, quantum light sources, quantum connectivity using integrated photonic chips, and custom ASIC integration, with potential hosting of photonic quantum computers in Singapore.
• Yokogawa Engineering AsiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 November 2025Yokogawa Engineering Asia and A*STAR signed Master Research Collaboration Agreement to jointly develop climate technology solutions and next-generation process manufacturing innovations targeting emissions reduction, operational optimization, and energy efficiency across oil and gas, petrochemical, chemical, and pharmaceutical sectors.
• GlobalfoundriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025A*STAR and Globalfoundries collaboration to further research in silicon photonics for AI era, strengthening Singapore's semiconductor capabilities for AI applications.
• Open Source Robotics Foundation (OSRF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 October 2025A*STAR ARTC and OSRF signed MoU to co-develop best practices, guidelines, and testing plans for RMF using ELEVATE @ BCA Braddell Campus sandbox as reference site, focusing on ecosystem growth through roadmap development and community engagement.
• Security Matters PLC (SMX)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2025A*STAR and SMX announced strategic collaboration to pilot the world's first national Plastics Passport Program using molecular marking technology and blockchain for plastic traceability. Phase 1 will tag and trace over 5,000 tonnes of post-consumer plastic waste in real time, aiming to transform Singapore's 6% plastic recycling rate.
• Singapore Airlines (SIA) and SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Phase 2 collaboration includes two joint labs: one (Sept 2025-2030) for manufacturing larger and more complex aircraft cabin components, and another (Oct 2025-2028) for GenAI-enabled solutions for airline operations and maintenance planning. Phase 1 (2019-2024) produced over 100,000 cabin components locally.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025AWS Professional Services developed Logistics Agent powered by Amazon Bedrock for A*STAR as part of Sectoral AI Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing, reducing manual lookup work by up to 50% and expedite costs by 3-5% of total logistics spend.
• Enterprise SingaporecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 July 2025A*STAR launched Quantum and Semiconductor Scholarships to power Singapore's deep tech future, supporting talent development in quantum and semiconductor fields.
• SiemenscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 July 2025Collaboration to advance smart and sustainable manufacturing solutions, combining Siemens' industrial expertise with A*STAR's research capabilities.
• CuspaicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Five-year partnership to accelerate AI-driven materials discovery in Singapore, combining A*STAR's research capabilities with Cuspai's AI expertise.
• Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2025A*STAR and Commonwealth Fusion Systems signed five-year collaborative research agreement to develop technologies for CFS' ARC fusion power plant, positioning Singapore for early entry into the global fusion energy supply chain. CFS has raised approximately S$3.85 billion from investors including Temasek and Google.
• MojiaBiocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2025Partnership to develop next-generation sustainable biomanufacturing platform in Singapore, advancing Singapore's biomanufacturing capabilities.
• Wellcome LeapcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024Launched Asia's first non-GMP mRNA BioFoundry to accelerate next-generation vaccines and therapeutics, part of broader ecosystem where A*STAR-trained scientists translate science into enterprise.
• Rolls-Royce and SAESLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Phase 2 strategic partnership for aerospace manufacturing and MRO technologies, building on Phase 1 success producing over 100,000 cabin components locally and reducing parts lead time by 30-50%.
• QuantinuumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2024Singapore's National Quantum Office, A*STAR, NUS, and National Supercomputing Centre signed MoU with Quantinuum granting access to H-Series and Helios quantum computers for research collaboration in computational biology including drug discovery and personalised medicine.

Scale indicators20 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Fraunhofer Society: Germany's applied research organisation with 75+ institutes bridging public R&D and industry. Closest global analogue to A*STAR's model of converting public funding into industry partnerships and applied commercial output.
• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO): Australia's national science agency operating across biomedical, industrial, and digital domains with a similar mandate of mission-oriented R&D and industry translation. Comparable in scale and breadth.
• RIKEN: Japan's flagship national research institute with multidisciplinary institutes spanning physical sciences, biology, and computing. Closest Asian state-funded research peer with comparable scale and prestige.
• Max Planck Society: Germany's basic-research organisation with 80+ Max Planck Institutes. Comparable in internationally recognised scientific output and institutional structure, though more focused on basic research than A*STAR's applied mandate.
• National Research Council Canada: Canada's primary national R&D organisation with both research facility and industry collaboration roles. Similar mandate of supporting industrial innovation and technology translation.

Broad incumbents

• Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS): China's premier state research body with 100+ institutes. Larger and broader in scope than A*STAR but operates on the same state-funded, multi-disciplinary R&D model targeting national economic priorities.
• SRI International: US-based nonprofit research institute with multidisciplinary R&D spanning biomedical, physical, and engineering sciences. Operates a similar model of government contracting plus industry partnerships.
• Battelle Memorial Institute: Large US nonprofit that manages national laboratories and conducts applied R&D for government and industry. Comparable in operating national-scale research infrastructure for the public sector.

Regional players

• Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST): South Korea's leading government-funded multidisciplinary research institute. Comparable regional peer focused on applied research and industry partnerships for national economic competitiveness.
• Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI): Taiwan's applied research organisation with deep semiconductor and electronics industry partnerships. Comparable regional peer in translating public R&D into industrial competitiveness, particularly in semiconductors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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• Instagraminstagram.com/astarsg
• TikToktiktok.com/@astarsg
• Xx.com/AstarHQ

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

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M&A

Investments6 records

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Frequently asked questions about Agency for Science, Technology and Research