A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore

What A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore does

A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) is one of the core biomedical research institutes operating under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), a Singapore government statutory board established in 1991 under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. GIS sits within A*STAR's Biomedical Research Council cluster at the Biopolis campus alongside peer institutes including the Bioinformatics Institute (BII), Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), and Infectious Diseases Labs (IDL). Its scientific mandate centers on genomics, bioinformatics, molecular and cell biology, and precision medicine, with particular emphasis on Asian-population-specific research in nutrition, bioimaging, biodevices, and diagnostics. The institute contributes to the National Precision Medicine programme, which is mapping the genomes of 100,000 Singaporeans, and has produced translational assets including novel small-molecule drug candidates such as ETC-159 for colorectal cancer.

A*STAR's broader institutional platform — of which GIS is a wholly-owned operating component — operates a hybrid model funded primarily through Singapore's Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 (RIE2030) national R&D appropriations, supplemented by licensing and IP commercialization, industry co-development projects with multinational corporations (Rolls-Royce, GlobalFoundries, Siemens, Standard Chartered, Chugai), joint labs with local SMEs (S$21M+ committed), and structured programs such as T-Up (talent embedding) and GET-Up (technology upgrading). Its go-to-market motion is relationship-led, relying on direct industry engagement, joint labs, licensing deals, and venture creation through A*StartCentral and the Venture Creation and Growth (VCG) framework. The institute serves four primary customer segments: multinational corporations, local enterprises and SMEs, R&D-driven startups, and other public-sector agencies.

GIS is led by Prof Ng Huck Hui as Executive Director, and the parent A*STAR is governed by a Board chaired by Prof Tan Chorh Chuan with Mr Beh Kian Teik serving as CEO since November 2024. Recent strategic activity has spanned the launch of Asia's first non-GMP mRNA BioFoundry with Wellcome Leap (2024), a $500M biomedical infrastructure refresh commitment, and a pipeline of cross-vertical partnerships in aerospace, semiconductors, financial services, energy, and AI-driven materials. The institution is not commercially revenue-generating and does not have private shareholders; its value proposition is measured in national scientific output, talent development (over 1,800 scholarships awarded since 2001), and economic spillovers through technology transfer rather than commercial sales.

Name

A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore

Legal name

Agency for Science, Technology and Research

Website

https://a-star.edu.sg

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) is a government-backed genomics and biomedical research institute within A*STAR, conducting precision medicine, bioinformatics, and Asian-population genomic research to translate scientific discoveries into national healthcare and industry outcomes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Genomics Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Molecular & Genomic LIMS (NGS/Bioinformatics Lab Ops) (HLACAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Knowledge Management & Scientific Collaboration / Literature Intelligence (HLAGAJAN)

Keywords

• Genomics research services
• Precision medicine programs
• Biomedical translational research
• Technology licensing partnerships
• Scientific talent secondment

Headquarters

HQ city

Singapore

HQ country

Singapore

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding: A*STAR operates as a public sector R&D agency funded primarily through government appropriations, grants from RIE2030 funding initiatives, and industry partnerships
2. Licensing and IP Commercialization: Licensing of breakthrough technologies and intellectual property into market-ready products and services
3. Industry Collaboration Projects: Partnership projects with industry including MNCs and local enterprises for co-development and technology adoption

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) is a public-sector biomedical research institute conducting genomics, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and precision medicine research. It delivers this research through collaborative projects with multinational corporations, local enterprises, and startups, and commercializes outcomes via technology licensing, joint labs, and venture building. Its work feeds into national initiatives such as the National Precision Medicine programme mapping 100,000 Singaporeans and Asia's first non-GMP mRNA BioFoundry.

Product overview

A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) operates as part of A*STAR's broader research ecosystem, which functions as a platform of research institutes and innovation services rather than a single commercial product. The organization offers access to specialized research institutes (including GIS), Innovation & Enterprise services for technology transfer, the T-Up talent programme for industry collaboration, licensing and IP services, the S-SEAF fellowship for regional research collaboration, and the A*GN alumni network. These offerings work together to bridge academia and industry, translating scientific discoveries into commercial applications and economic growth for Singapore.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• S-SEAF (Singapore-Southeast Asia Fellowship): Fellowship programme led by A*STAR in collaboration with PREPARE to strengthen research networks between Singapore and Southeast Asia through talent mobility, knowledge exchange, and collaborative research
• T-Up (Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading)
• GET-Up (Growing Enterprises through Technology Upgrade)
• A*StartCentral (A*SC)
• A*STAR Global Network (A*GN)

Products and services

• Innovation & Enterprise (I&E) Services
• Technology Licensing and IP Commercialization
• T-Up (Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading)
• Singapore-Southeast Asia Fellowship (S-SEAF)

Quantifiable outcome

• National Precision Medicine programme mapping 100,000 Singaporeans for data-driven healthcare
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CuspaicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2026Five-year partnership to accelerate AI-driven materials discovery in Singapore.
• Commonwealth Fusion SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026Collaborative research agreement to advance fusion supply chain capabilities in Singapore.
• Standard CharteredcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Three-year partnership to advance AI-led innovation for financial services through research collaboration.
• Singapore Airlines (SIA) & SIAECcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2026Two joint labs to advance aircraft cabin component manufacturing and AI for enhanced airline operations.
• HalliburtoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Launch of NEX Lab to advance well completion innovation in Singapore.
• GlobalFoundriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2025Collaboration to further research in silicon photonics for the AI era, reinforcing Singapore's role in the global semiconductor value chain.
• Rolls-Royce and SAESLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025A*STAR, Rolls-Royce, and SAESL deepened strategic partnership for aerospace manufacturing and MRO technologies. Phase two of the Smart Manufacturing Joint Lab advancing fan blade production for widebody aircraft worldwide.
• Local SMEs (Advanced Manufacturing)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025Joint investment of over S$21 million in advanced manufacturing joint labs with local SMEs.
• SiemenscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2025Collaboration to advance smart and sustainable manufacturing solutions in Singapore.
• Wellcome LeapcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 November 2024Launched Asia's first non-GMP mRNA BioFoundry to accelerate next-generation vaccines and therapeutics development.
• SingHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 April 2023Partnership to foster healthcare innovations between SingHealth and A*STAR.
• Chugai Pharmabody ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2020Collaboration on therapeutic antibody to fight COVID-19.
• DSOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2019MoU signing on strategic partnership in R&D between DSO and A*STAR.
• Engine BiosciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiotech partnership progressing therapies from discovery into global trials.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Allen Institute: US-based nonprofit research organization conducting large-scale scientific programs in genomics, cell biology, and neuroscience. Comparable as a nonprofit research entity with government/charitable funding, big-science approach, and industry collaboration model.
• The Jackson Laboratory: US-based independent nonprofit biomedical research institute specializing in genetics and genomics, with translational programs for cancer and disease. Comparable as a genetics-focused research entity with industry partnerships and disease-specific research programs.
• Broad Institute: US-based genomics and biomedical research institute affiliated with MIT and Harvard, operating at significantly larger scale. Directly comparable as a premier genomics research entity with academic-industry partnership model and translational focus.
• Wellcome Sanger Institute: UK-based genomics research institute focused on large-scale genomic sequencing, cancer genomics, and infectious disease surveillance. Directly comparable as a leading national genomics research entity with similar government/charitable funding model and translational research mandate.
• BGI Research: China's largest genomics organization with global sequencing operations and proprietary DNBSEQ technology. Comparable as a major Asian-headquartered genomics research entity with translational medicine and population genomics programs.

Broad incumbents

• European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL): Intergovernmental research organization in molecular life sciences with multiple sites across Europe. Comparable as a multi-disciplinary life sciences research consortium with government backing and international research mandate.
• NIH National Human Genome Research Institute: US federal agency leading national genomics research and policy. Comparable as a government-funded genomics research body with national precision medicine programs (e.g., All of Us) and large-scale infrastructure investment.

Others

• Illumina: Global leader in DNA sequencing and array technologies serving genomics research institutes. Comparable as a critical enabling technology provider whose platforms underpin A*STAR GIS's genomic sequencing and bioinformatics capabilities.

Regional players

• Garvan Institute of Medical Research: Australia's leading biomedical research institute with focus on genomics, cancer, and immune disorders. Comparable as a regional genomics research entity with similar academic-industry collaboration model and national precision medicine initiatives.
• RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences: Japan's premier government-backed research institute for medical sciences and immunology. Comparable as a regional Asian genomics/immunology research entity serving a different national market but with similar public-sector funding model and translational orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ChristinaCJS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ASTARsgunline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/astarsg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ASTARsgunline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore