SINGAPORE THERAPEUTICS DEVELOPMENT REVIEW (STDR) 2026 (JUL)

STDR 2026 (Jul) Events

Launch of STDR 2026 (Jul) Grant Call

The STDR grant call will be opened for submission of applications starting from 23 Jul 2026 to 27 Aug 2026, 5pm.

About the Grant

The Singapore Therapeutics Development Review (STDR) is a national-level grant call for public sector research, implemented by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in partnership with our strategic partners, the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Initiative (NATi) and Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART).

STDR aims to boost the quality and quantity of drug development and biotech pipelines in Singapore through 3 key features:

  1. Phased funding support to potential high-value drug discovery and development projects from the local public sector research community, based on the maturity and industry-readiness of projects;
  2. Active project management to facilitate project progress, the incorporation of relevant feedback from industry experts, and the timely resolution of issues, with a view to successful project delivery; and
  3. Mentoring from leading entrepreneurs, innovators and/or venture capitalists, training through bootcamps, workshops and/or seminars, as well as industry networking opportunities to provide dedicated guidance and upskilling opportunities to grant awardees.

STDR PRE-PILOT AND PILOT STAGES

The STDR (Pilot) grant call is typically held twice a year, in Q1 and Q3, while the STDR (Pre-Pilot) grant call is typically held once a year, in Q3. In 2026, as part of the operationalisation of RIE2030, the grant call cycle will commence in Q3.

It is highly encouraged but optional to have a clinical Co-Investigator or collaborator.

The Pre-Pilot stage aims to support earlier-stage, more exploratory proof-of-concept projects with some preliminary data. This stage supports both Target Validation (Stream 1) for single-target/single-asset projects and Platform Development (Stream 2) for platform technology projects. The Pre-Pilot stage is jointly coordinated by EDDC’s Target Translational Consortium (TTC) and STDR Coordinating Office (CO).

The Pilot stage supports more mature therapeutic projects underpinned by robust target validation and sufficient supporting research data to justify further development. Projects should also demonstrate a clear pathway towards commercialisation. Both single-target or single-asset drug development projects and platform technology projects may be considered.

Applicants may refer to the guide in Infosheet Annex A to determine which grant type is most suitable for your project.

All the awardees will attend mentoring sessions to receive advice and guidance from leading entrepreneurs and innovators (including VCs, ex-pharma, biotech CEOs, or experts from EDDC). Mentors will advise on development and commercial strategy, including marketing, business modelling and pitch practice/advice. Awarded project teams will also attend STDR bootcamps to build a stronger understanding of key translational considerations. At the right stage, STDR may pair promising project teams with serial entrepreneurs for venture building.

Thematic Area

STDR is therapeutic area- and modality-agnostic and will consider projects across a broad range of disease areas and therapeutic modalities, including small molecules, biologics, cell and gene therapies, and asset-focused platform technologies.

Funding Principles

Funding principles for STDR Pre-Pilot and Pilot projects:

  Maximum Funding Quantum
Pre-Pilot Up to S$325K per project (including 30% indirect costs) over a maximum of 1 year.
Pilot

A total of S$1M may be awarded for Pilot Phase 1 and Phase 2 funding. 

Phase 1 covers the period up to the achievement of the go/no-go decision point (up to 1 year).
Funding: Up to S$400K per project (including 30% indirect costs).

Phase 2 covers the achievement of the remaining key milestones (up to 1 year). 
Funding: Up to S$600K per project (including 30% indirect costs)

Notes: 

  • Projects will be assessed towards the end of Phase 1 to determine eligibility to receive Phase 2 funding.
  • Applicants are encouraged to think about accelerating the project where reasonable. If milestones are achieved ahead of timeline, please write to STDR Secretariat to discuss repurposing of leftover fund (if any) and earlier unlocking of Phase 2 funding.
  • A portion of the budget may be set aside to engage professional help to develop a commercialisation plan.
  • Additional funding, or alternate allocation of Phase 1 and 2 funds, may be requested on a case-by-case basis, and will be subject to evaluation by the STDR review panel.

Evaluation Criteria

The detailed evaluation criteria for Pre-Pilot and Pilot stages are in Infosheet Annex B.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants are required to fulfil the following criteria at the point of application:

The Lead Principal Investigator (PI) should:

  • Hold at least a 0.7 FTE primary appointment in a Singapore publicly funded research or tertiary institution;
  • Have the relevant scientific/technical background and necessary experience to direct the project being supported by the grant.

Post-doctoral researchers who wish to apply for STDR should submit a letter from their supervisor, as part of the application submission on iGrants, declaring that:

  • The supervisor supports the post-doctoral researcher's STDR application,
  • The contract of the post-doctoral researcher covers the entire STDR grant period, and
  • The grant body that is funding the post-doctoral researcher is agreeable to their application for STDR grants (if relevant).

Exceptions to eligibility criteria will be considered on a case-by-case basis with the submission of a waiver request. Please write to the grant secretariat before the submission of your application, at least 7 days before the grant deadline on 27 Aug 2026, i.e. 20 Aug 2026.

Grant Call Timeline

Indicative timeline for Pre-Pilot

Submission of Full Proposals Date
Launch of Call for Full Proposals 23 Jul 2026
Deadline for Submission of Full Proposals on iGrants 27 Aug 2026, 5pm
Award Q1 2027

Indicative timeline for Pilot

Submission of Pitch Deck & Short Write-Up Date
Launch of Call for Pitch Deck & Short Write-up 23 Jul 2026
Deadline for Submission of Pitch Deck & Short Write-up on iGrants 27 Aug 2026, 5pm
Presentation to Review Panel [In-Person]* Nov 2026 (6pm - 12am)
Award Q1 2027

*Applicants must ensure they are available to attend all meetings marked (*) above.

Application Procedure

Applicants are required to submit their applications via the iGrants website: by 27 Aug 2026, 5pm (Singapore time). 

The STDR Pre-Pilot and Pilot grant calls are listed as two separate grant calls on iGrants:

  • STDR 2026 (Jul) Pre-Pilot Stream 1
  • STDR 2026 (Jul) Pre-Pilot Stream 2
  • STDR 2026 (Jul) Pilot

Only complete applications submitted on iGrants by the deadline will be accepted. Applicants are advised to submit their applications early in the event of technical errors with the iGrants website.

Applications must be fully endorsed by the applicant, applicants’ respective Innovation and Enterprise Offices (IEOs) and Directors of Research (DORs). Applicants are strongly encouraged to approach their respective IEO representatives and DORs early to give sufficient time to gather input and endorsement.

More details on the grant application steps using iGrants can be found in Infosheet Annex C. 

Application Materials

For Enquiries

For queries related to iGrants, please reach out to: A-STAR_OGA@a-star.edu.sg
 
For general enquiries about STDR Pilot grant call, please reach out to: STDR_Secretariat@a-star.edu.sg
 
For enquiries about Pre-Pilot and consultation on application, please reach out to:
Dr Tan Chong Teik (EDDC) Tan_Chong_Teik@eddc.sg
Ms Chia Hsin-Ee (EDDC) Chia_Hsin_Ee@eddc.sg
Dr Tiffany Scully (EDDC) Tiffany_Scully@eddc.sg