A*STAR researchers recognized for contributions to local SME ecosystem

Seven research scientists and engineers from A*STAR were recognised for their contributions to the SME ecosystem and for their potential to help local SMEs grow. The award recipients were seconded to SMEs under A*STAR's Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading (T-Up) programme, and helped the companies co-develop novel products, upskill workers and expand internationally.

The awards were presented at SME Day 2020 @ SWITCH by Dr Tan See Leng, Minister in Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Trade and Industry and Manpower. Organised by A*STAR with support from Enterprise Singapore, SME Day was held in conjunction with the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH).

We would like to congratulate Dr Manippady Krishna Kumar and Mr Lance Tan of IMRE who were presented with the T-Up Excellence Award.

The 2020 winners of the T-Up Excellence Award were:

1. Dr Veeresh Juturu, formerly from A*STAR's Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (ICES), who was seconded to Westcom Solutions and developed a microbial solution to turn food waste into organic fertiliser.
2. Dr Manippady Krishna Kumar and Mr Lance Tan from A*STAR's Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), who were seconded to Champs Industrial and developed UV-C LED water disinfection technologies.
3. Ms Chiu Ying Lay from A*STAR's Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R), who was seconded to Whizpace and helped enhance and develop the company's "super Wifi" products.

The 2020 winners of the T-Up Emerging Talent Award were:

1. Dr Li Hongying from A*STAR's Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC), who was seconded to ERS and developed a computational fluid dynamics model to simulate scenarios and speed up product design.
2. Tnay Guan Leong from A*STAR's Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), who was seconded to Fidel Engineering and Trading and developed a machining technology that accelerated production of complex aerospace components.
3. Pua Suan Tai, a former SIMTech research engineer who was seconded to Hope Technik and devised payload modules for robotic load carriers to be used in malls to deliver goods.