Singapore and UK sign Start-ups to Space Tech Opportunities

A recent agreement between the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and Singapore Space and Technology Limited will see the two organisations working in tandem to support their national space tech start-ups through commercial development and help them reach international markets.

The agreement includes introducing the new companies to potential international investors and market experts across Asia Pacific and the UK and encouraging both business partnerships as well as research collaborations that will initiate knowledge transfer and capability building between the two countries.

Other outline agreements include:

UK-based space tech start-ups to be considered for Singapore Space and Technology Limited’s Space Accelerator Programme

Singapore-based space tech start-ups will have access to the UK space market, through STFC, including potential users in UK for testing of products and services

STFC will also facilitate access to UK test facilities and national laboratories

As STFC manages and co-funds the European Space Agency (ESA) Business Incubation Centre (BIC) UK with partners UK Space Agency and ESA Space Solutions, ESA BIC UK businesses will also benefit from this new agreement and be supported to access investment and markets across Asia Pacific.

This agreement builds upon several years of science and innovation collaborations between STFC and Singaporean organisations, including the £10 million jointly funded Speqtre mission, scheduled for launch in 2024.

Led by STFC’s RAL Space in the UK and SpeQtral in Singapore, this research programme is building and deploying a satellite quantum key distribution test bed.

The collaboration aims to build on both countries’ efforts to grow the space and quantum technologies sectors by staking a claim in the emerging quantum key distribution market.

The agreement was signed at this year’s Global Space and Technology Convention (Feb 22) by STFC RAL Space’s Head of Business Development for Space, Robert Elliott; Singapore Space Technology Ltd CEO, Lynette Tan and witnessed by British High Commissioner to Singapore, Kara Owen.

STFC Executive Director for Business and Innovation, Paul Vernon, said: “Successful start-ups are an essential part of our future prosperity, and STFC has a clear commitment to provide the best environment possible for them to innovate and grow. Collaboration is a key factor when it comes to empowering businesses to overcome their challenges and succeed.

“I look forward to working in partnership with Singapore Space and Technology Limited as we work together to mutually support our space tech start-ups in their mission to flourish and compete successfully in global markets.”

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