Eight technologists building five Singapore-based deep-tech start-ups have been selected for the inaugural cohort of Activate Global Fellows – Singapore, a national fellowship hosted by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) to support promising science and technology ventures develop into globally competitive companies.

Each fellow will receive up to S$200,000 in stipend and funding for business development and research and development, alongside mentorship and two US immersion trips. The first will take place in San Francisco and Silicon Valley from 17 to 25 October 2026, where the founders will meet potential customers, investors and industry partners.

Five start-ups were selected: two from NTU Singapore, two from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and one from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Their technologies span green methanol, carbon capture, metal additive manufacturing, sustainable aquaculture feed and food preservation.

Open to aspiring Singapore-based deep-tech founders, the inaugural application cycle attracted 123 submissions from across Singapore’s autonomous universities and research institutions. The five deep-tech start-ups underwent a rigorous selection process involving global technology experts and experienced entrepreneurs.

Anchored and hosted by NTU in partnership with US-based non-profit Activate, Activate Global Fellows – Singapore received S$12 million in funding from the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF), with support from Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG). The working committee for the Fellowship comprises representatives from A*STAR, NUS, Singapore Management University and the Singapore University of Technology and Design.

The programme will support 20 Singapore-based companies over three years and is Activate’s first fellowship outside the United States.

Taking Singapore deep tech to global markets

Professor Louis Phee, Vice President (Innovation and Entrepreneurship) at NTU Singapore, said: “Singapore has strong research institutions and deep-tech talent, but scientific discoveries create their greatest impact when they make the journey from the laboratory into the market. Through Activate Global Fellows – Singapore, NTU is bringing together the strengths of our national research ecosystem and Activate’s international network to give promising founders a stronger pathway to build and scale their companies.”

Dr Cyrus Wadia, Chief Executive Officer of Activate, said: “Deep-tech companies are built differently. Scientific founders need time to prove that their technology works, but they also need early exposure to customers, capital and partners who understand the journey from science discovery to market. Singapore's extraordinary commitment to research and innovation has built a world-class base of science and engineering talent. This partnership is about helping that science accelerate out of the lab and into companies that can compete globally.”

Activate was first established in the US to support scientists through this transition. Since its beginnings at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in 2015, companies supported by Activate have collectively attracted more than USD $5.5 billion in follow-on funding.

From green marine fuel to powder-free 3D printing

CRecTech, an NUS spin-off (Co-founders: Dr Kang Hui Lim and Dr Kok Giap Haw), is developing a two-step catalytic process that converts waste-derived biogas into renewable bio-methanol for uses including shipping. The company has built an integrated pre-pilot system and is supported by the Breakthrough Energy Fellows programme.

LAPIS, an NTU spin-off (Co-founders: Dr Dominic Lim and Mr Simon Goh), is developing a metal additive manufacturing method that replaces combustible metal powders with ultra-thin metal sheets, reducing handling and safety requirements. In NTU tests, stainless-steel parts made using the process were fully dense and more than 70 per cent stronger than bulk steel, while titanium alloy was printed without a sealed inert-gas chamber.

AeroFlux, an NUS spin-off (Founder: Dr Feb Hillman), is developing a compact membrane system to capture carbon dioxide from industrial exhaust, including on ships and at space-constrained facilities. Its technology has been reported to cut carbon-capture costs by up to 80 per cent and reduce the carbon footprint of the capture process by up to 90 per cent compared with conventional methods and is moving towards industrial demonstration.

Sustainable food and biotechnology

LoopForBio, an NTU spin-off (Co-founders: Dr Ezequiel Santillan and Dr Soheil Neshat), uses fermentation to turn nutrient-rich food-processing by-products into microbial protein for aquaculture feed. Its protein has been evaluated in seven trials involving fish and shrimp, including tests showing that it can replace a large proportion of conventional fishmeal, improving survival rates while maintaining growth and feed performance.

Healbac, (Founder: Dr Avinanda Banerjee) is developing non-antibiotic approaches that aim to reduce reliance on conventional antibiotics and chemical preservatives. The start-up is currently validating potential applications in veterinary wound and skin care, and exploring broader use cases in food preservation.

Of the five start-ups in the inaugural cohort, four came through the National Graduate Research Innovation Programme (National GRIP), Singapore’s deep tech national incubation programme which helps researchers from universities and research institutes turn their research into deep-tech ventures.

Mr Anuj Jain, Project Lead and Director of Activate Global Fellows – Singapore at NTU, and a Director of National GRIP, said: “These companies have come through highly competitive selection processes, including National GRIP, and combine strong scientific foundations with technologies designed to address major global challenges.

“What stood out was not only the depth of their research, but also their potential to translate highly technical discoveries into solutions for areas such as food production, advanced manufacturing and decarbonisation.”

Dr Vivek Nair, Managing Director of Activate Global - Singapore, said: “These founders didn't set out to become entrepreneurs. They set out to solve problems most people had written off as unsolvable. Activate’s job - in Singapore just as it's been in the U.S. for over a decade - is to give them the funding, training, and community to make that leap with confidence.”

Through Activate Global Fellows - Singapore, NTU will work with Singapore’s universities, research institutes, government agencies and industry partners to identify promising science-based ventures and connect their founders with the expertise, capital and international networks needed to move towards commercial scale.”