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- Complementing this, a S$2 million pilot with Stanford University gives NUS students hands-on experience in international teams to co-create and prototype solutions to real-world industry challenges
SINGAPORE, Sept. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial heart of the National University of Singapore (NUS), announced two major co-investment partnerships and an international education initiative to strengthen Singapore’s role as a global innovation hub for deep tech. The announcements were made at the opening of the revitalised i3 building, the new nucleus of NUS innovation, on 16 September 2025.
(From left) Dr Tan Sian Wee, NUS Senior Vice President (Innovation and Enterprise); Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President; Mr Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry; Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, Chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees; Professor Aaron Thean, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost; and Associate Professor Benjamin Tee, Vice President (Innovation and Enterprise), NUS Enterprise, launched the NUS i3 building, a launchpad for innovation and impact, on 16 September 2025.
Expanding capital and partnerships for deep tech ventures
NUS Enterprise launched a new co-investment framework with SG Growth Capital, the strategic investment platform of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) and Enterprise Singapore (ESG), to channel greater capital into deep tech start-ups and selected venture capital (VC) funds. The investment amount into a VC fund would match NUS Enterprise’s investment depending on SG Growth Capital’s evaluation of the fund.
In a parallel move, NUS Enterprise signed a S$20 million (approximately US$16 million) co-investment agreement with Lotus One Investment Pte Ltd, part of the Lotus Singapore Group, to jointly support both NUS spin-offs and VC funds. Profits from these collaborations will be significantly reinvested to strengthen NUS Enterprise’s innovation and entrepreneurship programmes, further amplifying impact.
Together, these initiatives will provide greater support for NUS-affiliated start-ups and broaden co-investments in VC funds, complementing the S$150 million (US$116 million) NUS VC Programme launched in July 2025. (Refer to the annexe for partners’ quotes.)
“NUS is committed to creating stronger pathways for deep tech start-ups to succeed,” said Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President. “These partnerships give our ventures greater access to capital, networks, and expertise, while reinforcing NUS’ role in advancing deep tech innovation and contributing to a vibrant start-up ecosystem in Singapore, the region, and globally.”
“With the support of SG Growth Capital and Lotus One Investment, deep tech ventures in the NUS ecosystem gain access to global expertise, quality capital, and expansive networks,” said Dr Tan Sian Wee, NUS Senior Vice President (Innovation and Enterprise). “These partnerships strengthen our integrated ecosystem – uniting education, research, and venture creation – to attract outstanding talent and nurture start-ups that deliver innovation with lasting global impact.”
Global learning opportunities with Stanford University
Complementing these capital partnerships, NUS Enterprise announced a S$2 million (US$1.5 million) pilot collaboration with Stanford University, made possible through a donation from the Khetan Foundation. The NUS-Stanford Khetan Foundation Launch Pad will give students from the NUS College of Design and Engineering hands-on experience in international teams, co-creating and prototyping solutions to real-world industry challenges. Guided by faculty from both universities, students will collaborate with partners such as Meta and Venture Corporation, gaining practical exposure while sharpening cross-border innovation skills.
This initiative builds on the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) programme in the US and BLOCK71 Silicon Valley, creating more opportunities for entrepreneurs to scale their innovations within NUS Enterprise’s global ecosystem. Established in 2002, NOC has nurtured entrepreneurial mindsets by immersing students in top innovation hubs worldwide. Complementing this, BLOCK71 Silicon Valley serves as a launchpad for start-ups, connecting them with universities, corporates, and investors across the US and Singapore as part of NUS Enterprise’s global network of 11 physical accelerators.
The NUS Enterprise flywheel
Under Dr Tan’s leadership, NUS Enterprise has built a “flywheel” that unites education, research, venture creation, and capital. By nurturing talent and accelerating start-ups, each success attracts investment, creates jobs, and delivers real-world impact – momentum that in turn draws fresh talent and resources to power the next wave of innovation.
i3 as a hub for entrepreneurship
At its core, NUS Enterprise supports the founders, innovators, and risk-takers who drive change through its integrated focus on education, ecosystem and research, and venture building and investing. “i3 is the nexus on which the NUS Enterprise flywheel spins. It brings together all the pieces in the ecosystem, fuelling the momentum to drive global impact and Singapore’s entrepreneurial success,” said Dr Tan.
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