Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the NRF Heng Swee Keat launched National GRIP
The National Research Foundation has joined hands with the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU) to launch the National Graduate Research Innovation Programme (National GRIP), a SGD50 million (US$38 million) investment initiative for startups.
Announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the NRF, Heng Swee Keat, National GRIP will support startup teams by guiding them in refining ideas, validating market needs, and developing business models.
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The initiative brings together NUS’s Graduate Research Innovation Programme 2.0 (NUS GRIP 2.0) and NTU’s Lean Launchpad (LLP2.0) — which have collectively incubated over 400 startup teams and nearly 160 spin-offs.
National GRIP aims to train up to 300 startup teams by 2028 and nurture over 150 spin-offs by 2030, advancing innovative solutions from lab research to the global market and strengthening Singapore’s leadership in technological entrepreneurship.
This 12-month programme will welcome participants from Singapore’s autonomous universities and A*STAR research institutes. It will provide mentorship from industry leaders and access to a network of experts, enabling them to build founding teams, raise seed financing, and create valuable industry partnerships.
It will also provide access to intellectual property across the institutions, allowing teams to leverage strengths in research, design, and engineering for deeptech venture creation.
National GRIP will work with strategic venture partners, including Legend Capital, SOSV Investments, and Vertex Holdings, to strengthen teams’ investment readiness. These partners will assist in scaling startups, expanding into global markets, and connecting with experienced founders.
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Assoc. Prof. Benjamin Tee, Vice President (Ecosystem Building) at NUS Enterprise, said: “National GRIP will accelerate the growth of globally competitive deep tech startups by providing end-to-end support, aligning closely with our nation’s RIE strategic plans.”
Prof. Louis Phee, Vice President (Innovation and Entrepreneurship) at NTU, added: “This collaboration allows us to combine our strengths in venture building to create high-potential teams that will contribute to Singapore’s economic growth.”
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