SINGAPORE – Four international companies have confirmed their plans to set up base in Punggol Digital District, a move that will create over 2,000 tech jobs ranging from data analysts and solution engineers to artificial intelligence and blockchain developers.
Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong on Wednesday (July 28) announced the four companies, saying each is “bringing different expertise to the mix”.
They are: Delta Electronics Int’l (Singapore), which specialises in smart living solutions; robotics design company Boston Dynamics; cybersecurity services provider Group-IB; and Wanxiang, which offers blockchain solutions.
Mr Gan was speaking at an event at the Punggol Digital District site office. He said the firms will benefit from Singapore’s status as an open global hub for innovation, business and talent, while the district will also benefit from good jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans.
The event was also streamed virtually.
The masterplan for the 50ha Punggol Digital District was announced in 2018 and it will progressively open from 2024.
The Singapore Institute of Technology’s (SIT) new campus, which will serve more than 10,000 students and 500 academic staff, will be located in the district.
JTC said this means that businesses will have close access to talent from SIT, while students will also benefit from an applied learning environment.
The district will also serve as a living lab for companies, students and public to test digital and smart living solutions.
For example, Group-IB – a partner of Interpol and Europol – will collaborate with SIT to design and engineer a virtual testing environment suitable for early-stage companies and start-ups to test the vulnerability of their solutions to cyberattacks.
The virtual system will have the ability to stress test applications, solutions and systems against cyberthreats.
The Punggol Digital District was envisioned to be a smart and sustainable mixed-use district. It was masterplanned by JTC Corporation in line with Singapore’s Smart Nation and digital economy plans.
JTC chief executive Tan Boon Khai said that apart from smart infrastructure, emphasis is placed on building “a holistic ecosystem that fosters collaborative partnerships and innovation, which value-adds to businesses even before they move into the district”.
“These partnerships between the industry, academia and trade associations are exemplary of the environment that we are building to accelerate innovation,” he added.
Mr Gan said the digital economy is a bright spot for businesses around the world and critical to the economic success of Singapore and Singaporeans.
“The strong business interest and investments in Punggol Digital District is testament to Singapore’s reputation as the region’s digital innovation hub,” he added.
Wanxiang Blockchain executive president Vincent Wang said of the company’s move: “We see opportunities for the cross-pollination of ideas and technological innovation between the district and our smart city projects in Hangzhou and Shanghai.”
He added: “These programmes support our efforts to engage with and grow the community of digital technology learners, users and enthusiasts Singapore.”
