SINGAPORE — The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (“NAMIC”), a national platform hosted by Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and Valuence Ventures, LLC (“Valuence Ventures”), a venture fund specialising in investments in advanced materials innovation, are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU” or “Partnership”). This partnership aims to cultivate the deep-tech and additive manufacturing (“AM”) innovation ecosystem across Singapore, South Korea, and North America.
The scope of the partnership encompasses, but are not limited to:
- Knowledge sharing: Instituting a knowledge-sharing platform to support the commercialisation and bolster the growth of deep-tech start-ups.
- Portfolio sharing: Streamlining the due diligence process to valuate the investment potential of start-ups, market validation, and co-development initiatives with academic institutions and research organisations to support Valuence Venture’s portfolio companies and NAMIC’s portfolio of deep tech start-ups.
- Talent development: Leveraging the Innovation and Enterprise Fellowship programme supported by NAMIC, which serves as a conduit for talent development.
This strategic partnership will leverage the unique strengths of both parties to create a platform for innovation and research, fostering investible and valuable start-ups in the Cleantech and Biotech sectors with differentiated market value proposition and capabilities. The collaboration will ensure access for NAMIC’s ecosystem of deep-tech start-ups and AM innovation with Valuence Ventures’ networks in North America and South Korea. The partnership will lay the groundwork for potential joint due diligence and research & development endeavours for Singapore, South Korea, and North America-based start-ups to obtain ample resources in the talent pool, capital and commercial opportunities, and future skills development.
Dr. Ho Chaw Sing, Chief Executive Officer of NAMIC, expressed his enthusiasm, “This collaboration with Valuence Ventures marks a significant milestone in our mission to support and nurture deep-tech start-ups innovating and developing AM technology solutions. We are thrilled that this partnership will not only enhance our ecosystem’s access to international markets but also contribute to establishing Singapore as a global leader in digital manufacturing, sustainability and precision medicine.”
The MOU also includes a provision for talent development, with both parties collaborating to assess how they can leverage the Innovation and Enterprise Fellowship programme supported by NAMIC. “Talent is the lifeblood of any organisation, and we are excited to explore how we can further develop and nurture our local talent through this partnership.” Dr. Ho concluded, “This MOU is a testament to our commitment to fostering innovation, talent development, and commercialisation. We look forward to a fruitful partnership with Valuence Ventures and are excited about the opportunities this collaboration will bring.”
Andrew Hyung, a General Partner at Valuence Ventures, mirrored this excitement, “We are thrilled to be partnering with NAMIC, an organisation that shares our commitment to accelerating innovation and nurturing the deep-tech ecosystem. This MOU is more than just a partnership; it’s a strategic alliance that will enable us to leverage our combined strengths to drive growth and innovation to support founders and emerging technologies.”
He further added, “Through this partnership, we will empower our portfolio companies with market validation and co-development with Singapore-based institutions and research organisations. This partnership is a pledge to our unwavering dedication to cultivating a global innovation and entrepreneurship network, and to expedite the growth of the Singaporean ecosystem.”
About NAMIC
The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) is a national platform hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), supported by the National Research Foundation under the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, together with Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Economic Development Board. NAMIC aims to accelerate the adoption of hybrid and digital additive manufacturing technologies under Singapore’s Manufacturing and Economy 2030 Vision, helping industries transform towards innovation and high value-added manufacturing using sustainably sourced, nature-based designs and cradle-to-cradle on-demand manufacturing. NAMIC achieves this by focusing on value capture and creation through an industry sectoral engagement approach, leveraging public-private partnerships and R&D investments, supporting translational research, and accelerating industry test-bedding towards commercial scale-up. NAMIC continues to grow its international outreach, identifying and supporting deep-tech companies incorporating AM technologies seeking capital injection either through project joint funding or its investor networks. For more information, please visit https://namic.sg.
About Valuence Ventures, LLC
Valuence Ventures, LLC is a U.S.-based venture capital firm dedicated to nurturing the development and growth of emerging companies that are at the forefront of advanced materials innovation. With a strategic focus on Cleantech and Biotech sectors, Valuence Ventures recognizes the transformative impact and the pivotal role that advanced materials play in advancing both planetary and human health. Its Cleantech investments are driven by a profound belief that advanced materials are key to championing technologies that enable sustainable solutions, reduce environmental footprints, and solve the pressing challenges of climate change. In the Biotech sphere, Valuence Ventures is an ardent supporter of cutting-edge medical breakthroughs that accelerate the discovery of novel therapeutics and elevate global health standards. Valuence Ventures invests across Singapore, South Korea, and North America, guided by a philosophy that prioritizes innovations capable of achieving global scalability. For further details about its mission and portfolio, please visit https://valuence.vc.