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In focus
- It’s time for Singapore to temper down its biotech ambitions
- Diving into robotics, non-engineer style
- YouTrip’s next stop: Australia
Hello reader,
In the startup world, founders love to talk about playing the long game, convincing investors and the public that they’re building for sustainable growth, not quick exits.
But in the biotech sector, the long game isn’t a strategy – it’s the bare minimum. Drugs take 10 to 15 years to develop, and that’s assuming everything goes as planned.
This is why Singapore’s quest for a biotech “national champion” might have been ill-fated from the start – not because of the timeline, but because the city-state was chasing the wrong prize altogether.
Twenty-five years in, Singapore still lacks its Moderna or Novo Nordisk moment. The closest it came was Tessa Therapeutics, which raised US$126 million in 2022 for its cancer therapies, only to enter liquidation a year later when the funding winter hit.
In today’s first top story, industry experts argue why Singapore shouldn’t be hunting for a biotech national champion at all. Instead, it should build an ecosystem where companies can exit profitably through licensing deals and acquisitions, which can then reinvest those wins back into the next wave of innovation.
Another sector that’s playing the long game for innovation’s sake is robotics. There’s a lot that goes into making a commercially viable robot, but if you think you need to be an engineering expert to play a meaningful role in that process, you might want to reconsider.
Our second top story looks into how a non-engineering role can drive the robotics field forward. It’s not about getting robots into more hands, but about finding where they can bring the biggest impact.
Glenn Kaonang, journalist
Top Stories
1️⃣ Singapore’s biotech game needs a reset
Image credit: Timmy Loen
For over two decades, Singapore has been busy building a solid ecosystem foundation for the biotech sector. While there are some startup success stories, the country hasn’t produced a global household name. But it might be chasing the wrong mark.
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