SGInnovate launches Deep Tech for Good initiative

It aims to accelerate the use of AI and other technologies to improve human condition.

SGInnovate has launched Deep Tech for Good, a new initiative that seeks to accelerate the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other frontier technologies to improve the human condition and drive sustainable development across different markets, according to an announcement.

The initiative was launched at a virtual event with an international line-up of experts sharing their perspectives on how deep tech can be advanced for social and economic good.

Strategic partners in the project include the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), XPRIZE Foundation, and the NTU Institute for Science and Technology for Humanity (NISTH).

A*StartCentral, an open innovation platform that incubates and accelerates the growth of deep tech startups under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), as well as Element AI and Salesforce have also joined the initiative as ecosystem partners.

The initiative aims to convene global leaders across the public and private sectors to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and success cases where research-based innovations have helped improve lives, help build and scale deep tech solutions as well as catalyse collaborations amongst corporates, startups and governments.

Following the launch, the Deep Tech for Good initiative aims to sustain conversations and discussions through a series of thought leadership events with a goal to reach out to at least 10,000 individuals, including startup founders, investors, corporate leaders, researchers, and government representatives in 2020.

One of the major events that will take place after the launch will feature Professor Yoshua Bengio, Scientific Director of Mila and Co-Founder of Element AI, and Dr Kai-Fu Lee, Chairman and CEO of Sinovation Ventures and President of Sinovation Ventures Artificial Intelligence Institute. They will be sharing their perspectives on the topic “AI for Good” on 23 July.

Other partnered activities under the Deep Tech for Good initiative include Deep Tech for Society Insights Paper, deep tech talent programmes, and innovation challenges.