Tech International Focus

Singapore actually includes the city of Singapore, the state of Singapore, and the country (Republic) of Singapore. It is one of the busiest ports in the world, as well as the largest in Southeast Asia. A very diverse country with a population of 5.7 million, Singapore has four official languages — English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil.

Singapore Uses Blockchain to Improve Pandemic Travel

Singapore is using blockchain to remove some stress from travel. Singapore’s Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) and Ministry of Health developed a global standard for HealthCerts, a document verification system, that shows proof of recent COVID-19 tests. The test results are available on the government’s digital identity mobile app SingPass. Singapore wants to use the system as proof of vaccination status around the world. The technology is already used by some universities to confirm graduation status.

Singapore Startups

Singapore's startup ecosystem exceeds the global average of $10.5 billion, totaling some $21 billion in value. Asaf Fybish of StartupStash says the primary reasons are the ease of doing business, pro-business policies and an efficient tax system. For example, under the Startup Tax Exemption Scheme, 75% of a company’s first $73,000 in income is not taxed. Digital health and fintech are two strong categories for startups. For instance, Nervotec’s new app measures heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiration rate and stress levels with high-end accuracy. As a complement to COVID-19 temperature screenings, it uses light to detect vital signs.

Singapore Serves Lab Grown Meat

Some people are seeking alternatives to meat because of concerns for their health, animal welfare and the environment. Singapore is the first country to offer “cultured meat” in restaurants. This menu item is different than plant-based products that imitate meat, since it is grown from animal muscle cells in a lab in a bioreactor. Dishes cost about $17 (US), and includes a crispy chicken bao and a maple waffle chicken dish. Using technology to increase food production brings Singapore closer to reaching its goal of feeding one-third of the country by 2030, with home-grown options. Singapore currently produces about 10% of its own food.

CES 2021 Startup Exhibitor Singapore's Oxytap

Located in Singapore, CES exhibitor and startup Oxytap says, “We make water better.” Oxytap combines dissolved oxygen into drinking water, for what many believe is a better-tasting, healthier drink. Expensive cartridges and tanks are not required to make drinking water taste as fresh as from a mountain stream in just three minutes. It’s not acidic, like carbonated waters, which can erode tooth enamel. Featuring a small footprint, Oxytap fits on a countertop so it's easy to start your own in-home oxygen therapy.