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Six Singapore Companies To Develop Smart City Pilot Projects | |
| Sumita Pawar |
According to the report, six Singapore companies have been matched with Abu Dhabi entities to develop and pilot innovative solutions following the Abu Dhabi–SSingapore Smart Cities Open Innovation Challenge, jointly organised by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Enterprise Singapore (ESG), and IPI Singapore.
The Innovation Challenge was started in May 2021 to speed up the development of smart cities and help Abu Dhabi and Singapore work together more.
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A total of 89 submissions were received in response to six challenge statements from ADNOC, the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), and Masdar City, as highlighted in the report.
Based on how well they might be able to solve smart city problems in Abu Dhabi, six companies have been chosen to work together to come up with solutions.
Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi, Acting Director General of ADIO, said, "The Abu Dhabi-Singapore Smart Cities Open Innovation Challenge demonstrates the good that can come from like-minded parties uniting for a common cause."
"By matching innovations and ideas, we are advancing solutions that have the potential to transform smart city development globally." "The success of the innovation call will pave the way for future innovation-related collaborations between Abu Dhabi and Singapore, as we strengthen linkages that enable companies in both cities to tap into wider regional markets," the director general added.
The selected companies will receive support from both ADIO and EnterpriseSG as they collaborate with ADNOC, DMT, and Masdar City to bring their smart city solutions to life in Abu Dhabi, according to the report.
Eligible companies will be able to access an EnterpriseSG grant to pilot their solutions, while ADIO will offer end-to-end support during the business setup phase of their investor journeys and help to facilitate connections to entities across the Abu Dhabi ecosystem to access investment opportunities.
Tan Soon Kim, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of EnterpriseSG, said: "Singapore companies can offer relevant expertise and innovative technology to address some of the urban challenges that Abu Dhabi faces." By partnering with established Abu Dhabi entities to co-innovate and testbed their ideas, they can validate their solutions and quicken the process of smart city development to benefit a larger population. "We hope that the successful matching of companies will set the stage to facilitate further economic collaboration and deepen linkages between Abu Dhabi and Singapore."
Mr. Wong Lup Wai, Chief Executive Officer of IPI, said, "We are excited to see Singapore companies accelerate the growth of their businesses through their collaborative efforts with Abu Dhabi entities to develop a smart, sustainable city." "We look forward to seeing these pilot projects further promote synergy through the exchange of knowledge and expertise between the parties and potentially contribute towards enhancing the quality of life of the citizens in the emirate."
Abu Dhabi and Singapore aim to accelerate smart city development to sustainably improve quality of life, operational efficiency, and competitiveness by increasing collaboration, connecting innovation ecosystems, and promoting the exchange of knowledge and expertise between Abu Dhabi and Singapore.
According to the report, collaborations such as HY M&E Consultancy Services and Cutech Green Ventures, in collaboration with Teesside University and TWI Global Technology Centre, have been chosen to work with ADNOC to improve the energy efficiency of Ruwais City buildings.
Graymatics has been selected by ADNOC to work on a project that improves security, citizen productivity, and municipal operational efficiency by leveraging powerful video AI with the many installed CCTV cameras within Ruwais City.
BIODSG has been chosen to work with DMT on changing street lighting to make it easier for the public to get involved in things like lighting or data collection.
Daily Life Renewable Energy will work with DMT to put in place renewable and sustainable energy sources for public recreation facilities that need electricity.
In addition, MDesign Solutions Pte Ltd will collaborate with Masdar City to improve outdoor comfort through a cost-effective and self-contained solution based on heat management technology and design.
The pilot projects are expected to be completed in 2024, with the potential for city-wide implementation in Abu Dhabi.