Commercialisation Programme

MOE De-Centralized Gap Funding (MDGF) supported Commercialisation Program’s Mission

Helping our researchers make meaningful impact through research Commercialisation

MOE De-Centralized Gap Funding (MDGF)

Translating Research into Innovation in SMU

• MDGF is one of the funding schemes under Singapore’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 strategy
• MDGF provides seed funding to facilitate Commercialisation of university research.
• MDGF will be offered through a competitive application process that meets the eligibility and evaluation criteria that takes inspiration from Singapore’s key Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 plan.

Choices Available to SMU Researchers

Two tracks supported by MOE De-Centralized Gap Funding (MDGF)

SMU researchers in various disciplines:
**Invention Disclosure with ORTT must be completed

1. Track I: Prefer to play a supporting role  (e.g. Technology advisory/consultancy) to IIE in the Commercialisation process 
   IIE Venture Building Program provides MDGF, support and assistance to such researchers.
2. Track II: Prepared to be a founder and drive the formation of spin-off company


3. MDGF powered Commercialisation Project is aimed at enabling this dream of the researchers.

IIE Venture Building Program with MDGF

Enabling Researchers with Track I passion to benefit from the technology Commercialisation

Please contact Jay (jayc@smu.edu.sg) and/or Yao Ping (ypwang@smu.edu.sg) for further details.

MOE De-Centralized Gap Funding (MDGF) / Commercialisation Project

How does it enable Researchers with Track I passion to commercialize the technology?

MOE De-Centralized Gap Funding (MDGF) For Researchers To Apply

Choose the most suitable grant based on the maturity level of your project/idea

Pathways for MOE De-Centralized Gap Funding (MDGF) / Commercialisation Project

creates ample opportunity to go-to-market with a game changing company

Funding Pathway

IIE will endorse the awardees of the SMU Commercialisation Grant for further Commercialisation support from the Central Gap Fund (>$750K) administered by National Research Foundation. 

Current MDGF Commercialisation Projects in SMU

RIE2020 MDGF Funded - IndoorLoc, sBox and Digibank

Application Timeline

Eligibility Criteria

creates opportunity for our research community to collaborate among others within SMU and outside

Project Eligibility Criteria

• Invention Disclosure with ORTT must be completed
• Research Projects (PI must be SMU faculty)
• PhD Students Research projects (PI or CO-PI must be SMU faculty)
• PhD Students doing industry Collaboration (Must be SMU-owned Intellectual Property) (PI or CO-PI must be SMU faculty)
• SMU Industry Collaboration Research Projects (Must be SMU-owned Intellectual Property)

Team Eligibility Criteria

Team must comprise of the first 3 entities:

• Lead Principal Investigator (PI) (Must be SMU Faculty, PhD students may be considered on a case-to-case basis)
• Entrepreneur Lead (A sample job description enclosed)
• Engineers/Programmers (A sample job description enclosed)
• Access to Industry Volunteer Mentor (optional)

*Project that has working on demo/prototype of the technology, and has higher Technology Readiness Level (TRL). A multi-disciplinary project team is strongly encouraged and will be given priority.

Application Process

submit the following documents to Jay

• Invention Disclosure with ORTT must be completed.
  (If not submitted before, please download the form here and submit it to ORTT)
• Business Presentation (a template provided for reference and convenience)
• IIE Application Form
• Accolades / Feedback received for the research
• Latest Research Report submitted to Dean/Funding Agency

Please contact Jay at jayc@smu.edu.sg

Selection Criteria

Proposal will be evaluated under the following parameters

1. COMMERCIALISATION Potential 

• Does the project address an important unmet need?
• Does the project engage in market validation to identify the beachhead market? 
• What is the addressable market size? Market size, needs and competition
• Does the proposed technology have a sustainable competitive advantage against competing patents/ research labs/products/companies? The technology's novelty and need.
• Does the project propose a clear business model? Does the project have a clear market & product development roadmap? What are the possible barriers to entry? Technology readiness for the market.
• Is there any potential trial user?
• Business Presentation (a template provided for reference and convenience)

2. Team

• Does the team have the necessary technical, business management and development expertise and resources? 
• Does the team have key/potential partnerships (collaborators from industry etc) that will enable faster development of the technology and shorten the time to market? 
• Team must comprise of Project Lead, Entrepreneurial Lead & Engineers/Programmers

3. Technical Innovation 

• Invention Disclosure with ORTT must be completed
• Is the proposed approach unique, innovative and disruptive?
• Does it have a clear product development roadmap? 
• What is the IP position/strategy of the technology? 

Use of Funds

Manpower and related costs

• Manpower costs for research and project staff (e.g. research fellows, research associates, engineers/programmers, lab technicians, and other research staff)
• Principal Investigators / Co-Investigators salaries are not fundable)
• Student assistants and student attachment allowance, including students from other Autonomous Universities (AUs), Polytechnics, and ITE
• Backfilling – manpower cost for staff hired to offload teaching duties of Principal Investigators / Co-Investigators to do project work (fractional charges based on time committed)
• Training and development costs which may include participation in research-related conferences, workshops and programmes that could enable building of staff knowledge and expertise. Allowable only if the training and development is directly relevant to the research area or necessary to accomplish the project objective. (Not allowable for overseas collaborators and visiting faculty.)
• if participation is at conferences/workshops/programmes conducted overseas, travel policy of the host institution must be consistently adhered to

Operating and related costs

• Purchase of materials and consumables directly related to the project, including laboratory and office supplies
• Use or rental of services and laboratory spaces within the host institution’s central facilities
• Procurement of external services or facilities that are essential to the project but not available within the host institution
• Repair and maintenance of research equipment
• Transportation, postage and courier services directly related to the research project
• Allowances for volunteers and research patients/subjects
• Costs of publication of research results

Equipment

• Purchase of equipment is only permitted for those which are directly related to the gap-funded project and is not available in current premises, or not feasible to procure from or share with other institutions

Programmes for researches to explore research commercialisation

• Training and development costs in programmes which may include conferences, trade exhibitions and workshops

Terms and Conditions

New T&C items may be included as necessary. it will be applicable to both past and new applicants.

Project Mentorship:
IIE may recommend one mentor for each awarded project.

Venture Advisory Board:
IIE may convene a “Venture Advisory Board” for each of its portfolio grant awardees. The venture board will comprise of subject matter experts from both public and private sector and will convene regularly to provide input and guidance to the COMMERCIALISATION team.

Disbursement of the Funds:
The grant may be disbursed in tranches, based on the recommendations put up by the Evaluation Panel i.e. milestone based. For example, $20,000 might be given to a project team to perform further market validation as a start.

Disbursements will be based on the actual expenses, in the form of reimbursement. Original invoices/receipts for expenditures incurred.

Use of the Funds:
Funding shall be used for innovative research as described in the submitted proposal. Please refer to the Use of Funds on the next slide for a further breakdown.

Manpower Resources:
Engineers/Programmers : In commercialisation projects, it is recommended to use the same engineers/programmers who worked in the underlying technology project in the Lab/Research.