I'm a Faculty Member / Researcher

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I'm a Faculty Member / Researcher

A. Starting a new research project

When starting a new research or invention project, the plans to protect intellectual property through patents, trade secrets, or copyrights, and to commercialise the technology through a spin-off company or potential licensing to the industry, often become downstream or afterthought activities. Therefore, having a business or commercial goal, as well as a societal impact goal, upfront when embarking on a research project, would be very useful and a good practice to follow in order to generate impactful outcomes.

Please explore the following internal and external resources available to perform a business opportunity assessment.

Internal Resources:

  • Ask KTC Team for an introduction to the Pool of Mentors IIE has and might be useful to consult/ receive guidance.
  • Engage consulting support and access other resources made available for our entrepreneur community in IIE.
  • If you are planning to conduct a business assessment on your own, please refer to this template for preparing a business plan.

External Resources:

TIPS: If you're considering protecting your work with a patent, trade secret, or copyright, please exercise caution when publishing papers or software code on open-source platforms and presenting in public forums or conferences. It's important to avoid disclosing and exposing unique steps, algorithms, source code, etc., in order to preserve the novelty factor.

B. I have an invention / My research is ending

When you have an invention or a research project that is nearing completion, it is important to consider protecting the intellectual property of your work. Please follow the simple steps given below:

Step 1 – Reach out to KTC team to share about the project and understand various options available.

Step 2 – Complete the Invention Disclosure. Please use the latest & approved Invention Disclosure Form from Contract Document Management System (CDMS).

Step 3 – KTC team will follow SMU's invention protection process (SMU users only).

  • By default, all the work carried out at work (please refer to your employment contract), particularly government-funded research projects, falls under the category of Intangible Assets of the university, commonly known as Intellectual Property. Step 3 in this process helps evaluate and secure intellectual property with other forms of protection if viable. Learn more about the types of intellectual property protection (patent, copyright, trade secret, etc.) in our knowledge centre.

Step 4 – KTC team will make the technology available and market it through the Tech Offer Portal for industries to engage with and license. The faculty team, as declared in the respective invention disclosure, will be entitled to receive royalties as per SMU's intellectual property policies if SMU successfully collects royalty revenue from licensing.

Step 5 – KTC team will provide full support and entrepreneurial nurturing through IIE's ecosystem to faculty members in their endeavours to commercialise intellectual property with the help of MOE Decentralised Gap Funding.

View SMU's Intellectual Property Policies (SMU users only).

C. Research commercialisation / Spin-off creation

Commercialising intellectual property is a translational research process aimed at utilising inventions or research to create societal impact and generate economic outcomes. Here are some benefits of commercialising intellectual property:

  • Gain a deeper understanding of compelling business problems to be solved through a market discovery process.
  • Develop proof-of-concept solutions for real-world customers with the potential for commercial adoption.
  • Enhance the value of research intellectual property closer to market and make it more attractive for industry adoption and licensing.
  • Gain confidence and opportunities to create spin-off companies and license the technology from SMU to run a business entity.
  • Researchers have the potential to earn royalty income in accordance with SMU's intellectual property policies when the technology is licensed out and generates revenue. View SMU's Intellectual Property Policies (SMU users only).
  • Learnings from the commercialisation effort can help to tweak underlying research or lead to the development of new intellectual property focused on solving specific real-world problems.
  • With the support and guidance of the KTC team, all of the above can be achieved while continuing as a faculty member.

If you are enthusiastic about translating your research to solve real-world commercial problems or create societal impact, please reach out to the KTC team to explore funding opportunities and other forms of support.

C.1. Commercialisation Grant

A. Internal Commercialisation Grant
(Directly managed by KTC team @ IIE-SMU)

1. MOE DE-CENTRALISED GAP FUNDING (MDGF)

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 in the form of MD (Market Discovery) and POC (Proof of Concept) types of grants will be offered through a competitive application process.

B. Apply External Commercialisation Grants

  1. SMART Innovation Grant

    When applying for MDGF or afterwards, if the researcher is interested in availing an additional innovation grant, they can concurrently explore the SMART Innovation Grant from Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART). Similar to MDGF, this grant can be utilised for developing prototypes or conducting proof of concept experiments to determine a go-to-market strategy for the products or services being developed. The application is open throughout the year and will be processed on a needs basis.

    Please reach out to KTC Team to plan the next steps.

  2. NRF Central Gap Funding

    NRF - Central Gap Funding could be explored if the researcher is interested in scaling the commercialisation efforts on a larger scale. This grant aims to support the translation of research outcomes into products, processes, and/or services that generate economic and societal benefits for Singapore and beyond. Proposals for availing this grant can be submitted via the Application submission channel throughout the year and will be processed on a needs basis.

    Please reach out to KTC Team to plan the next steps.

C. Grants to sustain your spin-off company

A spin-off company transitioning into an independent start-up can explore additional grants to sustain and support its growth as a business entity. Below are some grants that may be beneficial:

  1. Proof of Concept / Value ( POC / POV) from SgTech Grant – This grant can be useful for further expanding the business, especially when expecting a pre-seed round of investment. POC funding is available up to S$250,000, while POV funding is available up to S$500,000.
  2. Enterprise Development Grant by ESG – This grant can be utilised for internal product upgrading projects or implementing turnkey projects for external customers. Internal projects may involve migrating to a cutting-edge technology platform for improved business opportunities. External customer projects may focus on developing turnkey solutions for institutions. Depending on the project requirements and customer backing, a higher funding quantum may be applied for.

For more information about eligibility, application processes, and frequently asked questions, please refer to the respective links provided.

Since these grants operate on a reimbursable basis, securing a seed round of investment can provide the startup with additional financial resources to meet initial planned expenditures.

Please reach out to the KTC team to plan the next steps and receive guidance on these opportunities.

D. Research collaboration with external parties

Managing intellectual property in a research collaboration is crucial to ensure that the rights, ownership, and commercialization opportunities related to the intellectual property are properly addressed & secured.

When SMU collaborates with government agencies or other universities in Singapore, guidelines from the Master Research Collaboration Agreement (MRCA) or other university consortium agreements are followed.

The spirit of the National Intellectual Property protocol is maintained when dealing with intellectual property generated from such collaborations.

It is ideal to establish the lead party for intellectual property protection and commercialization efforts in a research collaboration agreement. If this is not established upfront at the time of entering into an agreement, please reach out to the KTC team to establish the necessary intellectual property agreement between the involved parties.

Research collaboration with private entities generally establishes intellectual property and commercialization rights upfront. It is important to have a clear understanding in this matter as SMU's name could be part of a patent filing carried out independently by the company. Please consult the KTC team for guidance related to intellectual property matters before entering into a research collaboration with private entities.

Here are some examples of other situations where an implied collaboration would take place, requiring guidance and support from the KTC team to establish a formal intellectual property agreement with the involved parties:

  • Continuing a research project with another university that was started while employed there but is being completed after joining SMU.
  • Starting a research project while employed with another university but completing it after joining SMU, with or without resources from that university.
  • One of your researchers who previously worked with you at SMU has moved to another institution but continues to be involved in your project.

The KTC team will assess the situation and recommend necessary steps, including having a conversation with the Technology Transfer Office of the other university, to put formal agreements in place to protect the work and establish ownership, among other considerations.

E. How to co-organise an event with IIE?

Co-organising an event with your university's technology transfer office can be a great way to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and collaboration within the university community.

The Greenhouse is the epicentre of innovation and entrepreneurship in SMU, where 80-100 start-ups are incubated every year through our dedicated incubation program called Business Innovation Generator (BIG).

Various events take place in this venue, supported by a thriving ecosystem of industry experts, venture capitalists, masterclasses, and our own faculty.


If you are interested in hosting a sharing session, workshop, or class related to knowledge transfer and commercialization, please reach out to book the facility. The space can easily accommodate up to 80 people, with the option to organise a small buffet.