Food sustainability on the menu for ASEAN partnership
Researchers in Singapore and Australia are collaborating to solve the global challenges facing food security, safety and sustainability through a partnership between CSIRO and Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).
The Innovations in Food for Sustainability program calls for the partnership of researchers from CSIRO and the Singaporean innovation ecosystem to develop science underpinning new foods and ingredients and help accelerate commercialisation.
The Program will fund projects that build alternative protein scientific capability for both countries to addresses major challenges for our:
- economy: food security & industry development
- environment: sustainability of food systems
- society: reducing impact of chronic diseases, ageing and
- food safety threats: providing tools and data for policy makers and regulators to make informed decisions.
The collaboration is set to redefine the future of sustenance, focusing on innovations that cater to the escalating demand for sustainable food options, in both Australia and Singapore.
2+2 grant program cultivates green solutions across borders
Along with Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), we have established the CSIRO-A*STAR Research-Industry (2+2) Partnership Grant Program, which aims to solve challenges faced by Australia and Singapore in areas relevant to the green economy.
The program calls for the partnership of researchers from CSIRO and the Singaporean innovation ecosystem (2 research teams), with an industry collaborator in both Singapore and Australia (2 industry teams) – which gives you 2 + 2.
Research teams participating in the program will address one of the following themes:
- Food (alternative proteins, plant genetics for urban food production)
- Digital environment (urban environment management)
- Future of materials in advanced manufacturing
- Circular economy and low emission technologies (renewable energy, biofuels, CCUS)
The program allows researchers and industry collaborators from both countries the program opportunity to expediate their research and test products quicker than working in isolation.
Powering the maritime shift to a low-carbon future
The Australia-Singapore Initiative on Low-Emissions Technologies (ASLET) for Maritime and Port Operations will support the establishment of green and digital shipping corridors between the two countries by the end of 2025.
The ASLET initiative is co-delivered by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency in collaboration with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and is supported by the Governments of Singapore and Australia.
The co-investment initiative supports the maritime and port sectors in Australia and Singapore to move towards a zero and near-zero emissions future while delivering bilateral economic benefit. Both Singapore and Australia shall commit up to $10 million each in their respective currencies to deliver projects under the initiative.
CSIRO Venture Exchange Program
Our Venture Exchange Program (the Program) seeks to strengthen innovation ecosystem connectivity between Australia and Singapore by supporting entrepreneurs to engage with research and industry partners in both countries with complementary capabilities.
Future Foods Cohort
Future Protein Mission, the first cohortwill focus on Future Foods and aims to:
- Generate new, world-leading knowledge and technology in novel food that can be translated into marketing insights, business products, new companies and development for the agriculture and food industry.
- Build novel food and future protein scientific capability for both countries to address major challenges for the economy (food security, industry development), environment (food system sustainability), and society (reducing impact of chronic diseases, ageing and food safety threats).
- Bring together complementary capability and capacity to support innovation ecosystem development.
- Facilitate connections between science and technology professionals, entrepreneurs and businesses to drive the development of research and commercial applications for future protein innovations.
- Connect key players across the value chain, for example, to help ensure Australian food ingredients are tailored to match the specific needs of Asian food manufacturers.
About the Cohort
Our Venture Exchange Program (Future Food Cohort) is a 3-month program helping six Australian and three Singapore-based start-up companies with a focus on novel foods and future protein to:
- explore new market opportunities
- develop go-to-market strategies
- engage across the value chain in both countries to identify synergies and build partnerships; and
- access complementary research capabilities to accelerate industry development.
Participants benefit from:
- Access to world-class R&D facilities and collaboration opportunities with leading scientists both countries.
- Coaching sessions to identify potential research collaboration and value chain opportunities.
- Protein Futures Conference in Australia Networking sessions with cohort peers and key ecosystem stakeholders.
- Specialist consultations with relevant providers of legal, marketing, commercialisation and other services to facilitate know how and connections.