2. Speeches
Speech by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Gan Siow Huang at MTI Committee of Supply Debate 2026
2 March 2026
“Quality Industrial Spaces, and Trade Initiatives to Safeguard and Expand Our Economic Space”
Mr Chairman,
QUALITY INDUSTRIAL SPACES TO SUPPORT OUR GROWTH SECTORS AND FIRMS
1. MOS Alvin Tan has just spoken on how we can catalyse startup communities by availing capital to help them scale.
2. I will focus on how we provide physical space and critical infrastructure to support startups.
LaunchPad @ One-North
3. Let me start with LaunchPad @ One-North. One-North by JTC is our main node for startups. It’s a major knowledge and innovation district, and it houses leading firms such as Grab, Razer, Sea, and research institutions in A*STAR, NUS, NUH, and Singapore Science Park.
4. Since JTC repurposed Block 71 Ayer Rajah Crescent and expanded the startup hub in 2015, LaunchPad@One-North has supported over 2,400 startups, including tech unicorns Carousell, PatSnap, and Nium. Today, it hosts over 30 incubators, accelerators, and venture capital firms.
5. Home-grown company Igloo is one such startup that LaunchPad has nurtured to success. Beginning with smart lock solutions in 2016, it has scaled to enterprise-grade access control software for property and facilities management. It has expanded to eight countries, including the US and China; with about 80 global distributors and 90% of its revenue coming from abroad.
6. MDDI announced recently that it is extending its AI co-working space, Lorong AI, at Cross Street to LaunchPad.
7. To create more space for next-gen startups such as those in Lorong AI, JTC is launching an extension and refresh of LaunchPad, making it Asia’s flagship startup destination. This follows engagements with the startup ecosystem, including venture capital funds and accelerators. The refresh will essentially boost the vibrant environment for startups to work, live, and play.
Kampong AI – Singapore’s Hub and Home for AI
8. A key highlight of the refresh, as mentioned in PM’s Budget speech, is a new AI park called “Kampong AI”. This will be Singapore’s Hub and Home for AI. Now, it will be the first startup community in Singapore with work and living spaces under one roof. When ready in 2028, Kampong AI will be the place for AI startups and talent to congregate and exchange ideas. Startups can house their researchers and developers here, leveraging the events, speakers and demos happening at the same place.
9. With your permission, Mr. Speaker, may I ask the clerk to distribute visuals of Kampong AI and other developments I am sharing on. Members may also access them through the MP@SG Parl app.
10. DPM had spoken earlier on establishing Singapore as an AI leader. Mr Saktiandi Supaat also suggested that our growth be supported by AI diffusion across sectors, among other productivity measures. It is crucial for our budding community of AI leaders and practitioners to have a space to share ideas and build new products.
11. Kampong AI will meet this need. It comprises two adjacent 7-storey developments: one block with 14,500sqm of business park units and event spaces , accommodating around 70 companies; the other block with 200 residential units.
12. It will be developed through repurposing blocks in the extended LaunchPad, within walking distance of One-North and Kent Ridge MRT stations.
13. While only fully ready by 2028, pilot workspaces will be available in LaunchPad @ One-North from 2026 for firms that want a headstart.
LaunchPad @ PDD
14. Moving on to another part of Singapore. JTC will be establishing a new LaunchPad at Punggol Digital District (LaunchPad @ PDD), completing it in phases from end-2026.
15. As a smart district embedded within the community, Punggol Digital District, PDD, is the ideal testbed for translating innovations in smart city, robotics, and cybersecurity sectors into real-world solutions. It houses startups, industry, academia and the community under one roof.
a. The growing ecosystem of companies and agencies in PDD include UOB, OCBC, GovTech, Cybersecurity Agency of Singapore (CSA), and Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). Training providers such as SITLEARN, SIT’s Continuous Education Training centre, will have a front-row view of innovation development to incorporate these new skills in its adult learning curriculum.
b. Another key pillar is PDD’s Open Digital Platform (ODP), which collects district data and allows lifelike simulations. JTC is working with IMDA, GovTech, and SIT to enhance the collection and sharing of data. The Open Digital Platform will link the innovations to PDD’s infrastructure such as gantries and lifts to run real-world pilots.
c. For instance, if a robotics startup like dConstruct Robotics wants to deploy applications such as autonomous delivery, their robots can navigate buildings to deliver parcels to users, yielding greater convenience for PDD occupants.
Woodlands Gateway
16. Beyond catalysing groundbreaking developments here, our firms must seize opportunities regionally. ASEAN is projected to be the world’s fourth-largest economic bloc by 2030, and we are building nodes including the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) and Batam Bintan Karimun (BBK).
17. JTC is master-planning an exciting new Woodlands Gateway district around the upcoming RTS Link station, which will be our northern gateway to the JS-SEZ.
a. This mixed-use district, spanning up to 35-hectares - that is about the size of 50 football fields - will include a transport hub connected to the RTS Link and Woodlands North MRT stations. The first phase is expected to complete around 2030.
b. Woodlands Gateway will offer commercial and lifestyle amenities for commuters, residents, and people working in the Woodlands North area.
c. It will also provide flexible industrial spaces. Given its proximity to the RTS Link, Woodlands Gateway will cater to firms siting manufacturing in Johor with regional HQ functions here.
d. Leading global precision optics supplier, Edmund Optics, demonstrates the benefits of this twinning model. Its facility in Woodlands North Coast serves as a sales, innovation, and R&D facility; whilst its Johor facility manufactures the components. As a crucial node in Edmund Optics’ global footprint, this twinned ecosystem has helped the firm remain cost-efficient and competitive while providing jobs to people in both countries. Now, the RTS Link will make this ecosystem connection even more seamless.18. I thank Mr Victor Lye for his suggestions on how we can better support our firms to seize the opportunities in the JS-SEZ. MTI will study his proposals carefully.
SAFEGUARD AND EXPAND OUR ECONOMIC SPACE
Mr Chairman,
19. Beyond quality industrial spaces, we must also safeguard and expand Singapore’s international economic space.
20. Trade is the lifeblood of Singapore’s economy. With total trade exceeding three times our GDP, global connectivity creates real opportunities for Singaporeans.
21. However, we all know that global trade is fragmenting. Countries are prioritising economic security over open markets, and competition for investments is intensifying. Mr Azhar Othman asked how we could better support our firms to access overseas markets. In this uncertain environment, strong international partnerships are more crucial than ever to help our firms internationalise. Our approach focuses on three strategies.
Deepen Trade and Investment Linkages with Key Partners
22. First, we are deepening our economic ties with key partners.
a. We continue to engage with the US and China as longstanding partners based on shared economic interests.
i. We mark 60 years of Singapore-US diplomatic relations this year and are expanding cooperation in AI, quantum, and advanced nuclear energy technologies.
ii. With China, we continue to strengthen our economic partnership through flagship joint projects in Suzhou, Tianjin, and Chongqing, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year.
23. Meanwhile, we are enhancing our partnerships with other major economies.
a. We are deepening our engagement with India in high-value growth areas such as semiconductors, aviation MRO services, and space technology, positioning Singapore companies as early movers into India’s market.
b. Our digital economy agreements with the EU (i.e. EUSDTA) and the European Free Trade Association (i.e. ESDEA) are entering into force in early 2026. These will provide our companies with legal certainty in cross-regional digital transactions.
24. Closer to home, we continue to push for deeper regional economic integration through ASEAN.
a. Last year, ASEAN upgraded 2 landmark agreements which are used extensively by our traders – the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (ACFTA) 3.0. We also concluded the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) to work towards a single and trusted regional digital ecosystem.
b. As Singapore assumes ASEAN Chairmanship next year, we will work with fellow members to build a more seamless economic community, and accelerate growth in our digital and green economies.
Diversify into Emerging Markets and New Growth Sectors
25. We are diversifying our economic links with emerging markets and growth sectors to unlock new opportunities for Singapore firms.
a. We continue to work with our Latin American partners through FTAs with the Pacific Alliance and MERCOSUR, whilst venturing into South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa with newer trade and investment agreements. This will boost our firms’ confidence to invest across these dynamic markets.
b. We are expanding participation in the Digital Economic Partnership Agreement (DEPA). It will soon grow to 6 members with Costa Rica and Peru joining later this year, while China and the UAE are in accession discussions.
c. We have also launched negotiations on the Green Economy Partnership Agreement (GEPA) with Chile and New Zealand.
Defend and Expand our Economic Space
26. Lastly, we are strengthening our economic security through close collaboration with trusted partners.
a. We are finalising a first-of-its-kind Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (AOTES) with New Zealand to keep our trade in essential goods, like food and pharmaceuticals, uninterrupted even during global crises.
27. We are partnering with like-minded countries to uphold and shape the open, rules-based multilateral trading system.
a. We launched the Future of Trade and Investment (FIT) Partnership, bringing together 16 small, medium, and trade-dependent countries to address emerging challenges and opportunities in global trade and investment.
b. We continue to expand high-quality regional agreements like the CPTPP and RCEP, while building bridges through inaugural dialogues between the CPTPP, EU, and ASEAN.
CONCLUSION
28. Mr. Chairman, our efforts to expand our economic space and create quality industrial spaces enable Singapore to remain a competitive destination for firms and catalyse innovation.
29. My MTI colleagues and I have shared on our strategies to create growth and good jobs for Singaporeans, and this is crucial amidst a climate of uncertainties. We will strive to ensure that Singapore remains a trusted and dynamic hub for trade and capital, securing a bright future for Singaporeans.
30. Thank you.