Massachusetts Water Delegation Visits Singapore

This past December, Gov. Deval Patrick led a trade mission to Singapore, looking to expand markets for Massachusetts companies and gain exposure to cutting-edge technologies and research.

As part of this effort, MassCEC worked with a delegation of leaders in the Massachusetts water industry to make connections and build professional networks with their counterparts in Singapore’s business, academia and governmental fields, with the aim of learning about the country’s water innovation cluster and gaining exposure to leading-edge technologies and research.

They say necessity is the mother of innovation, and that’s very much the case in Singapore.  Dense population and rapid urbanization combined with other factors to create water security issues across the country.

However, with notable investments from the country’s Environment and Water Program Office and National Research Foundation, Singapore has made deep commitments in research and development of water technology, placing itself squarely on the map as an international hub for water innovation.

The intense five-day trip featured a number of great meetings and events, including a tour of CleanTech Park and Visenti, a water technology spin-out that originated in the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART).

With additional trips to Singapore already in the works and a strong relationship in place, the potential for meaningful collaboration between Massachusetts and Singapore is strong.  We at MassCEC are extremely encouraged with the results of the trip, and excited to build on the early momentum in developing a healthy partnership with the Singapore water industry.