NTI Nanofilm Shares Deep Tech Scale-Up Journey at US-Singapore Workshop on Innovation and Partnerships 

Singapore — April 14–17, 2025 — The US-Singapore Workshop on Deep Tech Innovation and Partnerships convened leading voices from government, academia, venture capital, and industry to explore how cross-border collaboration can accelerate the development of cutting-edge technologies. Held in Singapore and supported by the US National Science Foundation (NSF), Northeastern University’s Institute for NanoSystems Innovation (NanoSI), MTM Venture Partners, Enterprise Singapore, the National Research Foundation (NRF), and A*STAR, the event spotlighted opportunities to scale deep tech through partnerships.
Among the invited speakers on the industry fireside panel titled "Scaling-Up through Partnerships" was Dr. Eric Phua, Principal Technology Secretary at NTI Nanofilm. Representing Singapore’s homegrown deep tech success story, Dr. Phua shared NTI Nanofilm’s evolution from its research-driven foundations to becoming a unicorn in nanotechnology and advanced materials science.

From Deep Research to Industrial Impact

In the session, Dr. Phua highlighted the company’s journey in scaling up through its long-standing collaboration with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) under Singapore’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 (RIE2025) initiative. With support from NRF Singapore, NTI Nanofilm and NTU established a Corporate Laboratory (NTI-NTU Corp Lab) in 2023, designed to bridge academic research and commercialisation.
The Corp Lab is structured around four key research thrusts aligned with Nanofilm's core business units:

• Coating Equipment
• Advanced Materials
• Nanofabrication
• Hydrogen Energy

Partnership-Driven Innovation with Execution Focus

Dr. Phua emphasized the importance of technical complementarity in successful deep tech scale-ups. The NTU-NTI Corp Lab model serves as a collaborative platform for co-development, test-bedding, and rapid translation of lab-scale technologies into real-world applications, particularly in nano-coating innovations.
One of the session’s key takeaways was the importance of clarity around intellectual property in deep tech partnerships. NTI Nanofilm’s tripartite governance model with NTU and NRF ensures a transparent, trusted, and execution-focused environment that supports innovation while safeguarding long-term value.

A Singaporean Deep Tech Success Story

NTI Nanofilm’s journey from a university spin-off to a publicly listed deep tech unicorn is a testament to Singapore’s thriving innovation ecosystem. The company’s participation at the workshop reflected its commitment to open innovation, research collaboration, and nurturing public-private partnerships that accelerate industrial impact.
The event not only highlighted global best practices but also celebrated the role of strategic partnerships in unlocking the commercial potential of scientific breakthroughs.
NTI Nanofilm extends its appreciation to the workshop organisers and partners, including Enterprise Singapore, NRF, and NTU, for their unwavering support in shaping a dynamic environment for deep tech entrepreneurship and collaboration.

If you are exploring R&D partnerships or looking to collaborate on product or application development, we welcome you to connect with us at team@nti-nanofilm.com.