Industry leaders discuss AI adoption, deep-tech commercialisation, startup financing and talent development at SWITCH Singapore.
The Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) 2026 featured discussions on artificial intelligence (AI), deep technology, startup financing and commercialisation, with industry leaders and researchers examining how innovation could be translated into practical applications and global market opportunities. Sessions explored AI adoption in engineering, logistics and banking, advances in materials discovery and next-generation energy, and the role of talent, capital and industry partnerships in scaling new technologies.
Discussions on AI adoption featured Chris Ong, Chief Executive Officer of Seatrium; Samer Kabbani, Chief Executive Officer of AEM; and Jacomo Corbo, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of PhysicsX. They examined how AI could accelerate engineering processes and enable employees to focus on higher-value work.
Ong Kim Pong, Group Chief Executive Officer of PSA International, discussed the application of AI in complex port and supply-chain operations, highlighting the importance of combining technology with human expertise. Tan Su Shan, Chief Executive Officer of DBS Bank, and Simon Davis, Senior Vice-President and General Manager for Asia Pacific and Japan at Databricks, addressed the foundations needed to scale AI, including data, governance, trust, organisational culture and workforce capabilities.
Other sessions examined developments in materials science and energy. Dr Max Welling of CuspAI, Dr Pei Yu Zhang of XtalPi Inc., Dr Toni Versluijs of Heraeus Electronics, Professor Xian Jun Loh and Dr Wen Jie Ong of NVIDIA explored how AI could accelerate materials discovery and improve the translation of predicted material properties into real-world performance.
Discussions on fission and fusion featured Dr Andrew Ngo of A*STAR – Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Dr Han Gon Kim of ISMR Development Agency, Dr Jui Lim of SGInnovate and Nicholas Davies of FusionX. They examined progress in these energy technologies and the engineering advances required for deployment at scale.
The programme also addressed the conditions needed to move innovations from research to commercialisation. Professor Benjamin C.K. Tee of the National University of Singapore and co-founder of AiTexel Photonics highlighted deep-tech capabilities, trusted supply chains and Singapore’s innovation ecosystem. Teresa Mok of the Skills & Workforce Development Agency discussed workforce preparation, while Dr Jeremy Loh of Genesis Alternative Ventures examined financing structures suited to different stages of startup growth.
Source: SWITCH Singapore
