Industry Alignment Fund — Pre-Positioning Programme

IAF-PP — Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity (MTC) Domain

Funds Singapore research pathways in manufacturing, trade, connectivity, and AI-integrated advanced industrial systems.

The IAF-PP Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity (MTC) domain programme is administered by A*STAR under the Industry Alignment Fund – Pre-Positioning Programme. It funds multidisciplinary integrated research programmes aligned with Singapore's Manufacturing, Trade and Connectivity strategic priorities, covering advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence infrastructure, robotics, semiconductors, photonics, materials science, urban systems, climate technology, sustainability, hydrogen, and supply-chain digitalisation. As with the HHP domain, programmes may run up to five years (60 months) and awards span SGD 2 million to SGD 50 million, with a median estimated around SGD 10 million based on publicly announced AME IAF-PP awards. The estimated annual pool across both IAF-PP domains is approximately SGD 180 million.

Eligibility mirrors the HHP track: only Singapore Public Research Institutions may submit applications. The Programme Director must hold at least 0.7 FTE primary appointment at a Singapore publicly funded research or tertiary education institution, must operate a research programme in Singapore at TRL 2–6, and the programme must be structured to achieve active industry participation within three to five years. Submission follows a two-stage process — Letter of Intent, then Full Proposal — using MTC-specific templates. Enquiries for the MTC domain are directed to IAF_PP_MTC@a-star.edu.sg. The Strategic Oversight Committee (CEO A*STAR, MD EDB, CEO NRF) makes the final award decision.

The RIE2025 MTC IAF-PP call is closed. The RIE2030 cycle is expected to roll out in 2026. Singapore research institutions working in advanced manufacturing, AI hardware, semiconductor process technologies, or sustainability should position programme development now. Strong MTC proposals typically align their research roadmap with specific Economic Development Board-identified industry gaps and demonstrate concrete letters of intent from MNC or Singapore enterprise industry partners.