Singapore announces S$150 million for MARVEL-AI materials research project

The Singapore government announced on October 27, 2026, initial public funding of 150 million Singapore dollars for MARVEL-AI, a materials research platform led by the A*STAR agency. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong presented the funding at the opening of the SWITCH event, reports The Business Times.

A*STAR’s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, IMRE, had already introduced MARVEL before October. The announcement at SWITCH concerns initial funding for MARVEL-AI.

The platform is intended to combine artificial intelligence models with automated laboratories. The models will propose materials and experiments; the laboratories will produce the candidates and test their properties. The results are then intended to guide subsequent experiments. This loop connects predictions to physical measurements, with the aim of accelerating research.

The planned work covers metal alloys, ceramics, polymers and organic materials, and composites. Target applications include semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, energy and chemicals.

MARVEL-AI also plans to share equipment, expertise and validation resources with researchers and businesses. Startups and SMEs could thus test their ideas without funding the entire infrastructure on their own.

Twenty-four companies for Champions of AI

Gan Kim Yong also introduced the first cohort of 24 companies in Champions of AI, reports The Straits Times. Separate from MARVEL-AI, the program, detailed by Enterprise Singapore as early as March 2, 2026, is intended for companies established in Singapore and undergoing a transformation. It aims to help them adopt AI and train their employees.

The Straits Times reports that Enterprise Singapore also plans workshops to help small business owners choose AI use cases and create prototypes. A pilot phase has already supported more than 280 small businesses, including in marketing and customer service.