From Singapore to the World – six innovative products by global leaders from Dyson to HP

Singapore was ranked among the world’s five most innovative economies in 2025¹. Our mix of skilled talent, advanced research and manufacturing capabilities, collaborative and trusted business environment, and connectivity with APAC and the world has helped companies develop and commercialise new products and solutions at speed.

Here are six products that leading companies developed in Singapore, with the help of Singaporeans in their research and development (R&D) teams.

The morning commute, made safer

ST Engineering – AGIL® Platform Screen Door system

ST Engineering’s AGIL Platform Screen Door (PSD) system is a modular safety barrier system that can be installed along elevated, at-grade, and underground station platforms. It prevents commuters from accidentally stepping onto the tracks by remaining closed until the train has fully arrived, and opens only when the train’s doors are aligned.

The PSD system is compatible with various train configurations and car lengths, and suitable for installations in new stations or retrofits in existing stations. It can be customised with a range of materials, colours, and finishes to match the station’s aesthetics. The system also provides sound and thermal insulation to enhance a more pleasant platform environment, helping to buffer the noise and air drafts that would otherwise affect commuters each time trains enter the station. It also includes smart features such as real-time diagnostics, passenger-counting, and digital displays, enabling rail operators to monitor crowd flow and equipment conditions more effectively. Additionally, the AGIL PSD system is equipped with an intelligent monitoring system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to track door movement, motor performance, and wear indicators, allowing for more precise and predictive maintenance. These capabilities help improve service reliability.

ST Engineering’s PSD capability is driven by its Urban Solutions business area at its Singapore headquarters. Its team of engineers, designers, and technicians have diverse expertise in mechanical, electrical, electronics, and software engineering, as well as system integration, functional safety, and AI analytics. Being based in Singapore gives the team access to a strong talent pool and allows much of the development work – design, prototyping, testing, and refinement – to be done locally. This enables fast turnaround, tight quality control, and closer collaboration between engineering disciplines.

In addition to harnessing AI for new innovations, ST Engineering is also advancing agentic AI and equipping the next generation of cybersecurity talent to thrive in AI-assisted cybersecurity environments. Led by its Cyber business, the company’s newly established Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (CoE) aims to accelerate the development of agentic AI-driven cybersecurity solutions. The CoE will enhance cyber defence across enterprise information technology (IT) systems, fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks, and operational technology/Internet of Things (OT/IoT) systems, which will address the future wave of advanced threats.

Partnerships with Singapore’s government agencies have also supported ST Engineering’s global and regional growth, through connections to suppliers, installation contractors, and system integrators. Together, these strengths have helped transform the AGIL PSD system from a locally engineered solution into a globally recognised platform, now used in modern metro networks around the world – including Canada, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Thailand.

The workplace, offering more sustainable large-format printing

HP – Latex Inks

US-headquartered HP’s eco-friendly Latex inks are revolutionising large-format printing by providing sustainable solutions without compromising on performance. These inks produce sharp, vibrant colours while reducing their environmental impact. They are water-based, free from hazardous pollutants, and non-flammable, making them an environmentally conscious choice for businesses looking to adopt sustainable printing practices.

Singapore has long been an integral base for HP, serving as the location for its Asia Pacific headquarters and housing its first manufacturing plant in the region since 1970. Over the decades, Singapore has become an innovation hub for the company, where it has grown R&D capabilities across various sectors, including printing, personal systems, and smart manufacturing applications.

HP’s Singapore manufacturing facility is a prime example of the company’s commitment to excellence and sustainability. It is recognised as a World Economic Forum (WEF) Lighthouse – an industry benchmark for manufacturing excellence. This recognition highlights the facility’s leading-edge use of artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and sustainable practices. The Tuas facility is particularly notable for its innovative approach to producing latex inks. It uses reclaimed water in the manufacturing process, contributing to the creation of inks that are up to 65% water, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly.

HP continues to deliver numerous world-firsts from Singapore, including the Smart Manufacturing Applications and Research Center (SMARC), a pioneering effort in advancing smart manufacturing technologies. In 2025, it launched Garage 2.0 – a first-of-its-kind platform that supports AI startups in turning ideas into impactful solutions. HP will provide mentorship and go-to-market support, reinforcing Singapore’s position as a hub for breakthrough technologies.

HP’s commitment to investing in Singapore not only highlights the country’s strategic value in serving the regional market, but also showcases how innovation and sustainability can go hand-in-hand to advance modern manufacturing technologies.

The lunch break, going cashless

Wise – Multi-Currency Debit Card

While UK-headquartered fintech company Wise was founded in London, it chose Singapore as the base for the product and engineering team that designed and launched its debit card in 2019. The team brought the product to market in just six months – their progress enabled by Singapore’s strong regulatory environment and its role as a leading financial hub in Asia Pacific. Working closely with compliance and servicing functions, the Singapore team built the core infrastructure from the ground up, and localised it for the region’s unique regulatory requirements and payment networks. They also navigated challenges such as e-wallet limits, to ensure a fast and seamless customer experience.

Being based within Singapore’s fintech environment enabled Wise to collaborate efficiently with key partners, including major payment networks like Visa and Mastercard. This proximity allowed for quick technical and contractual agreements, speeding up the development process. As a result, Wise has been able to issue over 11 million of its debit cards to its customers across 42 countries since.

Singapore has been Wise’s Asia Pacific hub since 2016, with employees across functions that include Product, Compliance, People, Operations and Customer Service. The Engineering team in Singapore represents about 10% of the company’s global engineering workforce. Wise has been steadily expanding its office – from a one-man setup to a 31,800 sqft space hosting more than 600 staff – to tap into Singapore’s diverse talent pool and global connectivity. Beyond the Wise debit card, the Singapore-based teams have also launched several other products like investment and finance management solutions globally. Wise’s decision to continue deepening its presence here demonstrates Singapore’s strength as an innovation hub. The country’s business environment supports global fintechs and their growth ambitions, helping them scale quickly and efficiently in Asia’s dynamic digital economy.

The evening clean-up routine, done quickly and conveniently

Dyson – PencilVac™

Dyson’s PencilVac – the latest cordless vacuum cleaner in the consumer electronics company’s range – is a slim and lightweight vacuum designed to address common user frustrations, such as  limited manoeuvrability and cleaning hard-to-reach spaces and edges. The main challenge in its development was fitting all the components into a compact 38mm body frame. The task entailed not just miniaturising each part, but redesigning them for greater efficiency without compromising performance.

At the core of the PencilVac is the Hyperdymium™ 140k motor, Dyson’s smallest and fastest motor to date. Developed and manufactured in Singapore, this motor powers the vacuum’s high performance in an ultra-compact form. The PencilVac is also Dyson’s first connected cordless vacuum, pairing with an app to provide users with real-time battery and maintenance alerts. The software and user interface were developed by the company’s software team in Singapore.

Since establishing its global headquarters in Singapore in 2019, Dyson has built a significant ecosystem encompassing engineering, supply chain, finance, procurement, IT, and manufacturing operations. Dyson operates nearly 50 research laboratories in total across its Singapore campuses. These laboratories explore diverse fields that range from software and machine learning, to robotics, sensing, and vision systems.

Dyson’s Singapore Advanced Manufacturing (SAM) facility, which houses seven fully automated production lines that produce one motor every two seconds, plays a key role in the company’s operations. The factory employs over 300 robots to assemble motors with precision.

Singapore remains the centre of Dyson’s innovation efforts, as the home to its full range of engineering capabilities that drive the development of new technologies. The company employs over 2,000 staff in Singapore, half of whom are engineers. These engineers have played a key role in developing the PencilVac and the Hyperdymium 140k motor, which has built on the first-generation motor made in Singapore in 2004. Dyson marked a significant milestone of having produced 100 million motors – powering its vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and hair dryers – in Singapore by the end of 2025.

The homework crunch time, with vision care support

EssilorLuxottica – Essilor® Stellest® Lens

French-Italian multinational company EssilorLuxottica, a global leader in vision care and med-tech solutions, announced the worldwide launch of its Essilor Stellest lens in 2020. This spectacle lens is clinically proven to slow myopia progression in children by 71% on average over two years compared to standard single-vision spectacle lenses². Granted authorisation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be marketed as the first ever spectacle lens to slow myopia progression in children, this lens was conceptualised at the company’s Centre for Innovation & Technologies, Asia (CI&T Asia) in Singapore, in collaboration with its other international R&D hubs³.

With its Southeast Asia and Korea regional base having been established in Singapore since 1976, R&D is one of EssilorLuxottica’s key functions located here. Set up in 2004, CI&T Asia is one of the company’s Asia Pacific hubs for vision care, with a focus on myopia applied research and management solutions. CI&T Asia brings together experts in optometry, vision science, epidemiology, clinical investigations, material science, and lens prototyping. The facility features an ISO-compliant lens prototyping line that meets the highest international standards for medical devices, and is accredited by Singapore’s Ministry of Health as a research institution, which allows CI&T Asia to conduct extensive in-house clinical trials and myopia research. Notably, the Essilor Stellest lens prototypes were manufactured at CI&T Asia for use in several clinical trials in the U.S. and China.

EssilorLuxottica has collaborations with a network of partners in the Asia Pacific region, including leading research and academic institutes in Singapore, to further their research and nurture talent in the vision care field through PhD and apprenticeship programmes. Singapore’s robust R&D ecosystem, talent pool, and strong intellectual property framework provide the ideal foundation for EssilorLuxottica to lead the way in addressing global eye care challenges. This includes the new Essilor Stellest 2.0 lens – developed once again from Singapore, launched in China, and planned for international rollout in 2026.

A better night’s rest, for those who need some help

Resmed – AirSense™ 11

Resmed’s AirSense 11 features technology that automatically detects and optimises pressure levels based on users’ breathing patterns⁴. It utilises continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to keep airways open, offering a more restful and healthier night’s sleep. The AirSense 11 was developed through a global design collaboration, with expertise contributed from Resmed’s Product Development Laboratory in Singapore’s One-North district. With its advanced features, the AirSense 11 sets a new benchmark for CPAP machines, and is a winner of the Good Design Award in the Medical and Scientific Product Development category.

Australia-founded and US-headquartered Resmed has had a steady presence in Singapore for nearly three decades, with its regional headquarters, R&D, and manufacturing functions all anchored here. The company’s state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Centre in Tuas, measuring 270,000 sqft, is its largest global manufacturing site and primary production hub for AirSense 11 devices. This facility is equipped to scale production of Resmed’s devices and mask systems, and also pioneers advanced manufacturing processes and new technologies that are adopted across the company’s global sites. With more than 1,300 staff – including over 150 researchers, scientists, and engineers at its Product Development Laboratory – Resmed’s Singapore operations have been key to its global growth.

As part of its long-term strategy, Resmed continues to invest and deepen its presence in Singapore. This includes expanding production capacity, driving advanced manufacturing process innovation, and supporting the growth of its Digital Science and AI Lab (DSAIL), to use AI and machine learning technologies to enhance patient and physician experiences.

Resmed is also benefiting from “twinning” opportunities offered by the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). The company is expanding its manufacturing operations in Johor while anchoring key regional headquarters functions in Singapore, allowing it to optimise its supply chain and balance cost efficiency with resilience. Strong cross-border connectivity allows Resmed to streamline staffing, and leverage the talent and expertise between its Singapore and Johor teams. This boosts competitiveness and productivity, enabling Resmed to scale more effectively across the region.

What makes Singapore a leading hub for innovation? Discover our vibrant R&D and startup ecosystems and read about other products innovated and developed in Singapore.

Download the full infographic on the six innovations developed in Singapore by global companies.

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