i³ BUILDING16 SEP 2025
LAUNCH
Grand UNVEILING
Welcome to the hub for entrepreneurial collaboration and deep tech innovation
NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial heart of the National University of Singapore (NUS), will proudly unveil its revitalised i³ building, a hub for entrepreneurial collaboration and deep tech innovation, formally inaugurating the celebration of our thriving start-up ecosystem.
This occasion is a cornerstone of NUS 120th anniversary celebrations, underscoring our commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and advancing deep tech innovations.
panelists
the future
tracks
industry leaders
i³ BUILDING
our new home
The revitalised i³ Building
A beacon of Innovation
Located at 21 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, the i³ building features an industrial aesthetic with vibrant, colourful elements reminiscent of a coastal sunset. Its open and flexible event spaces are ideal for collaborative sessions and hackathons, fostering creativity and innovation.
For your exclusive first look, these are some architectural renderings of the revitalised i³ building, which will be unveiled at the event.
NUS Enterprise has nurtured many start-ups that have achieved significant milestones, including unicorns like Carousell and PatSnap, founded by alumni of the NUS Overseas Colleges programme.
Start-ups incubated at BLOCK71 Singapore, an NUS initiative, account for 14% of Singapore’s start-up ecosystem value. Together with the broader BLOCK71 global ecosystem, they have collectively secured USD10.5 billion in funding.
A new era
Celebrate the lively innovation ecosystem at NUS Enterprise
The grand unveiling of the i³ building is a celebration of the vibrant deep tech ecosystem powering innovation at NUS. An impact which reverberates across Asia and around the world.
Attendees will engage with over 60 innovative start-ups, pioneering advancements in AI, sustainability, and deep tech. The event will also host insightful plenary sessions on scaling ventures, building global networks, and overcoming commercialisation challenges in deep tech.
Future Logic
Building a smarter world through code, intelligence, and automation. See how the industries of tomorrow are being shaped by software and automation.
Future Pulse
Advancing human health through fundamental life science innovation. Dive into the breakthroughs improving health, longevity, and diagnostics.
Future Matter
Creating the literal building blocks of the future. See how breakthroughs in chemistry and physical sciences enable a stronger, more sustainable world.
speakers
Hear from the voices shaping global deep tech innovation
The grand unveiling is a unique opportunity to rub shoulders with the people turning bold ideas into real-world impact. It is a front row seat to the conversations, collisions, and connections shaping our future through deep tech innovation.
Learn from and be inspired by a powerhouse lineup of speakers - covering in-tune investors, start-up trailblazers, and R&D leaders - sharing insights across five dynamic panels.
20+ speakers
Representing the forefront of innovation
5 panels
Offering a glimpse into the future
Event videos
i³ BUILDING OPENING
GALLERY
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong at the showcase booth of AeroFlux, one of the National GRIP teams, highlighted in his remarks. AeroFlux has developed a novel membrane material that can cut the cost of carbon capture by up to 80 per cent and reduce its carbon footprint by up to 90 per cent compared with traditional technologies.
Prof Tan highlighted the University’s 120-year legacy of innovation and entrepreneurship, and its commitment to building stronger pathways for deep tech start-ups.
The NUS i³ building was launched by Guest-of-Honour Mr Gan Kim Yong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (third from left), together with (from left) Dr Tan Sian Wee, NUS Senior Vice President (Innovation and Enterprise); Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President; Mr Hsieh Fu Hua, NUS Chairman; Professor Aaron Thean, NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost; and Associate Professor Benjamin Tee, Vice President (Innovation and Enterprise), NUS Enterprise.
The i³ opening
The i³ opening marked a milestone moment, bringing together energy, ideas, and community under one roof. From inspiring speeches to immersive building tours, the day reflected the spirit of innovation shaping what comes next.
The “Reverse Pitching” session turned the tables, with investors presenting their cases to founders and researchers, highlighting the critical factors that attract funding and scale ventures.
Dr Tan highlighted the NUS Enterprise flywheel, which nurtures talent, empowers entrepreneurs, and scales ventures through a dynamic cycle of talent, research, capital, and entrepreneurship.
NUS professors-turned-founders opened up about the highs and lows of translating research into successful ventures during the panel “Innovation Unplugged: Founders and Frontiers”, moderated by Associate Professor Benjamin Tee, Vice President (Innovation and Enterprise), NUS Enterprise (first on left in the photo below)
WHAT DOES IT MEAN for us
The unveiling of the revitalised i³ building signals a new phase for NUS Enterprise. It’s a space designed to bring people together, fuel innovation, and help bold ideas grow into meaningful impact.
Future Matter Panel explored geopolitical and market shifts, as well as strategies for nurturing and scaling start-ups in the Physical sciences / chemistry / materials space.
Press & media
WHAT ATTENDEES THINK ABOUT THE EVENT
What speakers and startups think about the event
LOCATION
Step into i³: Singapore’s heart of innovation
Perched atop a gentle hill at 21 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, the revitalised i³ building sits within NUS Kent Ridge campus. More than just a venue, i³ is an inspiring launchpad for entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers.
With its seamless blend of innovative design and flexible, open spaces, i³ is purpose-built for invigoration—fueling both serendipitous connections and structured collaboration. The building’s close proximity to key campus landmarks, such as NUS Business School and NUS-ISS, makes it easily accessible by the internal shuttle bus.
21 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Singapore 119613
Science as art
Share your research to shape i³'s next chapter!
As part of the launch of the i³ building, we’re curating a showcase that transforms cutting-edge research into visual stories displayed throughout the revitalised i³ space.
If you are working on something bold, impactful, or unexpected, we invite you to share your work. Whether it's a diagram, photo, concept map, or breakthrough discovery, your work could become part of the i³ story. Submit your research and help bring the building to life.
The entrepreneurial heart of NUS
NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial heart of the National University of Singapore, empowers visionary talent and drives innovation through hands-on learning, technology translation, ecosystem-building, and global partnerships, shaping the future in Singapore and beyond.