Addvalue Innovation partners Institute for Infocomm Research to boost competitiveness

MAINBOARD-LISTED Addvalue Technologies' wholly owned subsidiary, Addvalue Innovation, will partner the Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R) in a move that is expected to boost competitiveness in the satellite communications industry.

Under the Joint-lab Collaboration Agreement signed with I²R, a research institute under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), Addvalue will be able to tap into new application opportunities brought about by the Internet of Things revolution.

Tan Khai Pang, chief operating and technical officer of Addvalue, said that the two partners have had working ties for almost two decades, and that the company has been "actively engaging A*Star on enhancing its research and development (R&D) processes since 1998".

"In particular, we are quite familiar with the technological and research capabilities of I²R, and the Joint-lab serving as a synergistic platform shall broaden and deepen our scope of technological collaboration with the undivided focus to maximise value for our businesses," he added.

Addvalue has tapped A*Star's expertise through the agency's various programmes such as the Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading (T-Up) scheme, where research scientists and engineers are seconded to build companies' in-house R&D or technical capabilities. Since 2007, at least four research scientists and engineers from I²R have been seconded to Addvalue to help the company research the future of satellite communication systems.

Said Dim-Lee Kwong, executive director of I²R: "I²R's capabilities in antenna and efficient power amplification for satellite communication will allow us to use our expertise in this area to help Addvalue innovate and develop new business models."