Industry News

SpeQtral, Singapore’s leading quantum communications company, in partnership with the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council’s RAL Space, has announced the successful deployment of the SpeQtre CubeSat. Launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-15 mission on 28 November 2025, the satellite is now in sun-synchronous orbit. This marks a significant step forward in space-based quantum communications technology.

The SpeQtre satellite, a 12U CubeSat, is equipped with advanced quantum hardware designed by SpeQtral. It aims to demonstrate secure space-to-ground quantum communication, a challenging feat given the satellite’s compact size. The mission seeks to validate quantum components and develop sophisticated communication protocols, potentially reducing costs and enhancing accessibility for future missions. “This mission represents years of collaborative development between our teams,” said Chune Yang Lum, CEO of SpeQtral.

Following its deployment, the satellite will undergo a commissioning phase, involving the activation and testing of all spacecraft subsystems. This phased approach ensures thorough validation before advancing to quantum experiments. Andy Vick, Disruptive Technology Lead at RAL Space, noted, “By approaching this mission with speed and creativity, they have already paved the way for more ambitious missions ahead.”

The mission addresses emerging cybersecurity challenges posed by advancements in quantum computing, which threaten conventional encryption methods. Satellite-based systems offer quantum-secure communications across vast distances, unlike terrestrial fibre networks. The collaboration is part of a broader Singapore-UK initiative to strengthen technological cooperation, supported by Singapore’s Office for Space Technology and Industry and the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme.

Quantum communications experiments are expected to commence in early 2026, with data from these experiments informing the development of future commercial satellites. The success of this mission could accelerate the deployment of commercial quantum communications constellations, establishing important precedents for international cooperation in quantum technologies.

Lauder Homes has unveiled Singapore’s first combined real estate and interior design service, promising a seamless experience from property search to move-in. This innovative service addresses the growing demand for speed, personalisation, and control in the property market by merging the roles of real estate agents and interior designers into a single professional.

The service is backed by over 13,000 licensed real estate professionals and cutting-edge proptech tools, providing clients with real-time market insights and award-winning design capabilities. Lauder Homes aims to eliminate the traditional disconnect between buying a home and designing it, offering a unified approach that saves time and reduces stress.

“Clients would buy property through one agent and then search separately for an interior designer — often leading to mismatched timelines, visions, and budgets,” Lauder Homes stated. By providing a single point of contact, the company ensures total control over the entire process, from negotiation to renovation.

Key features of the service include early design involvement, which begins as soon as the Option to Purchase is exercised, and comprehensive budget management that starts during property viewings. This approach helps clients make informed decisions and avoid unexpected financial shortfalls.

Lauder Homes also offers design-driven strategies for sellers, enhancing property appeal during viewings and increasing the likelihood of closing deals. For new launch buyers, the service includes expert floorplan interpretation to avoid common pitfalls.

Singapore’s job market experienced a continued decline in job postings for the eighth consecutive month in October, dropping by 3.1%, according to Indeed’s latest Hiring Lab report. Although postings are 17.9% lower than a year ago, they remain 32% above pre-pandemic levels, maintaining a low unemployment rate.

The report highlights that 86% of occupations still have job postings above pre-pandemic levels, with 8% more than double. Sectors such as pharmacy, sport, and hospitality & tourism are leading the demand, with increases of 181%, 122%, and 119% respectively. Over the past three months, retail, hospitality & tourism, and healthcare have shown significant growth, with retail postings up by 17%.

Conversely, some sectors have seen notable declines. Childcare postings fell by 30%, driving by 24.9%, and sports by 18.6%. Despite these declines, the overall market remains tight, with skill shortages persisting.

Remote work trends are also shifting, with 8.2% of job postings mentioning remote work options, up from 7.7% a year ago. IT infrastructure, insurance, and sales lead in remote opportunities, with 17.2%, 15.3%, and 14.9% of postings respectively. Changes in remote work availability reflect evolving employer attitudes and efforts to attract candidates. The unemployment rate remains low at 2.0%, with no immediate signs of stabilisation in job posting volumes.

The Singapore Sports Hub has officially been rebranded as The Kallang, marking a significant shift towards offering more diverse and accessible experiences in sport, entertainment, lifestyle, and community. The announcement was made by Kallang Alive Sport Management, now known as The Kallang Group, at a launch event attended by over 300 stakeholders and partners.

The rebranding reflects The Kallang’s evolution from a mere venue to a vibrant precinct that hosts world-class events and fosters community engagement. Since the government’s takeover in 2022, The Kallang has seen a surge in event days and attendance, hosting prestigious events like the World Aquatics Championships and performances by global icons such as Lady Gaga.

Keith Magnus, Chairman of The Kallang Group, emphasised the precinct’s transformation into a dynamic hub, stating, “Our ambition is for The Kallang to become the excitement epicentre of Singapore.” The rebranding aims to honour the site’s rich sporting legacy whilst broadening its identity to include entertainment and community activities.

The Kallang’s new tagline, “Feel Alive,” underscores its commitment to creating exciting experiences across its four pillars: sport, entertainment, lifestyle, and community. Upcoming enhancements include new alfresco dining options, a sheltered padel ecosystem, and refreshed family-friendly spaces, with infrastructure improvements set to begin in Q2 2026.

The Kallang Group is also launching The Kallang Pass, offering patrons a chance to win tickets to various events. The precinct’s transformation aims to make it a beloved destination for generations, enhancing Singapore’s role in the global sport and entertainment landscape.

Huawei Cloud has showcased its latest AI-native innovations at the AI Partner Summit Singapore 2025, held on 27 November. The event highlighted Huawei Cloud’s commitment to enhancing cloud services for Singaporean businesses, with 70% of companies now actively using AI. The company aims to drive the next wave of generative AI adoption through its ecosystem-driven solutions, featuring integrated AI-native infrastructure and a robust network of data and applications.

Wu Shiwei, Chief Technology Officer of Huawei Cloud APAC, emphasised the company’s focus on deepening industry engagement and advancing cloud architecture. “Huawei Cloud empowers its customers to become pioneers of intelligence in their respective fields,” Wu stated. Meanwhile, Gigi Hu, Managing Director of Huawei Cloud Singapore, noted the company’s support for Singapore’s national AI ambitions.

A key announcement was the launch of the Huawei Cloud Singapore AI Pioneer Partner Ecosystem Alliance. This strategic initiative, in collaboration with leading AI companies like YITU Technology and iFLYTEK, aims to accelerate AI innovation across sectors such as public services, retail, and fintech. Zach Tang from YITU highlighted the company’s AI 2.0 paradigm, which enhances video intelligence for public safety and smart city solutions.

The alliance also addresses financial security needs, with partners like TrustDecision offering AI-powered risk intelligence. Udesk’s AI Agent, supported by Huawei Cloud, tackles language barriers and compliance risks for cross-border enterprises. Additionally, iFLYTEK’s multilingual capabilities and Neuxnet’s intelligent automation solutions further demonstrate the alliance’s potential to transform industries.

The Huawei Cloud Singapore AI Pioneer Partner Ecosystem Alliance is set to strengthen Singapore’s position in global AI adoption, fostering a future-ready AI landscape that benefits businesses and customers across the nation.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Bank of Japan (BOJ) have renewed their Bilateral Local Currency Swap Arrangement, extending it until November 2028. This agreement enables the two central banks to exchange local currencies up to S$ 15b or JPY 1.1t, facilitating Japanese Yen liquidity for Singapore financial institutions engaged in cross-border operations.

Initially established in November 2016, the arrangement has been consistently renewed every three years. The renewal underscores the ongoing commitment between Singapore and Japan to support financial stability and enhance economic cooperation in the region.

The currency swap arrangement is crucial for Singapore’s financial institutions, providing them with the necessary liquidity to manage cross-border transactions efficiently. This is particularly significant given the increasing interconnectedness of global financial markets and the need for robust mechanisms to manage currency risks.

By renewing this arrangement, MAS and BOJ continue to strengthen their financial ties, ensuring that both countries can effectively support their respective financial sectors. The arrangement’s extension until 2028 reflects the enduring partnership and mutual trust between the two nations’ central banks.

As financial markets evolve, such agreements play a vital role in maintaining stability and fostering economic growth. The renewal of the currency swap arrangement between MAS and BOJ is a testament to the strategic importance of bilateral cooperation in navigating the complexities of the global financial landscape.

The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) has unveiled findings from its Charity Board Leadership Study 2025, revealing that board culture is the most significant factor influencing charity board performance in Singapore. The study, which assessed 1,140 board members from 114 charities, identified five key qualities—Bandwidth, Board Culture, Expertise, Social Capital, and Independence—that collectively account for nearly 60% of performance variance.

The study’s insights have led to the development of the Charity Board Performance Framework, which aims to guide charities in enhancing their board effectiveness. This framework focuses on three core functions: Advocacy, Oversight, and Strategic Direction. NVPC’s Chairman, Seah Chin Siong, emphasised the importance of board leadership in maintaining charity effectiveness and accountability, stating, “CBLS 2025 reflects the collective effort between NVPC and our charity partners.”

To support charities in applying these findings, NVPC has launched CNPL BoardPulse2.0, a free self-assessment tool. This tool allows charity boards to evaluate their performance across the identified qualities and functions, offering benchmarks against other boards for a comprehensive understanding of their relative performance. NVPC CEO Tony Soh encouraged charities to adopt the tool, noting, “CNPL BoardPulse2.0 provides a robust tool that equips charity boards with practical insights to lead effectively.”

The study and its accompanying tools aim to foster a culture of purpose-driven leadership within Singapore’s charity sector, promoting continuous development and improvement. For further details, the full technical report is available on NVPC’s website.

Singapore has successfully been re-elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) during the 34th Session of the IMO Assembly in London. The announcement marked another term for Singapore in this pivotal maritime body. The Singapore delegation was led by Jeffrey Siow, Acting Minister for Transport and Senior Minister of State for Finance.

The re-election underscores Singapore’s continued commitment to contributing to international maritime regulations and policies. Jeffrey Siow expressed his gratitude, stating, “Singapore is honoured to be re-elected to the IMO Council. We look forward to continuing our work with the international maritime community to advance safe, secure, and sustainable shipping.”

The IMO, a specialised agency of the United Nations, is responsible for regulating shipping. Singapore’s role in the Council allows it to influence key decisions affecting global maritime operations, which is crucial given its status as one of the world’s busiest ports.

The Singapore delegation included Ang Wee Keong, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Loh Khum Yean, Chairman of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, and Lau Peet Meng, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport. Their presence at the assembly highlights the importance Singapore places on its maritime sector.

This re-election ensures that Singapore will continue to play a significant role in shaping maritime policies, which is vital for maintaining its strategic position in global trade and shipping.

Univers, a global leader in AI and IoT platforms, has partnered with SP Group to propel Singapore’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) initiative under the Energy Market Authority’s Regulatory Sandbox. This collaboration follows a successful proof-of-concept demonstration at the 25th Conference of the Electric Power Supply Industry, held in conjunction with Singapore International Energy Week 2025.

The VPP initiative aims to aggregate and manage distributed energy assets across various sites, providing essential grid services such as frequency regulation and contingency reserves. This system is designed for scalable national expansion, involving collaboration with key energy, infrastructure, and industrial partners.

Under the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding, Univers and SP Group will work together to develop and deploy the VPP platform. Their joint efforts will focus on refining system design, enhancing platform functionality, and establishing a scalable framework for future expansion. This includes integration, testing, and market readiness activities to support broader adoption of VPP capabilities.

Michael Ding, Global Executive Director of Univers, stated, “This collaboration is a pivotal step towards commercialising Virtual Power Plant capabilities in Singapore. By combining AI innovation with grid expertise, we are advancing a model that not only strengthens Singapore’s energy resilience but also sets a blueprint for how ASEAN countries can accelerate distributed energy adoption and renewable integration.”

This initiative is part of Univers’ broader innovation agenda, which includes the launch of its Global Impact AI Lab in collaboration with AMD, Microsoft, and NUS, aimed at accelerating AI and IoT innovation across industries.

The tender for the Bedok Rise residential site, which closed recently, drew significant attention with 10 bids, the highest number for any land tender in 2025 so far. Bellis Residential, believed to be Allgreen, submitted the top bid of $464.8m, equivalent to $1,330 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr), narrowly outbidding Hoi Hup’s offer by just 0.4%. This site, located near the Tanah Merah MRT station and within proximity to Temasek Primary School, is considered the last greenfield site in the area.

The competitive bidding reflects a strong consensus on the site’s attractiveness, with the price gap between the top and last bidder being less than 20%. This tender surpassed previous bids for other sites this year, including Dorset Road and Dunearn Road. According to Tricia Song, Head of Research at CBRE Singapore and Southeast Asia, the robust bidding activity is driven by several factors: a four-year high in new home sales by October 2025, a significant decline in borrowing costs, and an upgraded economic growth forecast by Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry to around 4%.

Despite the high bid, the price does not exceed the $1,388 psf ppr paid for the Bayshore Road site earlier this year. The last Government Land Sales (GLS) site at Tanah Merah was sold in 2020 for $930 psf ppr. The new project at Bedok Rise is expected to launch at an average price of $2,300 to $2,400 psf, aligning with the area’s strong market performance. Nearby developments, such as Sceneca Residence, have seen successful sales, indicating continued demand in the region.