CHISEL Healthcare InnoMatch 2026

No, start-ups and/or SMEs submitting an application do not need to be incorporated within last five (5) years.

No, CHISEL Healthcare InnoMatch is a global innovation challenge open to start-ups and SMEs registered locally in Singapore and/or overseas.

Several factors would be considered, such as prior or existing trials results, early market data, existing number of sites of implementation, extent of current adoption of solution (if any).

Solutions must be at a high level of market readiness. (i.e. Technology Readiness Level 7 and beyond, or the equivalent).

We might approach you for background checks and you are required to provide references in your application form as part of CHISEL Healthcare InnoMatch due diligence process.

The project agreement for each of the winners would be between one (1) healthcare cluster and one (1) Start-up or SME. However, if the solution involves collaboration/ co-development with other partners or a consortium of companies, the application would only be accepted if one (1) Start-up or SME submits the application on behalf of the team or all collaborating partners. Please indicate in your application the company fronting the application and designate the contact person for your application.

In the application stage, you are required to indicate an estimated cost. A business plan market strategy will be required for reviewers to assess your proposal's financial sustainability (e.g. pricing model, how the product will be priced to achieve self-sustainability after test-bedding, long-term business plan). A price range estimate of cost and expected price point is minimally required.

If you are shortlisted or selected as the final winner, more clarification and discussion will ensue with the review panel and your partnered healthcare cluster.

Yes. However, each proposal should be a distinct solution from other proposals you are submitting.

Yes, regardless of its business area (locally or overseas), start-ups and/or SMEs with revenues below Singapore Dollars One Hundred Million (SGD$100,000,000) can participate in the Challenge. This may include research institutions and innovation units of enterprises, if they are subsidiaries.

No, it is not mandatory, however, you are highly encouraged to submit a video as part of your application as it would enable the evaluation panel to better understand your proposal and drive efficient engagement with your project team. The video should be focused on the solution, so that the evaluation panel may better understand the background of your company, business proposition, and your solution.

No, insurance need not be provided during application stage.

However, during the test-bedding phase, you may need to discuss with your paired healthcare cluster if insurance may be required e.g. if your solution is conducting monitoring and tracking in a community setting locally. The requirements will depend on your solution and scope of the test-bedding, in discussion with your paired healthcare cluster.

No, you do not have to. Through CHISEL Healthcare InnoMatch, the winning teams will be paired up with the interested healthcare institutions and/or community partners at the end of the Final Pitching Event. The paired healthcare institution and/or community partner will help you to identify the clinical project lead that you will be working with for the test-bedding.

You may not be paired with your current partner healthcare institution, community partner and/or clinician(s) as other healthcare clusters may be interested to test-bed your solutions as well. The pairing will be decided by the judges and announced at the end of the Final Pitching Event.

Technology readiness levels (TRLs) are a method for estimating the maturity of technologies during the acquisition phase of a program, developed at NASA. Each technology project is evaluated against the parameters for each technology level and is then assigned a TRL rating based on the project’s progress. There are nine technology readiness levels. TRL 1 is the lowest and TRL 9 is the highest.

The healthcare concerns in Singapore are similar to many developed nations. Solutions submitted may not necessary be for addressing these issues only. Solutions may also be targeted at addressing other issues such as mental health, aging, and frailty etc. More importantly, participants should demonstrate where the solutions had been validated and its value proposition.

Yes, if the use case of your solution could be adapted for the healthcare industry. You are required to elaborate on the healthcare needs your solution would address, and the relevance of your solution in addressing this need in your application form. Do also share the prior or existing trials, proof-of-concept, proof-of-value and/or clinical validations results of your solution.

The grant funding covers costs incurred by the winner and partnered healthcare institutions/ community partners specifically for the purposes of the test-bed, such as:

• Pilot manufacturing,
• Purchase of consumables,
• Customisation,
• Test-bedding services (e.g. protocol planning, data management),
• Analytics and evaluation services.

All CHISEL 2026 test-bed solutions are to be evaluated using the CHI Evaluation Framework (CHIEF). CHIEF is a holistic framework for the evaluation of innovative solutions seeking real world deployment. Evaluation costs should be included in your application.

You may also engage additional services (e.g. statistical analysis, study design, sample calculation etc.) from CHIEF or an independent expert for the purposes of the test-bed at your discretion.

Relocating or setting up a local office in Singapore is not mandatory. However, we do strongly advise and encourage winners to build local contacts or partnerships e.g. local distributor. This is to facilitate communication and provide local support to the partner healthcare cluster you are paired with for the test-bedding. A local presence would be helpful in building a long-term partnership (especially if the test-bedding results are favourable).

The aim of the test-bedding phase is to demonstrate if the solution would be feasible in a real world, operating healthcare institution’s and/or community partner’s environment in Singapore. For instance, the test-bedding should be designed to inform of the solutions’ efficacy, health economics, potential for adoption and integration into existing workflows, systems and service business models. Winners will have the opportunity to discuss and refine the success criteria of the test-bedding project with their partnered healthcare cluster before commencing the test-bed.

There are no standard requirements and the specifics will depend on the nature of the test-bed, at the discretion of the winners in discussion with your eventual partnered healthcare cluster. The winning teams will be provided up to six (6) months to discuss and prepare with the partner healthcare cluster on the study protocol and prepare for the test-bed.

Test-beds should be designed to demonstrate the feasibility and viability of the solution in operational environments. The results should be significant for healthcare cluster(s) to decide on whether to adopt and procure the solutions after the test-bedding.

Test-bedding should be completed in a simulated and/or clinical environment complying to regulations and institutional policies in the partner healthcare cluster. This should be completed within nine (9) months.

There will be a principal investigator at the test-bedding site from the partner healthcare cluster attached to oversee the project. The hospital’s stakeholders/ research offices will also look at how the solutions will be used to benefit the patients and/or staff.

No. The principal investigator will be from your assigned partner healthcare cluster.

No. The healthcare institutions and/or community partners for test-bed would only be from the participating healthcare clusters for this specific challenge. The participating healthcare clusters are NHG Health, National University Health System (NUHS) and SingHealth.

No, the agreement and funding will be between one (1) start-up/SME and one (1) healthcare cluster only. It cannot be used for the test-bedding with other healthcare clusters.

However, evaluation outcomes of the solution will be shared with the other healthcare institutions under the three (3) partner healthcare clusters, which will inform the healthcare clusters, institutions and/or community partners on the decision to adopt and procure the solution.

Broadly speaking, there should not be access to discrete data. You may discuss this with the partner healthcare cluster as to what data is needed to carry out a meaningful test-bed project. All prevailing data privacy practices would have to be adhered to.

This will be at the discretion of the partner healthcare cluster and their respective IT offices, who will advise on the best and/or encouraged practices.

During test-bedding, solutions would not be integrated into healthcare institutions systems. Test-bedding would be conducted in a stand-alone or virtual environment. Synapxe is an agency that we work closely with that would help to review and advice on your solutions’ test-bedding infrastructure set-up, security concerns etc.

Where applicable, all solutions shall be evaluated based upon Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme for Medical Devices (CLS(MD)) Level 1 criteria. All test beds will have to be performed in accordance with local and hospital regulations and guidelines. Depending on the solution, some projects will need to engage and consult Synapxe, the local IT agency for public healthcare, together with the partner healthcare cluster’s IT offices, in the scoping of the test-bed.

Yes, your solution will be eligible for submission. You are encouraged to submit your proposal as well if the solution is already in the process of obtaining HSA’s clearance.

Depending on healthcare institution requirements, if the evaluation results of the test-bed are favourable and has potential to be mainstreamed, scaled up and/ or integrated with healthcare institutions and/or community partners, certifications may be required after the test-bed.

The intent of CHISEL is not to co-create or co-develop solutions. Hence, there will not be much opportunity for foreground IP creation. Most of the IP will reside with the company as background IP. However, if there are opportunities for publications, the start-up and SMEs can further discuss this with your partnered healthcare cluster.