With a purpose to translate research ideas, bring them to market and positively impact society, the SMART Innovation Centre (SMART IC) offers a comprehensive programme for scientists and researchers. It provides funding, training and mentorship to advance entrepreneurial and start-up journeys, and propel research towards commercialisation.
Currently under the Innovation 2.0 and I2START grant programmes, Dr Kerwin Kwek is a Research Scientist at SMART’s Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP) interdisciplinary research group (IRG), with an engineering background specialising in microscale fluid dynamics. Discover how the SMART IC programme has impacted his research and entrepreneurial journey thus far as he shares more about his personal experience.
Can you share more about your work at SMART CAMP?
At SMART CAMP, I’m a Research Scientist studying the properties and fitness of immune cells by designing unique obstacle courses for cells to navigate through. The understanding of immune cell properties will enable better disease diagnosis and research of new cancer therapies. By identifying critical clinical challenges, we aim to address these needs and bridge the gap between engineering and real-world healthcare applications through our research.
Before joining the SMART IC programme, what were your main entrepreneurial or research aspirations, and what made you decide to join the programme?
Before joining the SMART IC programme, our primary focus was collaborating with clinicians from National University Hospital (NUH) Emergency Department, Singapore General Hospital Critical Care, and KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) Neonatal Critical Care to explore the potential of a rapid point-of-care immune response profiling device. We’re encouraged by the promising data from our published clinical pilot studies with NUH, which demonstrated high accuracy in detecting severe immune responses in emergency department patients, and we saw a clear opportunity to build on this success.
This excitement fueled our aspiration to advance the project toward commercialisation, leading to our decision to join the SMART IC programme to gain the necessary resources and support to bring our innovation to market.
Can you share more about your journey so far?
My team and I are working towards establishing a startup that takes our research to market. Aiming to empower clinicians in their fight against sepsis, a deadly uncontrolled immune response, we seek to use next-generational decentralised immune response profiling technologies that will be able to quantify the risk profile of a patient to an infection.
While we are currently undergoing the SMART IC programme, the journey so far has been immensely valuable. It has helped us strengthen our approach to startup risk management, deepen our understanding of team dynamics, refine our target product profile, and prepare effectively for pitching to investors. The programme aligns perfectly with our current needs, enabling us to accelerate the commercialisation of our technology. Additionally, we have started engaging with manufacturing partners for our medical device and are initiating clinical trials. The insights and guidance from the expert panels curated by SMART IC has been particularly beneficial, equipping us with the knowledge and confidence to navigate these critical stages.
How did the training and mentorship provided by the SMART IC programme help to achieve your goals?
The training and mentorship provided by the SMART IC programme equipped us with critical skills and knowledge to achieve our goals through a combination of tailored workshops, expert mentorship, and networking opportunities. The workshops helped us refine our pitch, focusing on succinctly communicating the clinical need, the unique value of our technology, and the commercial opportunities it presents. Mentorship sessions provided invaluable guidance on navigating regulatory landscapes, such as ISO 13485 compliance, and offered practical advice on experimental design to align with industry standards. The various presentation opportunities gave us hands-on experience in pitching and expanded our understanding of what investors and stakeholders look for in a medtech innovation. These components collectively strengthened our commercialisation strategy and gave us the confidence to advance our project towards clinical trials and beyond.
Can you share a specific instance where the guidance from your mentor helped you overcome a challenge?
Medical technologies are highly regulated, making navigation through regulatory, safety, and efficacy requirements a complex challenge for a young startup team. Our mentor’s guidance was instrumental in helping us understand how to approach ISO 13485, the quality management system specific to medical devices. Drawing on his experience, he equipped us with the right strategies and tools to set a strong foundation for our medtech journey. For instance, he provided valuable advice on designing experiments and structuring our processes to align seamlessly with ISO 13485 requirements, ensuring that our development efforts were efficient and well-positioned for commercialisation.
How would you summarise your experience with the SMART IC programme in three words?
Transformative, empowering and team-building! The programme has fundamentally transformed how we approach commercialisation, moving our innovation from the lab to a real-world application ready for clinical trials and manufacturing. It equipped us with the tools and mentorship, and empowered us with the confidence needed to tackle regulatory processes, pitch to investors, and refine our product. Last but not least, the programme has fostered stronger team bonds and a deeper understanding of our collective strengths and weaknesses, enabling us to support one another more effectively and leverage our unique abilities while enjoying the journey of learning and building our startup.
What is unique or different about the SMART IC programme?
The SMART IC programme takes a tailored approach, diving deeply into the specifics of our technology and customising the curriculum to meet the unique needs of our team. This personalised guidance has been instrumental in addressing challenges specific to our journey, making it a standout experience compared to other programmes.
Do you have a word of advice for potential SMART IC programme applicants?
If you’re still considering, I would definitely encourage you to apply! The SMART IC programme is highly beneficial to any deep tech startup and for researchers who are keen to commercialise their technology. Trust the process, keep an open mind, and embrace the opportunity to learn from expert panelists, speakers, and professors from all over the globe—you’ll gain invaluable insights and benefits from the programme! And don’t forget to enjoy the journey too!
Comentários