Cool Ideas Enterprise

What is Cool Ideas Enterprise?

Cool Ideas Enterprise is an open innovation platform for innovators to co-develop solutions that improve the living environment and residents’ quality of life. We are looking for solutions in five focus areas – Energy, Urban Greenery, Living Environment, Water and Waste, and Building Technology – that can be piloted in our Living Labs island wide. Participants can benefit from funding support, mentorship, and access to facilities.

Find out more about how to submit your proposals, and view our answer to frequently asked questions.

Who can apply?

To be eligible for support, applicant must fulfil the following criteria:

(i) Be a business entity that is registered/ incorporated in Singapore

(ii) Be physically present in Singapore

(iii) Be financially able to see a project through completion

 

Benefits

Successful applicants can enjoy the following benefits:

 

Submission of proposals

You can submit your proposal(s) under one of the two categories:

Challenge Statement Details Closing Date   
Alternative vertical mobility solutions for direct access to lifts at multi-storey apartments Calling for proposals. More information can be found in the challenge statement form.
 		 23 February 2026 

You can submit your proposals and queries to HDB_CoolideasENT@hdb.gov.sg.

 

Open Category: What we are looking for

We are looking for strategic partnerships that help scale technologies and accelerate innovations across these focus areas, with smart initiatives and digitisation as an enabling layer:

CIE Focus Areas

We are looking for solutions that can be developed and piloted in our Living Labs such as Punggol, Yuhua, Teck Ghee, and Tengah. You can fill up the application form and submit your Open Category Proposal to HDB_CoolideasENT@hdb.gov.sg.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria: 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How can foreign companies take part in Cool Ideas Enterprise?
Foreign companies can take part in Cool Ideas Enterprise as part of a consortium, with at least 1 participating company being a local SME involved in a substantive and meaningful way.

Can individuals apply for Cool Ideas Enterprise? Is the programme only open to enterprises? 
All aspiring entrepreneurs and enterprises with existing innovations that can be adapted for housing estates, and innovators with near-ready solutions to be test-bedded and implemented by HDB, are eligible to apply for the Cool Ideas Enterprise programme.

Individuals will be required to register a company or partner an enterprise in order to tap on the Cool Ideas Enterprise programme for their solutions. 

Is there a cap on the amount of funding I can receive? 
All successful applicants will receive funding support of up to 70% of their development cost. There is no cap on the funding quantum.

Who owns the Intellectual Property (IP) for the developed solution?
The ownership of the foreground IP will be based on inventive contribution. The background IP will reside with the original owner.

 

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