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.

CIE Overview

Who can apply?

Aspiring entrepreneurs and enterprises who are ready to develop, implement and commercialise their solutions, including:
a) Start-ups and SMEs with existing technology that can be modified for use in public housing estates
b) Innovators with near-ready solutions to be test-bedded, validated, and implemented by HDB

Benefits

Successful applicants can enjoy the following benefits:

What we are looking for

We are looking for solutions that can be developed and piloted in our Living Labs such as Punggol, Yuhua, Teck Ghee, and Tengah. Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
• Innovativeness of solution
• Potential contribution and impact on HDB and/ or HDB residents
• Scalability of project across HDB estates/ private properties/ abroad
• Competency of team to develop and implement solutions

Focus Areas

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

Submission of Proposals

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

Challenge Statements

Waste & Water	Develop a solution to improve waste collection operations in HDB estates where the Pneumatic Waste Conveyance System (PWCS) has not been installed. The solution should: Reduce reliance on manpower, and reduce foul smells and pests Maintain high operability in the event of wet weather and obstacles Please refer to the factsheet for more background and information on the requirements.
Building Technology	Develop a cost-effective solution for human-less or virtual construction site monitoring by site supervisors, which can be applied to one or more of the following sites: Building project sites: where the site boundary is clearly defined, and there are many concurrent activities Precast plants: may be located locally or overseas. the site boundary is clearly defined, and activities may be manual or mechanised Infrastructure sites: where site boundary is less well-defined, and activities may be concentrated in a localised area or spread over a large one Please refer to the factsheet for more background and information on the requirements.
Building Technology	Develop a solution that allows for integrated digital project delivery (i.e. the tracking, monitoring and management of construction materials from production, delivery, to site installation). The solution should be able to be integrated and updated in a common data environment (CDE), offering timely and consolidated updates to project stakeholders. Please refer to the factsheet for more background and information on the requirements.
Energy	Develop a solution to reduce glare and ambient heat generated by solar panels, and improve their efficiency. Please refer to the factsheet for more background and information on the requirements.
Living Environment	Develop Smart Home solutions that are able to integrate with the Smart Distribution Boards (DBs) and sockets installed within HDB flats, while minimising the number of gateways and mobile applications needed to control smart homes devices. Please refer to the factsheet for more background and information on the requirements.

You can submit your proposal or queries to HDB_CoolideasENT@hdb.gov.sg.

Proposals should include:
• Company/ Applicant’s details
• Proposed solutions/ technologies for evaluation
• Estimated budget breakdown

Please download the application form for reference.

Timeline of Evaluation Process: Approximately 9 to 12 weeks

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Cool Ideas Enterprise different from the other Cool Ideas platforms, such as the Call for Ideas and Cool Ideas Hack?
Unlike the Call for Ideas and Cool Ideas Hack, which are competitions meant for members of the public, Cool Ideas Enterprise is an innovation programme where any aspiring entrepreneur or enterprise can submit their solution/technology to HDB at any time.

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.

CIE in the News

• The Straits Times: Start-ups here snagged US$10.5 billion in financing last year (28 April 2019)