NTUitive Gap Fund (POC) - 18th Grant Call

• Researcher: Assoc Prof Timothy Tan 
• School/Institute: School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology
• Project: Demonstrating Evidence-Based Value for a Medical siRNA Scar-Prevention Patch

Backed by cutting-edge RNA interference (RNAi) technology, the patch works by silencing genes that trigger fibrosis (scar tissue formation). Its painless, dissolvable microneedle design allows for precise siRNA delivery directly into the skin—offering a non-invasive, clinically validated alternative to traditional scar treatments. Pilot clinical use showed up to 95% reduction in scar volume including existing keloids, positioning the product as a potential game-changer in pathological scar management, post-operative and cosmetic wound care.

With support from NTUitive Gap Fund, the innovation has successfully transitioned from lab to market through the formation of RNAscence Biotechnology Pte Ltd, a NTU-NSC spin-off. The company is advancing its flagship product, BioRNA Anti‑Scar Patch, with a clear roadmap toward commercialisation and global growth. BioRNA Anti-Scar Patches are now sold in Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Australia, and soon in Europe and South Korea. The company has also secured over S$3 million in funding to date, fuelling further product development and clinical expansion.

• Researcher: Prof Lam Kwok Yan
• School/Institute: College of Computing and Data Science
• Project: ExPReSS: Extensible Platform for Retrieval and Summarisation Support

Led by Professor Lam Kwok Yan, the Tau Express team developed an advanced AI-powered platform designed to transform how enterprises process and derive insights from vast amounts of unstructured data. Combining natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and scalable cloud architecture, the technology enables real-time document retrieval, semantic search, and automated summarisation. Its modular design allows seamless integration with existing systems, making it ideal for industries such as Legal, Finance, e-Logistics, Healthcare, Insurance, and Government.

The project’s success led to the spin-off Tau Express Pte Ltd and Tau Intelligence Ltd, an AI company specialising in enterprise-grade text analytics. Since its founding, TAU has raised over S$5 million in funding and is currently engaging with international investors for its Series A round, validating its commercial potential. TAU has expanded their customer base globally, with MNC clients such as the Jardine Group, marking their growth beyond the Singapore market.

• Researcher: Prof Domenico Campolo
• School/Institute: School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
• Project: H-Man: a novel, low-cost, portable robot for neuro-rehabilitation of the upper limb

Developed by Professor Domenico Campolo, the H‑Man is a truly portable, upper‑limb rehabilitation robot, designed for therapy across the continuum of care. It combines smart robotic assistance, AI-enabled patient-specific customisation, and remote monitoring via the CARE platform.

Clinical trials involving stroke patients demonstrated rehabilitation with the H‑Man can achieve significant improvement in arm function compared to patients receiving only conventional therapy. Additionally, the use of H-man in therapy can enable up to a 65% productivity boost for the therapists while maintain high intensity of delivered therapy to the patients.  This innovation makes rehabilitation far more accessible, especially for patients transitioning from hospital to home care.

With critical support from NTUitive Gap Fund, the technology was spun off successfully into Articares Pte Ltd. Since then, the company has expanded its presence beyond Singapore to Australia, Germany, and China, bringing cutting-edge rehab robotics to diverse healthcare markets.

To fuel ongoing technological and commercial growth, Articares has attracted more than US$5 million in investments, enabling expansion into multiple new markets and deployment of clinically validated technologies across the continuum of care from hospitals to homes.