The Ignition AI Accelerator has announced a strategic partnership with Pfizer, which aims to enhance artificial intelligence capabilities and expand applications across various industries, particularly in the healthcare sector.
Ignition AI Accelerator is a collaborative initiative formed between NVIDIA, Tribe, and Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), with a focus on AI-driven innovation. The partnership with Pfizer is expected to leverage Ignition AI Accelerator's extensive Southeast Asian network—comprising media, government, universities, accelerators, tech talent, and investors—to accelerate drug discovery and research processes. The goal is to expedite the introduction of innovative treatments to the market, alleviating pressure on Singapore's healthcare system.
Ng Yi Ming, CEO of Tribe, expressed enthusiasm over the new partnership. "We are excited to collaborate with Pfizer, one of the leading players in the biopharmaceutical industry," he said. "Our collaborative goal is to empower these pharmaceutical giants with the latest advancements in AI to drive innovation in drug discovery and development. This partnership underscores our commitment to accelerating breakthroughs that can significantly impact lives globally."
The Singapore government has been actively pursuing the advancement of frontier technologies such as AI to support its biomedical science and healthcare ecosystems. As part of its Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2025 plan, the government has invested over SGD $25 billion in science and technology research.
Through collaboration with DISG, Ignition AI Accelerator aims to attract top international AI startups to Singapore, fostering a robust ecosystem for frontier technologies. This initiative also supports startups in scaling abroad and accelerating their market-entry strategies.
Ignition AI Accelerator's collaboration with Pfizer places the accelerator at the centre of AI development and positions local ecosystem partners and biomedical startups to benefit from the expertise and scale of these industry leaders. The partnerships established within the healthcare sector will enhance patient care, advance precision medicine, and accelerate the development of novel therapies globally.
Pfizer's involvement with Ignition AI Accelerator aims to transform its drug discovery and development processes through the integration of AI. Bei Goh, Regional Client Partner Lead for Emerging Asia at Pfizer, highlighted the significance of the partnership. "AI is reshaping the landscape of pharmaceutical research, and our partnership with the Ignition AI Accelerator by Nvidia and Tribe is a step forward in our commitment to harnessing these technologies to advance our communications with patients and healthcare professionals," she said.
"With access to a thriving startup ecosystem, we are looking forward to catalysing groundbreaking biomedical startups and poised to accelerate innovations in stakeholders' engagement in the industry."
The collaboration is expected to allow Pfizer to create faster, more effective ways to communicate with stakeholders, provide a more efficient patient drafting system, and improve manufacturing process yields and cycle times through AI.
