Singapore is making a bold S$37 billion investment in its future, committing the funds under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2030 plan as announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on February 12, 2026. This represents the nation’s largest injection into research and innovation since 1991 – a 32 percent increase over the previous RIE plan – and signals a strategic push to anchor critical global supply chains, particularly in semiconductors and emerging fields like quantum technology. The investment aims to position Singapore as a hub for high-value industries, with a focus on “activities with high knowledge content and strong spillovers,” according to Prime Minister Wong. Notably, the Republic will soon host Quantinuum’s most powerful quantum computer, becoming the first nation outside the United States to do so, demonstrating a commitment to being at the forefront of technological advancement.
S$37 Billion RIE 2030 Plan Anchors Supply Chains
Singapore is committing S$37 billion to future-proof its economy, a figure representing the nation’s largest investment in research and innovation since 1991. This substantial funding injection—a 32 per cent increase from the S$28 billion RIE 2025 allocation—equates to roughly 1 per cent of the nation’s annual gross domestic product. Beyond semiconductors, the RIE 2030 plan will also focus on emerging technologies like quantum technology, where Singapore made “an early and deliberate bet” by establishing the Centre for Quantum Technologies at the National University of Singapore in 2007.
The arrival of Quantinuum, set to host its most powerful quantum computer in Singapore by 2026, will position the country as a global leader in quantum computing, offering direct access to cutting-edge technology for local researchers and start-ups. Approximately 29 per cent, or S$10.8 billion, of the RIE 2030 funding will support four key domains: human health, manufacturing, urban solutions, and the smart nation/digital economy.
Semiconductor Packaging & Early Quantum Technology Investments
Singapore is strategically bolstering its position in advanced manufacturing, particularly semiconductor packaging, with a renewed commitment to research and innovation. Having initiated investments in this area over two decades ago, before it gained widespread global attention, the nation is now poised to capitalize on the sector’s growing international momentum. This focus extends beyond established clusters like aerospace and biomedical sciences, with a significant portion of the S$37 billion RIE 2030 plan dedicated to future-facing technologies. This installation, expected in 2026, will provide researchers and companies with “direct access to cutting-edge quantum compute.” Furthermore, a quantum computing start-up co-founded by Nobel Laureate Professor John Martinis chose Singapore due to its “unique combination of our strengths in advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and frontier quantum research.”
Funding Distribution: Four Key RIE Domains (2030-2030)
The installation will provide direct access to cutting-edge quantum compute for both researchers and a growing number of home-grown start-ups. The S$37 billion RIE 2030 plan will continue to prioritize four key domains, mirroring the focus of the previous RIE 2025 initiative: human health and potential, manufacturing, trade and connectivity, urban solutions and sustainability, and the smart nation and digital economy. Prime Minister Wong emphasized that Singapore’s approach to research funding is “disciplined, focused and strategic,” directing resources towards sectors where the nation possesses demonstrable strengths. This commitment places Singapore alongside small advanced economies like Sweden and Denmark in terms of research investment as a percentage of GDP.
The goal is for Singapore to be “the place where activities with high knowledge content and strong spillovers take place”,
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
