Press Releases
Emerging Tech Grant will Support Innovation Efforts to Boost Local 5G Network Security
11 November 2024
The CRPO awarded its inaugural Themed and Emerging Area Grant to the new Telecom Cybersecurity Innovation Centre (TCIC), a collab between A*STAR I2R and ST Engineering. With up to $8M in funding, TCIC will use AI and open systems to secure 5G networks and IoT. This initiative supports Singapore’s Smart Nation 2.0 by boosting cyber resilience, with the next grant call opening in June 2026.
1 The CyberSG R&D Programme Office (CRPO)[1] of Nanyang Technological University, has awarded the Themed and Emerging Area Grant to Telecom Cybersecurity Innovation Centre (TCIC), at the Cybersecurity Innovation Day held today at the Pan Pacific Hotel.
2 CRPO has launched the inaugural Themed and Emerging Area Grant Call in July this year to support and encourage companies to innovate and conduct research on the latest cybersecurity technologies, in support of Singapore’s Smart Nation 2.0 journey. The scope of this Grant encompasses projects that focus on resolving cybersecurity issues in key priority areas such as AI security, network defences, privacy-preserving technologies, autonomous systems, and enhanced hardware architecture.
3 The first recipient of the Grant is A*STAR Institute for Infocomm Research (A*STAR I2R), who will launch the Telecom Cybersecurity Innovation Centre (TCIC) in collaboration with ST Engineering. The Centre, to be hosted at A*STAR I2R, will focus on building Singapore’s digital and cyber resilience for both current and future wireless networks.
4 5G networks are readily adopted by organisations, from Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) and non-CII sectors to power smart devices as the availability of 5G becomes commonplace in Singapore. The TCIC, which will receive up to $8 million in funding, will test new cybersecurity solutions for 5G, focusing on Internet of Things and other smart technologies. Leveraging open 5G systems and AI techniques, the TCIC will allow both researchers full access to network interfaces to identify vulnerabilities, create mitigation and remediation solutions, and conduct attack simulations with the aim to strengthen the cyber resilience of 5G networks.
5 The next grant call for the Themed and Emerging Area Grant will open in June 2026. Interested applicants should expect to present research proposals that introduce novel solutions, demonstrate industry impact, and tangible plans to bolster Singapore’s cyber resilience and innovation goals. More details will be provided closer to date.
[1] The CRPO was established by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore in September 2023 with $62 million dollars in initial funding to spearhead the translation of research prototypes into usable products and services for both national security agencies and commercial industry.
About the Cyber SG R&D Programme Office
Launched in 2023 under the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), the CyberSG R&D Programme Office (CRPO) drives cybersecurity research and development to strengthen Singapore’s cybersecurity capabilities. With a four-year funding of $62 million, CRPO supports innovative projects that address emerging cybersecurity challenges and foster collaboration across academia, industry, and government. By building up advanced cybersecurity solutions, CRPO aims to enhance Singapore’s resilience in the digital age and bolster the nation’s cybersecurity ecosystem.
For more information, please visit www.ntu.edu.sg/crpo.