We're taking the construction industry into the future, by empowering innovative startups to make a difference. Discover how the IMDA Accreditation programme is growing the ecosystem of innovators.
By Edwin Low
Singapore has one of the safest construction industries on earth, with the second lowest incident rate of any country, according to one recent study.
Even so, there’s no doubt that construction sites are riskier workplaces than most. Singapore had 46 workplace deaths in 2022, its worst year since 2016.
It is our view that even one fatality is too many. At the Infocomm Media Development Authority, we are creating an ecosystem where new technologies will help make our construction sites safer and more efficient than ever.
Last year’s spike in fatalities prompted the Ministry of Manpower to declare a safety time out, forcing companies in high-risk industries to reassess their procedures. This was followed by a period of increased safety when violators faced stiffer penalties. Regulation is part of the solution, but new technologies will also be central to making work sites both safer and more efficient – and IMDA will play a key role in enabling those technologies.
Building is important to Singapore’s economic growth, and new technology will improve the sector’s contribution to the economy. The Building and Construction Authority says S$27-32 billion worth of contracts will be awarded this year. Prefabricated construction techniques will slash construction times. IoT networks and new digital tools will enable better collaboration and workflows, while also improving safety.
Government boards – which account for about 60% of the value of construction projects in Singapore – clearly also see the value in better construction technology. In fact, the Land Transport Authority and Housing Development Board have already started mandating safety technologies for construction sites under tender requirements.
These technologies will come from a thriving tech sector that IMDA has helped to nurture through our Spark and Accreditation programmes. Invigilo Technologies, for example, creates AI solutions to optimise worksite safety and enforce compliance. Its key product analyses images to identify when staff fail to wear personal protective equipment, get too close to machinery, handle equipment in an unsafe manner, or speed in a vehicle.
The point is not just about flagging accidents in real-time. We identify near-misses or observations that could eventually lead to an incident, create dashboard summaries, and provide longer-term, actionable insights. This ensures a preventive approach to safety management.
Vishnu Saran
Founder of Invigilo
Another business, Ackcio, was co-founded by two former National University of Singapore students who studied the intricacies of wireless systems and came up with a solution to a thorny but common problem on construction sites.
We realized people didn't trust wireless that much. These environments are very dynamic. Each day some walls or some facades could be constructed that interfere with the signals.
Mobashir Mohamad
Chief Technology Officer of Ackcio
Ackcio’s solution is a robust wireless mesh that can bounce signals between devices, ensuring data from sensors can be monitored in realtime, even in areas where physical obstructions could interfere. On a construction site for a skyscraper, those sensors might measure the force being applied to columns or beams, ensuring they’re safe and in accordance with the plans. On an MRT construction site, they might monitor rock or earth movements to protect workers and equipment in a tunnel from collapse.
IMDA has played an enabling role throughout both companies’ startup journeys. Our marketing and branding workshops helped Invigilo position itself by pinpointing its differentiating features compared to other video analytics solutions. Ackcio benefited from IMDA’s assistance in building relationships with other government bodies that handle subsidies, grants, and product licensing. Meanwhile, networking and sharing knowledge with other startups in IMDA’s network has helped both companies improve their internal processes.
Support extends far beyond the programme. “We continue to consult IMDA and ESG while prospecting partnerships, and can even consult on regulations and legal practices, even those of other countries,” says Saran.
But by far the biggest benefit has been brand credibility.
Given that we serve mission-critical, heavily-regulated industries like construction and mining, the endorsement of Singapore’s government elevates the trust that clients would place on us.
Nimantha Baranasuriya
Chief Executive Officer of Ackcio
Invigilo and Ackcio are just two of many startups that IMDA is supporting. Others include Hubble, an award-winning management platform that helps businesses track their staff and material; ViaTick, which helps companies track persons and assets of interest using Bluetooth; Screening Eagle, a cloud-based technology platform for intelligent inspection of assets and infrastructure; and DConstruct, which deploys robots to monitor safety on worksites.
These companies will make construction more efficient through improved processes and by preventing accidents and the delays that come with them. But more importantly, they will keep workers safe. It’s our belief that these technologies will transform the sector, and IMDA stands ready to help these new construction tech leaders thrive.
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