Powered by Biotech, Growing by Leaps and Bounds
Step into NSG BioLabs, Singapore’s largest and leading Biosafety Level 2 certified co-working wet lab and office space, where biotech start-ups and MNCs alike make their scientific breakthroughs.
Type “co-working lab Singapore” into your Google search bar and chances are that “NSG BioLabs” would emerge as a prominent result. Founded in 2019, this young enterprise has swiftly ascended to become the largest and leading Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) certified co-working wet lab and office space in Singapore. Stepping into this highly specialised state-of-the-art facility, one is struck by the colourful walls that inject a welcoming warmth to the place.
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C-suite level executives and administrative staff work at a large cluster of office desks and out of private office suites while scientists carry out valuable research work along the row of lab benches that stretches across the laboratory floor. Most of these people belong to the diverse biotech start-ups and multi-national companies incubating at NSG BioLabs, using the space and lab equipment to conduct their research for the next major scientific breakthrough.
With dedicated shared lab rooms playfully named after notable science fiction characters and an impressive suite of lab equipment and infrastructure, NSG BioLabs is catalysing the growth of the innovation and life sciences research ecosystem in Singapore.
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NSG BioLabs’ objective is simple: to foster an environment where biotech start-ups and multi-national companies can innovate and grow without having to worry about space, equipment, or daily operational management. "Our three facilities spanning 35,000 sq-ft were designed with scientists in mind," says its CEO and Founder, Daphne Teo, explaining her goal to enable resident researchers to focus on what they do best. Beyond running co-working labs, they are also operational enablers for success.
A Researcher's Haven
Indeed, it’s a lab researcher’s haven. From diagnostics to drug discovery, NSG BioLabs has seen them all. Since their inception in 2019, NSG BioLabs has incubated more than 30 biotech and med-tech companies, nine of which have successfully graduated and left the nest for their own private laboratory spaces. The success stories speak for themselves – their residents and partners include the likes of Amgen, ImmunoScape and Engine Biosciences. With a mix of biotech companies across different sizes, this community is a gift that keeps on giving.
A company that has passed through these doors is N&E Innovations, a medtech company founded in 2020. They were responsible for developing a formula, called Vikang 99, made from recycled cashew waste. This formula was effective in inactivating up to 99% of viruses and bacteria, making it an ideal ingredient for medical grade face masks and disinfectants, which were in high demand at the height of the pandemic.
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Providing access to 250 lab benches and 19 private research rooms outfitted with over 300 essential equipment for molecular biology, cell biology and chemistry work, NSG BioLabs stands as the lab of choice for scientists. Specialised shared rooms for tissue culture, microbiology and library preparation are also available. Residents here can focus entirely on their research and development.
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Like N&E Innovations, these are the companies that can potentially produce the solutions to real world problems. What they need is an opportunity – the right space, facilities and support to test, incubate and realise their ideas. Having access to NSG BioLab’s slew of facilities is particularly helpful to start-ups who lack sufficient capital to invest in the expensive equipment they need to conduct research.
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NSG BioLabs provides just that – behind the scenes, the management tirelessly ensures the smooth operation of the labs. As we know, carrying out lab work often involves handling biological and chemical materials, some of which can be hazardous. These materials cannot be disposed of in conventional ways, such as by pouring them down the sink or discarding them in regular trash bins. At the end of each day, NSG BioLabs processes and engages licensed vendors to remove biohazard waste produced from residents’ experiments.
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Daily equipment calibration and functionality checks are also performed to keep all lab equipment in top condition. For example, some lab equipment contain lasers that require daily calibration to ensure that they function as required and generate accurate analytical data for the scientists. Other examples include the storage of biological materials, which often require extremely low temperatures for long-term preservation. To create these freezing environments, cryogenic liquids such as liquid nitrogen, which have boiling points below -90 degrees Celsius, are often used. NSG BioLabs provides and monitors these liquids daily, maintaining them at their necessary levels.
These measures further take the pressure off their residents, who can dedicate all their attention to the research at hand with the peace of mind that everything else would be taken care of. In this way, NSG BioLabs operates much like the expert team behind Formula 1 race cars, ensuring that every detail is meticulously managed and maintained. It is this support that allows its residents to pursue their research with the same level of focus and peace of mind that Formula 1 drivers have when they aim to win the race.
Their suite of platforms and facilities are an ideal ground for R&D in areas such as genomics, target identification and validation, and drug discovery and development spanning small molecules, antibodies, cell and gene therapies. “Our management team is based on-site and can provide organised on-boarding for new incoming residents and facilitate immediate troubleshooting for all current residents, so that high-quality research can be performed with minimal disruptions,” Teo adds. Such proactive management is vital to fostering a supportive research environment for residents.
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It is thanks to this caliber of support that companies like Acumen Diagnostics could swiftly develop functional products from their research. In the crucial early months of the pandemic and lockdown, Acumen Diagnostics developed one of the first Health Sciences Authority-approved Covid-19 PCR test kits in Singapore.
To Dr. Ong Siew Hwa, CEO of Acumen Diagnostics, the high standards of NSG BioLabs’ services and infrastructure were a major draw to establishing their research premises there. With immediate access to the lab benches, biosafesty hoods and real-time PCR machines, they could focus their efforts on developing a Covid-19 diagnostic kit even amidst a national lockdown. Within three months at NSG BioLabs, they had a completed kit on their hands, ready to aid public health and safety.
“We were [at NSG Biolabs] for a short time, but we made our breakthroughs there.”
Notable Networks at Nucleos
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NSG BioLabs does not only provide spaces and facilities for residents – they further complement their infrastructural offerings with specialised professional support. Being a business owner herself, Teo believes in promoting networking opportunities, organising informative seminars and roadshows, connecting new startups with IP experts, lawyers and corporate secretaries to start their business and even securing media coverage for her residents. To further support residents’ business growth, Teo has also initiated grants and sponsorships under the NSG Tomorrow programme, which provides access to valuable financial resources, mentors and networks.
They actively facilitate knowledge exchange across their residents, playing a pivotal role in the progress and success of their projects. For example, resident companies frequently open up their own laboratory equipment and technical knowledge to one another, to aid in their lab work and generate comprehensive scientific data.
In this way, NSG BioLabs fulfills the role of an enabler for these start-ups, facilitating the valuable industry connections and even funding that propels them from start-up to success.
Their strategic location at Nucleos is an added advantage. Sited at Biopolis, one-north, they are well-positioned for partnerships with surrounding industry players. Teo considers setting up here as a natural choice, emphasising her belief that collaboration is the cornerstone of scientific progress.
Capitalising on their thriving biotech ecosystem, NSG BioLabs took proactive steps to strengthen their ties with surrounding academic and research institutions such as A*STAR. These ties pave the way for meaningful collaborations and partnerships, driving the nation’s biotech industry and forging a robust biotech ecosystem for innovative breakthroughs.
It also helps that Nucleos offers the specialised infrastructure that are necessary for wet labs, such as on-site waste disposal facilities, dilution tanks for wastewater management and rooftop space for emergency generators. On top of this, the building’s controlled access and 24/7 security team are a reassuring presence, given the proprietary information within the premises.
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Beyond working collaborations, NSG BioLabs also builds personal connections among their residents through community centric activities. Through sponsored Friday lunches and recreational activities like Yoga Tuesdays, NSG BioLabs fosters a well-rounded environment that cares for its residents’ wellbeing.
Dr. Ong recounts the friendly culture that Acumen Diagnostics enjoyed there. “I love the several times they organised lunches for all fellow start-ups when we were there – the mingling was good fun”.
Forging Ahead
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With their balance of infrastructural and community support, it is unsurprising that NSG BioLabs has been consistently adding new customers to their roster. Their commitment to supporting growing biotech and medtech firms poses a huge draw.
For Teo, she aims to strengthen NSG BioLabs’ existing position as the leading BSL-2 co-working laboratory and office space in Singapore, with plans to expand locally and internationally. Teo reiterated her commitment to help young firms grow:
“Our current residents have been successfully growing their businesses and have plans to scale, and NSG BioLabs will be accommodating their growth in our sites."
From their first facility at Nucleos to their current business prospects beckoning from Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, it is clear that success is on NSG BioLabs’ cards.
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