Grants, tax breaks for better design

Grants, tax breaks for better design

SINGAPORE - Over the next three years, the retail, food services and infocomm sectors will be given grants and tax incentives to enhance their design capabilities.

Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced this yesterday at the official opening of the National Design Centre (NDC) at Middle Road. Support will also be extended to designers and design companies, he added. Details on the grants and tax breaks will be announced later.

According to the website of The DesignSingapore Council, which runs the NDC, good design can "improve processes, products and services to achieve better productivity and performance", and help firms become more competitive in local and international markets.

Mr Tharman described the opening of the centre as a major milestone for the design community.

"The NDC will support efforts to encourage and nurture a culture of creating and building in Singapore," he said.

The centre houses the DesignSingapore Council, a cluster of design companies, prototyping labs and a design store. It will include a 400 sq m lab that the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) will set up over the next two months.

Mr Tharman said the IDA lab will bring infocomm technology and design professionals together to develop innovative digital products.

Yesterday's opening also marked the launch of the inaugural Singapore Design Week and SingaPlural, which is a showcase of design talent.

 

 


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