SUTD and MediaTek establish a joint laboratory worth $34 million to promote 6G development

Lianhe Zaobao, 新科大与联发科技设3400万元联合实验室 推进6G发展

(Translation)

The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and semiconductor company MediaTek will invest S$34 million to establish a joint laboratory to accelerate the development of 6G technology in Singapore.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday (March 3), SUTD and Taiwan-headquartered MediaTek said the laboratory will begin operations in April this year, with multiple research projects to be rolled out progressively over the next three to five years.

The statement noted that 6G is expected to be commercially deployed around 2030. Both parties said the goal of the laboratory is to translate academic research into practical applications more quickly. While strengthening foundational research, they will also develop testable prototypes in parallel to prepare for future commercialisation.

MediaTek is the world’s fifth-largest fabless semiconductor company. The joint laboratory will combine SUTD’s research capabilities with MediaTek’s expertise in chip design and wireless communications, advancing next-generation communication technologies toward broader coverage, smarter operations, and lower, more environmentally friendly energy consumption.

The collaboration between the two parties began in 2024. The establishment of the joint laboratory marks a further step forward based on their existing partnership.

MediaTek Deputy Executive Vice President Chuang Cheng-Te, said the company believes 6G will deliver smarter, more personalised, and wider-reaching mobile services, while improving energy efficiency and reducing overall costs for telecommunications operators. He also noted that 6G networks will better support the development of artificial intelligence applications.

Professor Tony Quek, Associate Provost of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation at SUTD, said that truly influential innovations cannot be separated from long-term industry-academia collaboration.

Professor Tony Quek is also the director of the Future Communications Research and Development Programme at the Singapore University of Science and Technology. He said, “As 6G becomes AI-native by design and AI capabilities advance at unprecedented speed, rapid prototyping and high-fidelity validation become even more critical.”