CHISEL Healthcare InnoMatch 2026

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Theme

As the Singapore healthcare system face mounting pressures from workforce shortages and increasing demand, AI-enabled solutions emerge as vital enablers to enable and complement human expertise. The integration of artificial intelligence and advanced technology revolutionises healthcare by empowering workers with tools that enhance their capabilities and improve patient outcomes. This technological transformation allows healthcare professionals to support clinical decision-making, deliver more precise and efficient care, ultimately creating a more responsive and effective healthcare workforce.

Enhancing Health through an AI and Tech-Enabled Workforce

Problem Statement

How might we leverage AI and tech-empowered solutions to trnsform our healthcare workforce to create a holistic care delivery system across all care settings and patient touchpoints that drives productivity gains, improves cost efficiency, and delivers significantly improved health outcomes for patients?

This theme seeks disruptive innovations that can empower the workforce to greater benefit diverse patient groups. The proposal shall focus on the following three key levels:

At the individual level, using Clinical Decision Support Tools, healthcare providers can make more informed, accurate diagnoses and treatment decisions as well as better determine appropriate care settings for patients, enhancing a healthcare worker’s efficiency.
At the institutional level, using AI-Driven Workforce Scheduling Systems or Smart Multi-disciplinary Care Planning for complex or chronic disease management to effectively deploy healthcare staff, optimise care protocols, resource allocation and care monitoring,
At the systemic level, using Predictive Analytics, AI-Enabled Care Pathway Standardisation, or Population Health Management Systems to identify high-risk patients, standardize clinical protocols, and provide more targeted intervention treatments, addressing systemic challenges and enhancing care quality.

Your solution and proposal outcomes should be strongly backed by clinical evidence and data. Innovative solutions that directly impact clinical care will take priority over those focused on health administration capacity and productivity improvements.

Applications will open soon in February 2026. Submit your application to pioneer transformation in our healthcare workforce that will improve health outcomes, enhance the healthcare experience for patients, and transform the way we deliver care.

Funding and Collaborations

Successful winners in CHISEL Healthcare InnoMatch 2026 will obtain funding support to demonstrate their solutions in operational environments and will receive further endorsement from our partner healthcare clusters upon successful validation of the results of pilot implementation. Ultimately, the platform aims to accelerate the adoption of near-market-ready and fit-for-mainstream-use healthcare innovation, bringing them a step closer to benefit patients.

Timeline

Stage 1 Application: Launch of Open Call

Submit your application for CHISEL InnoMatch 2026 on the Challenge Portal by 13 April 2026, 23:59 SGT. Multi-participation is welcomed. Fill in the application form available in the participant space, providing the following:

· Applicant and Company Information

· Solution Pitch Deck (7 slides)

· Pitch Deck Guidelines can be downloaded in the Challenge Portal.

The CHISEL Secretariat will shortlist eligible start-ups and SMEs to move to Stage 2 Application. Results will be announced by 24 April 2026.

Stage 2 Application

Shortlisted start-ups and SMEs are to submit your full proposal, addressing the following but not limited to:

· Current Issue in Singapore to be Addressed

· Description of Proposed Solution

· Competitive Advantage of Proposed Solution

· Impact of Proposed Solution

· Maturity of Solution

· Information on prior/existing trials. proof-of-concept, proof-of-value, (clinical) validations etc.

· Collaboration information with other healthcare institutes

· Ease of Transition into Mainstream Use Safety and Regulatory Considerations

· Risk Assessment

· Integration and/or modification to hospitals

· Commercial Applications and Economic Viability of Proposed Solution i.e. go-to-market strategy of your solution

· Test-bedding Plan

· Referees

· Team

Results will be announced by 7 Aug 2026. Up to twenty (20) start-ups and SMEs will be selected to move to the next shortlisting round.

Engagement Sessions

Shortlisted start-ups and SMEs will be invited to present your solution at Engagement Sessions with our clinical partners and reviewers. Engagement Sessions will be held virtually at night, between 1800 and 2100 SGT (GMT+8/ UTC+8). Each session will be approximately fifteen (15) to twenty (20) minutes, with time allocated for the presentation and Q&A. More details on the arrangement of schedule will be shared nearer to date.

Results will be announced by 4 Sep 2026. Up to ten (10) finalists will be selected.

Stage 3 Application and Coaching

Finalists will be coached by experts in preparation for the Final Pitching Event. This may include coaching on refining the value proposition of the solution, budgeting, business plan, pitching. Oral presentation of your solutions is required during the coaching sessions. Guidance on submission materials for the Final Pitching Event will be provided nearer to date.

Final Pitching Event (2 Oct 2026)

Finalists will pitch to the Judging Panel composed of senior management from the partner healthcare clusters and domain experts. Finalists in Singapore are required to attend the event in-person, while finalists overseas may dial-in through the online live-streamed platform.

Up to six (6) winners will be selected at the end of the Challenge, announced on the day of the event itself.

Next Steps

Successful winning start-ups and SMEs will be matched to one of the participating healthcare clusters to carry out test-bedding.

Winners will be granted three (3) months of preparation time to finalise the project agreement (and additional three (3) months if ethics approval is required); up to nine (9) months to complete test-bedding; and up to three (3) months to complete the evaluation.

Evaluation Phase (Jan 2027 – Mar 2027)

Upon completion of the test-bedding phase, the partner healthcare clusters would evaluate the success of the test-bed.

All CHISEL 2026 test-bed solutions are to be evaluated using the CHI Evaluation Framework (CHIEF). CHIEF is a holistic framework for the evaluation of innovative solutions seeking real world deployment. Evaluation costs should be included in your application. You may also engage additional services (e.g. statistical analysis, study design, sample calculation etc.) from CHIEF or an independent expert for the purposes of the test-bed at your discretion.