Year in review: Internet of Things

Online design platform to help small firms

MR MOJY CHIAN, chief executive of Singapore start-up Silicon Cloud

It can be extremely costly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to break into the semiconductor market, but a new online platform is set to change that.

Singapore start-up Silicon Cloud has developed a pay-per- use, cloud-based semiconductor design platform targeted at small firms keen on making products for the Internet of Things. The semiconductor industry has traditionally been "a game for the big boys" but the Internet of Things trend will change this, said Mr Mojy Chian, Silicon Cloud's chief executive.

"There are hundreds of thousands of connected devices and they are vastly different... This will cause disaggregation in the semiconductor industry and create many new small companies," he added.

Companies have to invest in significant infrastructure before developing semiconductor-related products.

"SMEs cannot afford such large upfront expenditure, or the months needed to build the infrastructure... This will be a major bottleneck for semiconductor design companies that want to engage in the Internet of Things," said Mr Chian.

Starting this month, SMEs can use Silicon Cloud's online platform, which provides users with design tools, manufacturing data and all other necessary components for semiconductor design.

The Internet of Things trend will open up opportunities for Singapore firms to create local applications, added Mr Chian.

"In the mobile space, for instance, there are a few big American and Chinese companies that make everything. But with the Internet of Things, there will be room to create local applications relevant only to Singaporeans."

Chia Yan Min

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 24, 2015, with the headline Online design platform to help small firms. Subscribe