Sharpa and JTC drive AI robotics growth in Punggol Digital District

They will support robot testing, innovation lab and use-case deployment of Sharpa’s North autonomous robots.

Sharpa has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with JTC Corporation (JTC) to support the development and deployment of AI robotics in the Punggol Digital District (PDD).

Under the agreement, Sharpa will deploy a fleet of its flagship autonomous robot North across use cases in the district and set up an innovation lab at PDD with JTC providing access to facilities, including its Open Digital Platform.

Sharpa said the collaboration is intended to support the testing of its general-purpose autonomous robots in real-world environments and bridge the gap between research and commercial deployment.

The company develops AI robots designed to perform repetitive, physically demanding and hazardous tasks. North was launched at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January 2026.

Speaking at the Sharpa Physical AI Summit, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan said the initiative reflects efforts to translate research into practical applications across sectors.

Tan said Sharpa’s robotics work is focused on addressing what he described as the “last millimetre” challenge in robotics, referring to precision tasks that require fine motor control.

He also noted ongoing partnerships between Sharpa and public sector agencies, including the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Grab, covering areas such as robotics testing and research.

According to Tan, Sharpa is expected to grow its Singapore workforce to around 150 employees over the next three years, with the majority in research and development roles.

Sharpa founder David Li said the Punggol Digital District provides a test environment for autonomous systems that reflects real-world operating conditions.

JTC said the collaboration forms part of efforts to develop PDD as a testbed for digital and autonomous technologies.