One-stop solutions lab for businesses to scale up and manage SMEs’ manpower challenges, while enabling learners to enhance their AI development experience
SINGAPORE, Jan. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) launched the AI Nexus Lab, making digitalisation and artificial intelligence adoption accessible for Singapore’s Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Real-world projects incubated in this lab will be built on Amazon Web Services (AWS), enabling learners to apply classroom AI development skills directly through hands-on company projects.
Annually, over 1000 students from NYP’s School of Information Technology will benefit from this partnership through AWS AI and machine learning solutions integrated into their curriculum. NYP has a goal to reach 500 SMEs over the next five years through pathways such as generative AI training workshops. In a pilot with the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI), 64 use cases from their SME network have been identified for prototype development.
Dr Phua Chee Teck, Deputy Principal (Sustainability & Technology), NYP, said: “AI may seem daunting to organisations who do not know where to start. The AI Nexus Lab serves as a one-stop solution bridging education and innovation, helping SMEs embrace AI with confidence. When they come to us with a business need, our learners can analyse their challenges and develop practical AI solutions that they can scale.”
Through AI and design thinking workshops, NYP works with SMEs to identify specific use cases that tackle real business challenges. Learners then work closely with business owners to develop proof-of-concepts, employing AWS’s services to create applications.
Student-built Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) that SMEs choose to productionise will receive support from the AWS AI Springboard initiative — which offers enterprises cloud credits and training — and the AWS Partner Network, which provides technical expertise and scaling capabilities. In the process, learners gain a deeper understanding of industry trends and pick up in-demand and emerging competencies that position them well for the jobs of the future.
Addressing the challenge of digitising physical product information, year two Diploma in Information Technology learner, Teo Yu Xiang, developed an optical character recognition (OCR) and data analytics system that scans and converts printed text into digital data. The solution creates a searchable online platform for leading motorcycle spare parts retailer, Auto Machinery Singapore (AMS), enabling staff to quickly find parts by typing keywords instead of manually searching through physical catalogues. This project, facilitated through SCCCI, has evolved into AM Digiparts Pte Ltd, a start-up co-founded by Yu Xiang and AMS that is now scaling through pilot programmes with motorcycle repair shops in Singapore.
