The hub also supports Singapore's efforts to become a smart nation. Siemens will use the IoT operating system 'MindSphere' to drive the digitalization of the city-state. The company is being supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

The hub was launched on July 11, 2017, simultaneously in Singapore and at the Siemens headquarters in Munich: Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Joe Kaeser, CEO of Siemens AG, unveiled a plaque in Munich marking the establishment of the hub. At the same time, the Minister for Trade and Industry, S. Iswaran, and Armin Bruck, CEO Siemens Singapore, opened the digitization hub in Singapore.

"Our IoT operating system MindSphere offers Singapore a unique opportunity as a pilot project to become the leading fully integrated urban ecosystem in the world. To achieve this goal, we are opening our largest fully integrated digitalization hub in the country. There, we will bring together experts from all business units who will leverage our leading industry expertise to optimize energy management, modernize infrastructure and transform industries," said Joe Kaeser.

Dr. Beh Swan Gin, Chairman of the EDB: "We are proud of this partnership with Siemens. The new Digitalization Centre will advance Singapore's aspirations to become a Smart Nation. Based on MindSphere, this center will give companies access to the country's vast digital ecosystem to jointly develop innovative digital solutions in the industrial world of IoT."

As part of the digitization center, Siemens will work with customers, partners and universities to develop new digital applications. MindSphere provides a basis for the comprehensive networking of all infrastructures and various industries. Apps and digital services can be developed and operated on the operating system, which can be used to analyze immense amounts of data, for example. This allows insights to be gained in order to optimize complex systems.

Initially, 60 specialists from various disciplines will work on site. By 2022, the number is set to rise to up to 300 digitalization experts. Software architects, analysts, engineers, developers and data specialists will work together to develop, test and commercialize sustainable innovations and digital solutions.

Three cooperation agreements were signed with companies from Singapore to establish the digitalization center:

Siemens will work with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) to develop and showcase data-driven innovations for urban infrastructures. These include, for example, mobility solutions based on self-driving vehicles and modern data analysis to optimize the performance of green buildings.

SP Group, Singapore's sole electricity provider, will work with Siemens to build an energy management software platform for SP's 24/7 control centers to ensure more robust planning, monitoring and predictive maintenance of Singapore's power grid. They will also develop an urban multi-energy microgrid to help customers save energy and costs.

Siemens and ST Electronics, the region's IT and KT systems provider, signed a partnership agreement to jointly develop and proactively commercialize innovative digital applications for the transportation sector (roads, ports, airports, public transport). The focus is on applications and solutions for connectivity, cyber security, data convergence, analytics and contextualization.

The government initiative "Smart Nation Singapore" aims to create a digitally networked environment to improve the quality of life in the country. It focuses on five fields: Transportation, Household and Environment, Productivity, Health and Ageing, Public Services Sector.