Sharpa AI Robotics: A*Star, JTC & Grab Partner to Build Singapore's Physical AI Future

Date: April 28, 2026

Singapore is taking a bold leap into the future of physical artificial intelligence. On Tuesday, A*Star, JTC, and ride-hailing giant Grab announced strategic partnerships with Sharpa, a Singapore-based AI robotics company, to develop the city-state's physical AI industry. The collaborations will bring autonomous robots to the Punggol Digital District, create 150 new high-value jobs, and pioneer AI applications in logistics, retail, and even port operations.

What is Physical AI?

While software AI has dominated headlines with chatgpts and generative models, physical AI represents the next frontier—robotic systems that can engage with and act autonomously in the real world. Unlike digital AI that processes data in virtual spaces, physical AI gives machines the ability to navigate, manipulate objects, and make decisions in physical environments.

Minister of State for National Development as well as Trade and Industry Alvin Tan highlighted the significance of these partnerships at an event at the National Gallery: "This will give us a glimpse of what the productivity of tomorrow might look like, where ports are integrated with robotic systems that can perform complex tasks."

The Sharpa Story: From Singapore to the World

Founded in 2024, Sharpa has quickly established itself as a leader in general-purpose autonomous AI robots capable of "human-like dexterity." The company aims to assist consumers and businesses with repetitive, labour-intensive, or high-risk tasks—filling gaps in Singapore's workforce while boosting productivity.

Sharpa currently operates with headquarters in Singapore, manufacturing and R&D operations in Shanghai, and business operations in Mountain View, United States. But the company is now doubling down on its Singapore roots with ambitious hiring plans.

150 New Jobs and R&D Investment

Over the next three years, Sharpa plans to grow its Singapore headcount to around 150 employees, with more than 50% in high-value R&D roles. The company is actively recruiting AI scientists, mechatronics specialists, and solutions engineers—exactly the type of high-quality jobs Singapore wants to create.

"Through existing schemes such as the Economic Development Board's Industrial Postgraduate Programme, we will continue to support more companies and talents to build a steady pool of people that are ready to ride this technological wave," said Minister Alvin Tan.

Budget 2026 identified embodied AI—a key component of physical AI—as a priority investment area, targeting complex sectors including advanced manufacturing, maritime, and aviation. The Sharpa partnerships represent a tangible execution of these government commitments.

Punggol Digital District: Living Laboratory for AI Robots

Under the JTC partnership, Sharpa will deploy its flagship North autonomous robots across various settings in the Punggol Digital District (PDD)—retail, food and beverage, and logistics environments. Spanning 50 hectares, PDD is a new-generation business park designed for tech sectors including robotics, AI, and cybersecurity, expected to be fully completed in 2026.

Beyond deploying robots, Sharpa will establish an innovation lab in the district. JTC will grant the firm access to facilities including the Open Digital Platform, which offers businesses and students real-time district data. This creates a real-world testing environment for refining autonomous robots—an approach Sharpa co-founder David Li called "essential for practical development."

The Grab partnership will explore robotics applications in F&B operations and logistics within PDD, potentially transforming how food is prepared, delivered, and managed in Singapore's bustling district.

Port Automation: AI at Singapore's Key Gateway

One of the most exciting aspects of the A*Star partnership involves the Institute for Infocomm Research co-developing AI-enabled robotic functions for container handling at Singapore ports. The port sector has long been a target for automation, but complex tasks like twist-lock coning and deconing—container-securing processes—have proven challenging for traditional automation.

Sharpa's AI robots aim to tackle these nuanced operations, potentially boosting productivity at one of the world's busiest container ports while addressing Singapore's labour shortage in manual roles.

Singapore's AI Ecosystem Gets Physical

These partnerships signal a maturation of Singapore's AI strategy. While the city-state has been a leader in digital AI and governance frameworks, physical AI represents a new dimension—bringing artificial intelligence from screens and servers into streets, warehouses, and ports.

With major public and private sector players collaborating through Sharpa, Singapore is positioning itself as a regional hub for embodied AI development. The success of these initiatives could determine whether the city-state maintains its competitive edge in the global AI race—or sets a new standard for physical AI adoption worldwide.

Related Resources

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Source

This article is based on reporting from Business Times on A*Star, JTC, and Grab's partnerships with Sharpa AI Robotics to develop Singapore's physical AI sector.