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October 12, 2026
By Hatch
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SINGAPORE, 12 October 2026 — Applications are now open for Dimension X Cohort 8, Hatch’s flagship global open innovation challenge for deep-tech startups seeking to validate their technologies against real-world public safety needs.
While traditional accelerator programmes typically start with a startup’s growth objectives, Dimension X starts with an operational problem that needs to be solved. Selected startupswork directly with Home Team end-users and technical stakeholders to adapt their technologies, develop a proof-of-concept (POC), and test their ability to meet real operational requirements.
Applications for Cohort 8 are open from 12 October to 6 November 2026. Deep-tech startups from any country, technology domain, company size or funding stage may apply.
Cohort 8 will focus on challenges addressable by a widerange of technologies and across diverse industries that canbe adapted for HTX in public safety applications.
"Dimension X creates a directpath for novel and effective applications of technologies into an operational contextin public safety, where startups and end-users can work together to determinewhat is technically viable and operationally useful. This happens even if thecompanies and technologies were not built for public safety use-cases in thefirst place," said Mok Shao Hong, Centre Director of Hatch.
Overthe four-month programme, each selected startup will receive S$100,000 in prize moneyto support proof-of-concept development and required travel to Singapore.
Participantswill work alongside their respective challenge owners, end-users and technicalstakeholders to refine and develop their solutions against defined operationalrequirements. They will have opportunities for real-world validation andtesting, mentorship and technical support, as well as access to Singapore’swider public safety and innovation ecosystem.
Selectedstartups will attend Onboarding Week in Singapore in March 2027,where they will work with their challenge owners to establish the scope andobjectives of their POC.
Theprogramme will culminate in on-site testing and Demo Day in July 2027,where participating startups will demonstrate their solutions to public safety stakeholders,operational end-users, and members of the innovation ecosystem.
"A strong technology is only the starting point. Over four months, selected startups will work closely with challenge owners to understand operational requirements, adapt their solution, and build evidence through testing. The goal is to move from technical promise to a POC that can be evaluated in a real public safety context," said Chiko Ben David, Programme Director of Hatch.
Dimension X is open to deep-tech startups globally, with no geographical or company-size restrictions. Applicants may come from any technology domain or funding stage, provided their technology can be adapted to address a public safety challenge.
Proposed technologies should generally be at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 to 7, with a working prototype that has not yet been tested in its intended public safety operational environment. Applicants must own the intellectual property behind the proposed solution or hold a valid license to use it.
Startups whose technologies have credible public safety applications but do not map directly to a published Challenge Statement may also apply under the"Out-of-the-Box Innovative Technologies" category. Selected applicants under this category will also be matched with a relevant challenge owner to champion the development of the POC.
Since its launch, Dimension X has attracted more than 1,300 startupapplications from around the world. More than 40% of the successful POCs haveattracted follow-on interest inthe next phase for further development withoperational trials. Successful completion of the follow-on phase of thedevelopment will lead to further scaling and deployment opportunities with theend users.
Applications for Dimension X close on 6 November 2026.
Global deep-tech startupsinterested in working directly with Singapore's public safety end-users to validate their technology against real operational challenges can apply here.
Hatch is HTX’s innovation centre that curates structured access that bridges the world’s frontier deep-tech solutions with real world use-cases and needs faced by public safety agencies, such as Singapore’s Home Team. We move technology from global scouting to operational deployment –through our specialised programmes and platforms tailor-made to deliver impact in mission-critical environments.
This is our mission to innovate: Access. Validate. Deploy.
Whether you are building breakthrough technologies or are seeking innovations for real-world challenges, as long as you are interested in advancing the future of public safety, we want to hear from you.
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