Vivo Surgical and Singapore General Hospital announce landmark collaboration in endoscopic robotics

It is not common for a major public hospital to partner directly with a local MedTech startup to rethink how surgeries are performed. Yet that is exactly what unfolded when Vivo Surgical and Singapore General Hospital (SGH) signed a landmark MOU to advance flexible endoscopic robotics, an area ready for practical and accessible innovation.

What makes this collaboration stand out is not only the technology but the way clinical insight and disciplined engineering are coming together with clear intent and shared focus.

A collaboration grounded in clinical reality

For years, robotic surgery systems have been characterised by costly, complex systems that often struggle to translate into everyday clinical practice. Vivo Surgical, a Singapore-based startup known for its focus on accessible robotic solutions, is taking a different direction.

The MOU establishes SGH as a Centre of Excellence for the company’s flagship system, the ERES™ endoscopic surgical robot, offering Vivo Surgical something that few young companies gain early on: deep clinical alignment with one of the region’s most respected academic medical centres.

SGH, Singapore’s oldest and largest hospital, plays a central role in clinical care, research and medical education. Its involvement signals that ERES™ is not entering the ecosystem as an experimental device but as a platform being developed with hands-on guidance from frontline clinicians, researchers and educators.

Kevin Koh, Founder and CEO of Vivo Surgical, described the moment as “deeply meaningful,” noting that this partnership marks the transition from years of engineering and prototyping toward real-world clinical use.

“ERES™ is a practice in frugal innovation done right. This partnership shows how disciplined engineering can translate into tangible value where it truly matters the most.”

What sets ERES™ apart

ERES™ reflects a philosophy rooted in frugal innovation, which in this context is not about creating stripped-down technology. Instead, the aim is to develop a system that is capable without unnecessary complexity, affordable enough for wide adoption, and intuitive for real clinical environments.

Such an approach is particularly relevant for endoluminal procedures, which have long been concentrated in specialised centres due to the cost, skill required and the limited availability of advanced tools. A system like ERES™ has the potential to broaden access and bring these techniques into more hospitals.

Why SGH’s commitment matters

When a hospital with SGH’s scale and academic influence chooses to co-develop technology with a startup, it signals genuine traction. The collaboration is supported by key innovation and academic arms across SGH and SingHealth, including the SGH Research and Innovation Office, the SGH Office of Medical Board for Strategic Partnerships Development, the Alice Lee Innovation Centre of Excellence, and the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medicine Innovation Institute.

This combined involvement means surgeons, engineers and researchers will work alongside the Vivo team, validating the technology and ensuring it fits seamlessly into clinical workflows. It also creates a clear pathway from prototype to patient use, something that often stalls in traditional development cycles.

Broadening access to advanced endoluminal care

At its core, the partnership addresses a global challenge. Advanced endoluminal procedures remain out of reach for many patients because the necessary tools and expertise are restricted to a limited number of centres. By aligning SGH’s clinical leadership with Vivo Surgical’s engineering discipline, both organisations aim to make these procedures safer, more precise and far more accessible.

This collaboration is more than a local milestone. It underscores how purposeful engineering and clinical partnership can work together to expand access to advanced surgical care for patients everywhere.

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