January

• To propel local companies with innovative new media services, applications and business models into the global market, the Media Development Authority (MDA) has awarded five New Media projects with a total funding of S$7.6 million. These projects, ranging from development of games to media-rich learning, are expected to create 300 new jobs in the local media sector and achieve for Singapore S$70 million in Total Investment Committed.
• IDM was featured in Digital Life with a raving report. Entitled ‘A Future in Digital Media’, the report covers aspects of IDM, from animation and game development to visual effects. The report also highlighted numerous schools are offering such courses, and companies in the industry are looking to hire even fresh graduates.

February

• Four IDMPO funded companies were featured in Digital Life yesterday for their unique and viable business models and who have been gaining traction (in terms of profit and user outreach) through social networking platforms like Facebook, Second Life and so on. The four companies are iHipo (international internships), Fresbo (casual multi-player games), First Meta (Second Life commerce) and Tyler Projects (multi-player Facebook game). Read more

March

• Media sector gets $250m boost, the Government is pumping in an unprecedented $250 million to help promising Singapore media companies like documentary producers, music companies and video game developers to develop the industry, this includes interactive digital media projects like video games and online television. Read more

April

• Launched of “Future of Media” Initiative to catalyse growth in the interactive digital media (IDM) sector. In 2009, IDMPO is focused on Future Mobile, Future Games, Future TV, Future Worlds and Future Books. The vision of Future of Media is to pull together companies and combine collectively their user base, distribution networks, development platforms and marketing/ promotion resources with a common goal of accelerating the path to global market and success. Under each Future area, a Partner Network will serve to form a compelling platform for other companies to experiment and commercialise their offerings. Read more
• IDMPO funded company, Metaversum, has been elected a Red Herring 100 Europe Winner 2009. Read more

May

• The Keio-NUS CUTE Centre from Singapore develops the first interactive robots to teach children how to make friends. The locally-designed toy is the first social networking robot for children, using 3G technology to translate real-life interaction into relationships in the virtual world. It generates sound and visual expressions on an LED screen when squeezed and receives emotions from other Petimos. Each robot is a virtual character in Petimo World online.

June

• Launch of Future TV  as part of the Future of Media initiative . It is co-chaired by  industry leaders MediaCorp and StarHub, with other founding companies including Glocal Media Networks, PGK Media, ServTouch-ETI, SingTel-BIC (Broadcast Innovation Centre) , EON Reality, and Ufinity, as well as MNCs like Microsoft and Motorola.
• The Media Development Authority (MDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on interactive digital media with Sweden’s Business Region Gothenburg. The MOU aims to link Singapore and Sweden in the joint development and commercialisation of new digital media technologies, applications and services.

July

• Launch of FutureMobile initiative, comprising industry players such as SingTel, Nokia, Microsoft, MOZAT, Zingmobile, Qualcomm and Huawei, the partner network will work together to develop or distribute on-the-move media services and applications for the global market. Read more 
• Launch of FutureGames, that aims to develop Singapore-based game ecosystem with end-to-end capability of producing original and successful game content and services. Core partners include Activate, Garena, Mikoishi and IAH.
• GAMBIT’s high-flying CarneyVale: Showtime hit a new height: appearing as one of the 10 best games of 2009 at the Penny Arcade Expo. Read more

August

• Petimo, the world’s first social networking robot for children developed by the Keio-NUS CUTE Centre,  is selected by an international review panel as one of the best three submissions for the Como for Children (C4C) design competition held at The 8th International conference on Interaction Design and Children (IDC 2009), this is Petimo’s debut in Europe.
• Wish Singapore brings smiles to thousands during National Day Parade 2009. The thousands of participants at this year Singapore National Day Parade were amazed and surprised by Wish Singapore, a giant circular digital wall floating on the waters of Marina Bay along Esplanade Theatre waterfront.
• Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Visits F11. Read more

September

• Computer peripherals maker Razer plans to double its Singapore headcount to sharpen its R&D edge and make the island a test-bed for its state-of- the-art gaming gear. Read more

October

• Launch of FutureBooks to spur the development, delivery and managing of innovative applications and content on the e-book platform, a FutureBooks partner network championed by major industry players such as Creative Technology and SPH together with other key industry members such as Personal e-Motion (PEM), Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL), Popular e-Learning Holdings, Times Publishing Group and Pearson Education has been established.
• Launch of FutureWorlds, to encourage the development of cutting-edge digital technology with virtual realities, 3D multi-sensory simulations and realistic immersive digital environments, the FutureWorlds partner network championed by ST Electronics (Training and Simulation Systems) with key members consisting of Singapore Tourism Board, Street Directory, KPB and Crystal Computer Graphics.
• IDMPO Companies Winning the SITF Awards 2009 – PGK Media, KAI Square and Hibernator.

November

• Singapore and Chinese companies further collaborate in digital media. A group of some 30 Singapore digital media companies wrapped up their five-day business mission trip to China with a slate of business deals with their Chinese counterparts. Read more

December

• As part of i.MATCH International held on 9 December 2009, 5-10 start-up companies will get the opportunity to pitch to top management executives from international esteemed companies such as Google, Intel, DFJ India and Benchmark Capital.