Singapore personifies this spirit of enterprise and is now a hub for some of Southeast Asia’s brightest new businesses. We have nurtured an ecosystem built on a spirit of collaboration and support where the finance and investor community, start-ups and government agencies work together to develop a thriving community.
Asia has become the world’s leading innovation powerhouse. Yet, in a world where every upswing is followed by a downturn, our brightest sparks — new economy clients — need support as they face difficult funding conditions.
Asia punches above its weight when it comes to commercial creativity. Regional applicants account for roughly 70% of international patent, trademark and industrial design filings — overrepresented compared to our share of the world’s population, which is around 60%, according to Statista. Asia hosts impressive digital start-up ecosystems that are integrating across borders, and has built established tech champions with global reach. Emerging economies here are modelling how to upgrade to online retail and real-time payments, increasing efficiency and moving millions of unbanked Asians into the formal economy.
