SINGAPORE, 5 March 2026 – The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises Singapore (ASME) have exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the first WIPO IP Business Centre in the ASEAN region. With the setup being only the third of such Centres globally outside of WIPO’s Geneva HQ, this marks a significant milestone in supporting Singapore and the region's vibrant startup and SME community through localised and enhanced intellectual property services.
The MoU exchange took place on the evening of 5 March 2026, during ASME’s Inter- Association Networking Night 2026 held at the Asian Civilisations Museum. The ceremony brought together leaders from Singapore's Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs), government agencies, and the business ecosystem to witness this strategic partnership.
Supporting Singapore's Innovation Ecosystem
Under the MoU, WIPO and ASME, will work together to:
- Deliver capacity-building programs and workshops tailored to startup and SME needs
- Provide strategic IP advisory services and consultations
- Facilitate access to WIPO's global resources, tools, and programs
- Develop training initiatives for entrepreneurs and industry professionals
- Strengthen Singapore and the region's IP ecosystem through coordinated support mechanisms
The partnership will be implemented with support from the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).
Singapore's position as a global innovation leader—ranking 5th in the Global Innovation Index 2025—is underpinned by its strong IP framework and thriving business ecosystem. This strategic partnership reinforces WIPO and ASME’s commitment to supporting innovation-driven economies and enables businesses of all sizes to leverage IP for sustainable growth.
First Collaborative Initiative: IP for SMEs Workshop
The MoU exchange built upon momentum from the partnership's inaugural activity—an IP Workshop for SMEs held the previous day on 4 March. The workshop demonstrated the power of tri-partite collaboration, bringing together WIPO experts, IPOS specialists, and representatives from established Singaporean SMEs to address critical IP challenges facing growing businesses.
The morning session featured presentations and panel discussions on key topics including:
- IP in Internationalization: How SMEs can leverage IP to protect and scale their business when expanding beyond Singapore (presented by WIPO)
- IP in SME Collaborations: Examining the role of IP strategy in driving competitiveness and innovation through various partnership models for growth (featuring WIPO, IPOS, ASME, and industry representatives)
- Introduction to the IP Management Clinic (IPMC): Overview of available support services
The afternoon comprised private, one-on-one consultation sessions, where selected SMEs received tailored IP guidance from expert teams comprising WIPO specialists, ASME representatives, and local IP experts across two parallel tracks.
A Regional Benchmark
The partnership coincides with a significant period for Singaporean leadership in the global IP sphere, following the recent nomination of Mr Daren Tang for a second term as Director General of WIPO.
Speaking at the ceremony, Guy Pessach, Director, IP for Business Division, IP and Innovation Ecosystem Sector, WIPO, stated: “Singapore has built one of the world’s strongest IP ecosystems. The opportunity now lies in activation—converting awareness into strategy, and strategy into growth. Through this partnership with ASME, with the support from IPOS, we are equipping startups and SMEs with the practical tools and guidance they need to transform IP from a legal concept into a strategic business asset that powers innovation and global expansion.”
Ang Yuit, President, ASME in his opening address shared “The reason we are focusing heavily on this area [IP] is the shifting nature of business value. In the 1970s, intangible assets like intellectual property accounted for a much smaller portion of market value. Today, those intangibles represent more than 90 per cent of the value in the S&P 500.
For Singaporean SMEs, success rarely comes from competing on scale or cost. Instead, our businesses win by offering sustainable value that is difficult for others to copy. This IP Centre is designed to help entrepreneurs protect and leverage those intangible assets to drive value as they scale across borders.”
“We welcome this partnership between WIPO and ASME and we are committed to supporting SMEs in their IP needs. Strong IP capabilities help enterprises compete, scale, and capture value. IPOS’ support through initiatives such as the WIPO-IPOS IP Management Clinic Singapore Programme will deepen enterprise access to practical IP support while reinforcing Singapore’s role as a leading global IA/IP hub,” said Mr Kok Kitt-Wai, Managing Director, IPOS International.
The WIPO-ASME Singapore partnership, implemented with IPOS’ support, represents a model for cooperation between international IP organisations, national IP offices, and TACs, with the goal of making IP accessible, understandable, and actionable for the enterprises shaping tomorrow's economy.