2026 I Strategic Policy & Planning Department: Shermaine Lau

From Policy to Possibility: Reflections from My SPPD Internship

I have had the opportunity to spend my summer as an Intern in the Strategic Policy & Planning Department (SPPD) of IPOS. It has been an insightful journey, witnessing how Intangible Assets (IA) and Intellectual Property (IP) have supported Singapore to continuously innovate, adapt and strategise to be the global hub that it is known to be. It was even more rewarding to have learnt first-hand how IA/IP could be utilised to further support our local innovations and businesses to realise their full potential.

One highlight of my internship includes attending a working group meeting with business leaders and practitioners, hearing from their perspective and experience when commercialising IP. The meeting provided perspectives on challenges faced as businesses navigated cross-jurisdictional IP activities, and how the government may better support enterprises and individuals within the wider ecosystem. It was eye-opening to learn that SG-based companies are increasingly thinking about the future of IP, positioning it more than just a legal or defensive mechanism for business —IP can both protect creativity and become a means of financing for innovative start-ups and SMEs, creating more opportunities for founders.

During my time with SPPD, I was also tasked with researching about venture studios in Singapore; how they operated within the space of deep tech investments; their investment strategy and if IP was an important consideration for them. Through this initial research, I also had the opportunity to speak to some of these venture studios; to learn from them and thereby find out how IPOS may better adjust ourselves as a nexus, connecting different people and resources together. More importantly, it was through this process that I gained insights to both the global and domestic scene of venture building activities and its correlations with supporting local R&Ds, ultimately conveying research findings to the wider team, sharpening my communication skills to explain why this was an emerging area for partnership building.

I am grateful to have spent such a fruitful 3 months here, as an intern of SPPD. This experience has certainly supported the growth of my professional capabilities and provided clarity about where I want to work in the future. Outside of work, I am thankful to have known the people of SPPD and how they are always happy to share their experiences and give me advice that I would keep in mind for the future. Their authenticity and generosity have left a lasting impression on me, and I could not be more thankful to everyone for their patience and guidance.