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Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

Singapore IP Survey 2023

The Singapore IP Survey is a biennial survey about companies’ perceptions and usage of intangible assets and intellectual property (IA/IP).

Last updated 25 March 2025

On this page

Key findings
Business
Jobs
IP Hub

The biennial Singapore IP Survey was conducted to better understand companies’ perception and usage of intangible assets and intellectual property (IA/IP).

The 2023 Singapore IP Survey was conducted from February to March 2023, with over 500 responses by companies from various sectors.

Key findings

Singapore IP Survey 2023 findings.

*Correction issued on 27 Dec 2023: The datapoint “59% of companies are willing to pay a wage premium for employees with IP skills” was corrected from ”90% of companies are willing to give a wage premium of 26% or more for employees with IP skills”.

Business

1. Companies value IP

  • (a) Most important IP types
    Around one in three companies indicated that the following are important areas for them:

    • strong brand;

    • new technology and or process; and

    • confidential information.

Most important IP types are strong brand, new technology and/or process and confidential information.

  • (b) Business value of IP
    15% of companies perceive that the bulk of their value resides in IA/IP.

15% of companies perceive that the bulk of their value resides in IA/IP.

  • (c) How companies are using their IA/IP
    Recognising the importance of IA/IP, companies felt that IA/IP helped enhance their company performance in the following areas:

    • Provide new opportunities for collaboration with other businesses

    • Increase business competitiveness

    • Facilitate market expansion or internationalisation

    • Increase revenue

The various contributions to company performance.

Did you know that you can gain revenue from IP and IA?
Learn more about how IP and IA can boost company growth:

2. Support & resources for companies

While companies recognise the importance of IA/IP, there is a need to raise awareness of IP-related services and build IP knowledge.

4 out of 5 companies would like more opportunities to use IA/IP to obtain financing.

4 out of 5 companies would like more opportunities to use IA/IP to obtain financing.

92% of companies did not make use of any form of government subsidies or grants for their IP activities, with more than half citing a lack of awareness as the key factor.

For those who were granted government subsidies, half were obtained from the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG), and the others acquired the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) Grant.

92% of companies did not make use of any form of government subsidies or grants for their IP activities.

IP resources for businesses:

  • Intangibles Disclosure Framework: Use this framework to better disclose and communicate your enterprise's IA.

  • Grants & Schemes: Apply for the following grants &/or schemes for defraying IP costs

  • IP Clinics: Consult business experts and lawyers on IP strategies and dispute matters

  • GoBusiness IP Grow: Understand IA/IP needs for your business and get tailored recommendations for IA/IP service providers

Jobs

1. Employees with IP skills are valued

Around 1 in 2 companies consider IP skills as a competitive edge when hiring employees, and 59% of companies are willing to give a wage premium for employees with IP skills.

Around 1 in 2 companies consider IP skills as a competitive edge when hiring employees.
59% of companies are willing to give a wage premium for employees with IP skills.

Did you know that IP skills are an asset in the workplace?

Develop your IP skills now:

These are the top three job functions which require IP skills:

The top three job functions which require IP skills are marketing & sales, research & development and customer service.

2. Valuation

15% of companies in Singapore undertook standalone valuation, of which less than half were conducted by Chartered Valuer and Appraiser (CVA) holders.

15% of companies in Singapore undertook standalone valuation.

Get certified for the CVA programme to be recognised as a quality Business Valuation professional.

IP Hub

1. Global IA/IP hub

1 in 3 companies seek to expand into/have a presence in other ASEAN countries. However, more than 60% of companies face significant IP-related challenges.

1 in 3 companies seek to expand into/have a presence in other ASEAN countries.

Speed up your IP protection process when going global with our international and regional acceleration programmes.

The top 3 IP-related challenges companies face when seeking to expand into/have a presence in other ASEAN countries are:

Obtaining IP protection is too expensive, counterfeiting issues and navigating the individual requirements of IP offices

2. Singapore as an IP Dispute Resolution (IPDR) Hub

1 in 5 companies choose Singapore as a preferred venue for IP dispute resolution.

1 in 5 companies choose Singapore as a preferred venue for IP dispute resolution.

  • (a) Top factors for choice of IP dispute resolution location
    Governing law of contract or agreement is important for more than 50% of companies when deciding where to resolve the company IP dispute. This is followed by ease of enforcement (36%) and the speed of dispute resolution process in the jurisdiction (36%).

Top factors for choice of IP dispute resolution location.

Tap on these programmes and initiatives to defray mediation costs for IP disputes:

Tap on these grants to help you fund your IP activities:


IA account for more than 90% of business value (Ocean Tomo, Intangible Asset Market Value study, 2020). Drive business growth by managing your IA/IP with us!

You may also wish to see the findings from the Singapore IP Survey 2021.