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With global innovation accelerating, what makes Singapore a launchpad for world-class products?

Innovation is about turning ideas into solutions that scale globally — fast, reliably, and sustainably.

Singapore has become one of those rare places where innovation doesn’t stay in the lab. It gets commercialised, exported, and adopted worldwide.

In 2025, Singapore ranked among the world’s top five most innovative economies. That position isn’t accidental.

It’s driven by:

• Highly skilled talent
• Advanced R&D and manufacturing capabilities
• A collaborative, trusted business environment
• Deep connectivity with APAC and global markets

Together, these factors help companies move from concept to market at speed.

Below are three innovations developed in Singapore, with the help of Singapore-based teams, that are now used around the world.

ST Engineering – AGIL® Platform Screen Door System

Every morning, millions of commuters step onto train platforms on autopilot — coffee in hand, eyes on their phones, waiting for the train to arrive.

Few think about the narrow gap between the platform and the tracks, yet that moment carries real risk. This everyday problem is what ST Engineering set out to solve with its AGIL® Platform Screen Door (PSD) system.

AGIL® Platform Screen Door (PSD) system. Source: ST Engineering

The AGIL® PSD system acts as a quiet safety gate, remaining closed as trains approach and opening only when the train has fully stopped and its doors are perfectly aligned. This simple behaviour removes guesswork and prevents accidental falls, making platforms safer without disrupting the natural flow of commuters.

Designed as a modular system, AGIL® can be installed on elevated, at-grade, and underground platforms, and is compatible with different train models and car lengths. It works just as effectively in new stations as it does in retrofits of existing infrastructure.

The system is developed by ST Engineering’s Urban Solutions team at its Singapore headquarters, where engineers, designers, and technicians collaborate across mechanical, electrical, electronics, software, and systems disciplines.

Having design, prototyping, testing, and refinement carried out locally enables faster iteration, tighter quality control, and closer cross-functional collaboration — all essential for deploying complex transport solutions at scale.

Supported by partnerships with Singapore’s government agencies, suppliers, and system integrators, the AGIL® Platform Screen Door system has grown from a locally engineered solution into a globally recognised platform.

Today, it is deployed in modern metro networks across Canada, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Thailand, quietly making everyday commutes safer for millions around the world.

HP’s Latex Inks

Walk into a modern print shop or design studio today, and expectations have changed. Businesses want large-format prints that are bold, precise, and visually striking — but they also want to reduce their environmental footprint.

For years, sustainability and performance felt like a trade-off. HP’s Latex Inks were created to prove that they don’t have to be.

HP Latex inks make a difference. Source: HP

HP’s eco-friendly Latex Inks are transforming large-format printing by delivering sharp, vibrant colours without the environmental cost typically associated with traditional inks. Water-based, non-flammable, and free from hazardous air pollutants, these inks offer a safer alternative for both workplaces and the environment. They enable businesses to adopt more sustainable printing practices without compromising print quality, durability, or speed.

Singapore has played a central role in making this innovation possible. As the location of HP’s Asia Pacific headquarters and its first manufacturing plant in the region since 1970, Singapore has long been more than an operational base for the company.

Over the decades, it has evolved into a key innovation hub where HP has built deep research and development capabilities across printing technologies, personal systems, and smart manufacturing.

HP’s manufacturing facility, recognised as a World Economic Forum Lighthouse, the facility sets a global benchmark for manufacturing excellence.

Innovation at HP Singapore extends well beyond ink manufacturing. The company continues to deliver world-first initiatives from the country, including the Smart Manufacturing Applications and Research Center (SMARC), which advances next-generation manufacturing technologies.

In 2025, HP also launched Garage 2.0, a first-of-its-kind platform designed to help AI startups turn ideas into real-world solutions through mentorship and go-to-market support.

Together, these efforts reinforce Singapore’s role as a launchpad for sustainable innovation, and show how everyday workplace technologies can be reimagined for a more responsible future.

Wise’s Multi-Currency Debit Card

Lunch breaks used to mean fumbling for cash or swiping the “right” card in your wallet. Today, paying for a meal can be as simple as tapping once, even when you’re halfway across the world. That everyday convenience is what Wise set out to make effortless with its multi-currency debit card.

Wise’s Multi-Currency Debit Card. Source: Wise

Although Wise was founded in London, the company chose Singapore as the base for the product and engineering team that designed and launched the debit card in 2019. From this hub, the team took the product from concept to market in just six months.

Singapore’s strong regulatory framework and its position as a leading financial centre in Asia Pacific made that pace possible. Working closely across product, compliance, and servicing functions, the team built the core infrastructure from the ground up and localised it to meet regional regulatory requirements and payment networks, while navigating challenges such as e-wallet limits to ensure a fast, seamless user experience.

Being embedded in Singapore’s fintech ecosystem also gave Wise a practical advantage. Close proximity to key partners — including global payment networks like Visa and Mastercard — enabled faster technical integration and smoother contractual alignment.

These efficiencies significantly shortened development cycles and helped Wise scale the debit card globally. To date, the company has issued more than 11 million debit cards across 42 countries, turning a regional launch into a worldwide product.

The debit card is only one part of Wise’s story in Singapore. Teams based here have also launched global investment and financial management products, reinforcing the country’s role as a launchpad for fintech innovation.

Wise’s continued expansion in Singapore reflects the strength of its business environment, one that enables global fintechs to build, localise, and scale products efficiently in Asia’s fast-moving digital economy.

Build faster. Scale smarter. Go global

The stories of ST Engineering, HP, and Wise show a clear pattern. Great products don’t just start with ideas. They need the right environment to move fast, test early, and scale with confidence. Singapore provides that edge. Because innovation here doesn’t stay theoretical. It gets engineered, manufactured, and commercialised, quickly.

From safer transport systems, to sustainable workplace printing, to cashless global payments, these products didn’t succeed by accident. They were built in an ecosystem designed to support speed, trust, and execution.

And as technology cycles shorten and competition intensifies, that advantage matters more than ever. So don’t think of Singapore as just a place to set up operations. You must use it as a platform to build.

Because the future belongs to companies that can innovate, and commercialise at speed. And in that future, Singapore doesn’t just help you keep up. It helps you lead.

If your company needs  help filing taxes for the year 2026 or requires assistance with Singapore incorporation, economy, banking, etc., feel free to call /WhatsApp us at +65 90612851 or email us at aceglobalacct@gmail.com. Alternatively, you may leave us a reply using our contact form below.

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