TechInnovation 2025, organised by IPI Singapore, continued to Day 2 at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Level 3, Heliconia & Hibiscus Ballroom, with a focus on how standards, collaboration, and cross-border partnerships are driving enterprise growth and innovation.
From insights on building trust and competitiveness to showcases by international innovators advancing sustainability and smart technologies, TechInnovation reinforced TechInnovation’s role as a platform where ideas become real-world partnerships and global opportunities.
Choy Sauw Kook, Director-General, Quality and Excellence, Enterprise Singapore said, "Together, we have the expertise, ambition, and vision to not just compete in the global economy, but to define it."
Enterprise Singapore is actively building an ecosystem to drive innovation and establish standards that shape the future. By leading through example, Singapore continues to set benchmarks, including its ISO/IEC TS 42119-8 proposal, which focuses on generative AI quality assessment.
Keynote: Standards as Growth Enablers - Building Bridges and Pushing Boundaries
Choy Sauw Kook (Director-General, Quality and Excellence, Enterprise Singapore) in her keynote titled "Standards as Growth Enablers: Building Bridges and Pushing Boundaries", emphasised that standards are not just compliance tools but strategic enablers of trust, innovation, and growth. Ms. Kook explored how standards serve as the invisible infrastructure that transforms local innovations into global success stories. She urged enterprises to align standards with their business goals, engage in the wider eco-system, and leverage certification to gain a competitive edge. Standards, she noted, form the scaffolding of trust and the shared language of global business, enabling SMEs and corporates to scale confidently, reduce risks, and unlock new market opportunities.
Ms Kook's core message was that the "standards" are not regulatory hurdles, but strategic enablers - the universal language of trade. They help businesses scale without chaos, enter new markets with confidence, and build the trust architecture essential for international growth. In order to build scalable, future-ready operations, we adopt standards early. As she noted, Singapore companies are leveraging international standards in order to gain a competitive advantage - from MedTech innovators gaining access to global markets through international standards.
One of the key themes of the key note was to move beyond the misconception that standards constrain innovation. Ms Kook believes, in reality, they're the runways that allow bold ideas to take flight safely – providing the guardrails and interoperability that let new technologies connect seamlessly into existing ecosystems.
The call-to-action encourages business leaders to leverage standards strategically, starting with what aligns with their growth objectives. By starting small and focusing on what matters most, standards can act as powerful enablers, enhancing capabilities, amplifying impact, and unlocking new opportunities for growth.
Panel: Unlocking Growth - How Standards foster Trust and Success
A panel discussion highlighted how Osteopore and Resaro have successfully leveraged standards as strategic tools to drive growth in their respective industries, medical devices and AI assurance. These examples underscore the practical value of standards in amplifying capabilities, enabling businesses to achieve strategic growth and unlock new opportunities.
The panel featured Tan Yee Teck (Executive Director, Quality and Excellence, Enterprise Singapore), April Chin (Co-CEO, Resaro), and Dr Lim Yujing (CEO & CTO, Osteopore), moderated by Elvin Too (Founder & Director, LeadWorks), in a discussion on how standards strengthen trust and enable innovation. Mr Tan highlighted their role in supporting national quality infrastructure and industry growth, while Dr Lim shared how standards ensure safety and reliability in high-risk medical devices. Ms Chin noted the growing importance of AI standards and the need for clear guidelines to ensure robustness and accountability. The discussion closed on a shared belief that collaboration and well-defined standards can strengthen trust, competitiveness, and innovation across industries.
Panel: Cracking New Markets – Pitfalls & Proven Strategies
Chok Yean Hung (Innovation Advisor at IPI Singapore), Alan Lai (CEO, ProfilePrint), and Patrick Lim (CEO, ACE .SG) and Samantha Teo (Executive Director, International Business Division of Singapore Business Federation), shared practical insights on what it takes to succeed in new markets. The panellists stressed the need to validate opportunities early, partner with local agencies, and build trust through cultural understanding. The panellists also highlighted that expanding overseas takes more than a business plan; it requires time on the ground, commitments, trusted partnerships, and a genuine understanding of local markets to build lasting success.
Alan Lai, Founder & CEO , ProfilePrint said, "The biggest barrier to internationalisation, in my opinion, is whether founders are willing to commit to spend years, or at least, spending more time in the targeted market to understand and deepen connections. When you do that, issues around regulation, culture, or funding become manageable. Once you and your team truly connect with people there, it’s no longer an international market; it becomes your local market."
Keynote: Panasonic's Open Innovation Journey - Launching the Next Stage with Japanese Corporates Technology Innovation (JCTI) Launchpad
In his keynote, Kotaro Matsuo, the General Manager of Business Development, Panasonic R&D Center Singapore, shared how the company is advancing open innovation to address global and societal challenges. Through its partnership with IPI Singapore, Panasonic has published over 40 technologies on IPI Singapore’s Innovation Marketplace, resulting in more than 100 business engagements and 13 ongoing projects. He also highlighted the JCTI Launchpad, a joint initiative developed by IPI Singapore, Panasonic, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), and N9, which continues to grow with new members such as Murata and Nitto, reinforcing how platforms like TechInnovation foster cross-border collaboration and accelerate technology adoption.
KILSA x Seoul Startup Hub
In collaboration with the Seoul Business Agency – Seoul Startup Hub (SSH), KILSA Global showcased 10 South Korean startups presenting solutions in digital health, personal care, sustainability, and smart cities. The showcase highlighted how cross-border partnerships are fuelling collaboration and bringing cutting-edge innovations to new markets.
