Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

Intellectual Property Administrationipos.gov.sg

Singapore's statutory intellectual property office under the Ministry of Law, responsible for registering and administering patents, trade marks, designs, copyrights, and plant varieties, while serving as a PCT receiving and examining authority for global applicants.

Company typePrivate
Founded2001
HeadquartersSingapore, Singapore
Headcount251–500
GTM typeB2B and B2C
OfferingServices

What Intellectual Property Office of Singapore does

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) is a statutory board under Singapore's Ministry of Law, established as the national authority for intellectual property registration, administration, and protection. It grants and administers patents, trade marks, registered designs, geographical indications, plant variety rights, and serves as the secretariat for Copyright Tribunals. IPOS also functions as a receiving Office, International Searching Authority (ISA), and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), making it a key node in the international IP filing infrastructure.

The agency's service delivery is anchored on the IPOS Digital Hub — a unified e-services portal supporting registration, search, renewal, monitoring, and management of all IP types — and the IPOS Go mobile application, which enables on-the-go trade mark filing and renewals. Both platforms integrate with Singapore's national identity infrastructure (SingPass and CorpPass) for authentication. Supporting capabilities include the AI2 (Accelerated Initiative for Artificial Intelligence) programme for expedited AI-related patent examination, supplemented by IP Clinics, IP Management Clinics, and the Patent Agents Qualifying Examination (PAQE) administered to certify patent professionals.

IPOS operates a transaction-fee revenue model, collecting statutory fees for filings, examination, oppositions, renewals, and professional certifications under the Patents Act, Trade Marks Act, Copyright Act 2021, and related regulations. Customer segments span local and international enterprises, individual creators, and IP professionals. The agency pursues a digital-first, self-serve GTM model, supplemented by Singapore IP Week (an annual flagship event), email newsletters, and appointment-based expert consultations. It operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, IPOS International Pte Ltd, focused on IP training, advisory, and commercialization services.

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Intellectual Property Office of Singapore
Legal name: Intellectual Property Office of Singapore
Website: https://ipos.gov.sg
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2001
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 251–500 employees
Short description: Singapore's statutory intellectual property office under the Ministry of Law, responsible for registering and administering patents, trade marks, designs, copyrights, and plant varieties, while serving as a PCT receiving and examining authority for global applicants.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore industry classification

Industry

Product category: Intellectual Property Administration
NAICS: Public Administration (92)
SIC: Patent Owners & Lessors (6794)
akta.pro primary industry: Intellectual Property (IP) Law (BPAHAAAF)
akta.pro secondary industries: IP Search, Watch & Competitive Intelligence (BPAHAMAI), IP Filing, Annuities & Renewals Administration (BPAHAMAJ), Copyright Services & Content Protection (BPAHAMAC)

Keywords

Intellectual property registration
Patent administration
Trademark registration
IP dispute resolution
Copyright protection

Where Intellectual Property Office of Singapore is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Singapore
HQ country: Singapore
HQ region: Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B and B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Patent Filing and Examination Fees: Government-mandated fees for patent application filing, search and examination reports, and renewal fees. Revenue collected as statutory fees under the Patents Act.
Trade Mark Registration and Renewal Fees: Fees for trade mark applications per class, opposition filings, and renewal fees for maintaining registrations.
Design and Plant Variety Protection Fees: Filing and renewal fees for registered designs and plant variety rights protection.
Professional Services Fees: Fees for Patent Agents Qualifying Examination, Copyright Tribunal matters, and Collective Management Organisation regulatory processes.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Patent Filing - Standard domestic route
Unit Pricing	Annual	Patent Renewal Fees
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Trade Mark Filing
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Trade Mark Opposition/Revocation
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Patent Agents Qualifying Examination
Unit Pricing	Pay-as-you-go	Copyright Forms and Tribunal Fees

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore product offering

Product offering

Core offering

IPOS is Singapore's statutory intellectual property office under the Ministry of Law, responsible for registering, examining, and administering IP rights including patents, trade marks, designs, plant varieties, geographical indications, and copyright. It delivers these services through the IPOS Digital Hub e-services portal and the IPOS Go mobile application, complemented by advisory clinics, eAppointment consultations, Copyright Tribunals dispute resolution, and the Patent Agents Qualifying Examination.

Product overview

IPOS operates as a unified platform-plus-services model, centered on the IPOS Digital Hub (core e-services portal) and IPOS Go Mobile App, which together enable filing, search, renewal, and management of all IP types (patents, trade marks, copyrights, designs, plant varieties, geographical indications). Supporting services include IP Clinics, eAppointment consultations, IP Management Clinics, and professional certification via the Patent Agents Qualifying Examination. Strategic initiatives include Singapore IP Strategy 2030 and annual Singapore IP Week events. The portfolio also encompasses dispute resolution through Copyright Tribunals and international filing via WIPO PCT/Madrid systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

IPOS Digital Hub: A single digital platform for registering, searching, renewing, monitoring, and managing IP rights including patents, trade marks, designs, and other IP types.
IPOS Go Mobile App

Products and services

IPOS Digital Hub The primary unified e-services portal for registering, searching, renewing, monitoring, and managing intellectual property (patents, trade marks, designs, plant varieties, geographical indications) in Singapore. Supports CorpPass and SingPass authentication.
IPOS Go Mobile App Mobile application enabling on-the-go filing and renewal of trade mark and patent applications, IP searches, Brand Search for brand name verification, and real-time status updates on IP filings. Available on iOS App Store and Google Play.
Patents Registration and Management Complete patent lifecycle services including application filing via domestic route or PCT, examination, grant, renewal, restoration, and dispute resolution. Supports 20-year protection term with annual renewal from year 5.
Trade Marks Registration Registration and management of trade marks, collective marks, and certification marks in Singapore. Supports international registration via Madrid Protocol.
Copyright Protection Copyright protection services under the Copyright Act 2021, covering literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, films, sound recordings, broadcasts, and performances. Includes Network Service Provider designation and take-down notice procedures.
Designs Registration Registration and protection of industrial designs in Singapore with renewal options.
Plant Variety Rights Protection of new plant varieties through the Plant Varieties Protection system in Singapore.
Geographical Indications Registration and protection of geographical indications for products with specific geographical origin qualities or reputations.
IP Clinics Expert consultation services for IP strategies, infringement matters, and opposition proceedings.
IP Management Clinics Advisory service helping enterprises formulate IP strategies aligned with business plans and intangible assets portfolios.
eAppointment Telephone or video-conferencing appointment booking system for IP consultations with IPOS experts.
Copyright Tribunals Adjudicative body for resolving licensing disputes between collective management organisations and copyright material users. Administered by IPOS as Secretariat.
Patent Agents Qualifying Examination (PAQE) Professional examination for aspiring patent agents in Singapore covering patent specification preparation, amendment, infringement/validity, and Singapore patent law/practice. Administered by IPOS with tiered per-paper fees.

Companies that use Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

Customer profile

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

Ministry of Intellectual Property of South KoreacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026IP cooperation agreement focusing on AI-driven IP valuation and patent administration under an upgraded strategic partnership coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Singapore. Collaboration expands to AI applications for patent examination, IP valuation, enforcement, and commercialization.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): The U.S. national IP office administering patents and trademarks; directly comparable as a national statutory IP registrar with examination authority, fee-based revenue model, and global filing hub status via PCT.
European Patent Office (EPO): Regional patent examining authority covering European states; comparable as a large statutory IP office with PCT ISA/IPEA functions, examination fees, and digital filing platforms serving a multi-jurisdiction market.
Japan Patent Office (JPO): Japan's national IP office with patent and trademark administration; comparable as a statutory government IP registrar with PCT international authority, AI-patent examination acceleration programmes, and Asia-region strategic partnerships.
Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO): South Korea's national IP office; directly comparable as IPOS's newest strategic partner under the March 2026 AI-driven IP valuation agreement, with overlapping PCT ISA roles and similar AI-patent accelerated examination programmes.
China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA): China's national IP office; comparable as the largest statutory IP registrar globally with patent/trademark/design registration, PCT receiving office status, and aggressive AI/digital transformation of examination services.
Intellectual Property Office of the United Kingdom (UKIPO): The UK national IP office administering patents, trade marks, and designs; comparable as a statutory government IP registrar with fee-based revenue and digital filing platform serving a similar size economy.
IP Australia: Australia's national IP office; comparable as an Asia-Pacific statutory IP registrar with patent and trademark administration, PCT international authority functions, and digital IP service delivery.

Others

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): UN-affiliated IP body administering PCT, Madrid, and Hague international filing systems; comparable as IPOS's principal international partner for PCT receiving office operations and Inventor Assistance Programme.

Regional players

Intellectual Property India (IPIndia): India's national IP office; comparable as a statutory IP registrar in an emerging Asia market, with similar patent/trademark/design registration scope but a focus on the Indian domestic market rather than international hub positioning.

Direct peers

IPOS International Pte Ltd: Wholly-owned commercial subsidiary of IPOS offering IP training, management, and advisory services; directly comparable as a corporate extension of IPOS's IP services portfolio into commercial and regional markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance1 record

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries1 record

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Intellectual Property Office of Singapore

What does Intellectual Property Office of Singapore do?

Is Intellectual Property Office of Singapore a public or private company?

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.

When was Intellectual Property Office of Singapore founded?

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore was founded in 2001. It employs 251 to 500 people.

Where is Intellectual Property Office of Singapore based?

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore, in the Asia region.

How does Intellectual Property Office of Singapore make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Patent Filing and Examination Fees are the primary driver. The others are trade Mark Registration and Renewal Fees, design and Plant Variety Protection Fees and professional Services Fees.

Who are Intellectual Property Office of Singapore's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), European Patent Office (EPO), Japan Patent Office (JPO), Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Intellectual Property Office of the United Kingdom (UKIPO) and IP Australia. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is listed as an others. Intellectual Property India (IPIndia) is listed as a regional player. IPOS International Pte Ltd is listed as a direct peer.

Does Intellectual Property Office of Singapore have an API?

No public API is recorded for Intellectual Property Office of Singapore.

What industry is Intellectual Property Office of Singapore in?

Intellectual Property Office of Singapore's product category is Intellectual Property Administration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAF, Intellectual Property (IP) Law, with a secondary code of BPAHAMAI, IP Search, Watch & Competitive Intelligence. Its NAICS code is 92 and its SIC code is 6794.