Singapore pilots world’s fastest patent application to grant process
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) is launching a pilot programme to accelerate grants of patent applications in all technology fields to just six months.
Beginning on May 4, the programme—the SG Patent Fast Track—is the world’s fastest application-to-grant process of its kind, according to the office.
Under the programme, which is due to end on April 29, 2022, innovators can expect their qualifying patent applications to be granted in as quickly as six months, compared to a typical period of two years or more.
IPOS said that the technology-neutral programme “reflects the important role IP offices play in supporting innovators and their solutions to address global developments in sustainable development, and particularly in current times, that of public healthcare”.
Technologies with a social impact (such as greentech relating to sustainable food production and climate change), technologies with a healthcare impact (eg digital health solutions and ventilators) and emerging technologies with a short product lifecycle (such as Industry 4.0 and artificial intelligence) are some of the example technologies which will benefit from the scheme.
The scheme will replace IPOS’s two other initiatives, the FinTech Fast Track (FTFT) and Accelerated Initiatives for Artificial Intelligence (AI2) launched in 2018 and 2019, respectively. There have been 86 eligible applications under both schemes, 70% of which were filed by Singapore entities.
Earlier this month, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) announced that global patent filings grew by 5.2% (265,800 applications) in 2019, with applicants based in Asia accounting for 52.4% of the filings.
Singapore has also seen a growth in patent applications filed through the country, with a 46% increase between 2012 and 2019, from 9,685 to 14,136 filings.
In 2019, there was a 234% increase (year-on-year) in the use of IPOS reports to accelerate patent grants in other jurisdictions—including major economies like the US, Japan, China and Europe—via IPOS’s Patent Prosecution Highway network.
Sharmaine Wu, director of patents, designs and plant varieties of IPOS, said: “In these unprecedented times, IP offices need to step up efforts to support solutions that deal with the global challenges.”
Last week, IPOS International, a wholly-owned subsidiary under IPOS, announced a free online training course on IP essentials for businesses.
Wu added: “We now offer this SG Patent Fast Track programme because we understand the needs of innovators. Through this, IPOS is staying ahead of the curve, and is committed to supporting innovators and enterprises across technology sectors to bring their products and services faster to investors and global markets.
“The move also strongly complements Singapore’s drive towards becoming a global research and development hub.”
In March, Daren Tang, the current head of IPOS, was nominated to lead WIPO. If confirmed, Tang will be the fifth director general of WIPO, assuming official duties on October 1, 2020, for a six-year term.
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