+65 6333 9525
/
singapore@henrygoh.com.sg
Henry Goh Singapore Henry Goh Singapore Henry Goh Singapore Henry Goh Singapore
Navigation
  • Firm
  • Expertise
  • People
  • Updates
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Offices
    • Malaysia
    • Singapore

SG IP Fast Track Programme (“SG IP FAST”)

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”) has previously launched the FinTech Fast Track (“FTFT”) and Accelerated Initiative for Artificial Intelligence (“AI2”) programmes respectively in 2018 and 2019 to support the growth of FinTech and AI innovations in Singapore. On 04 May 2020, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”) initiated a new patent acceleration programme, the SG Patent Fast Track programme, to replace the FTFT and AI2 programmes in order to expand support for innovation to all sectors in order to help innovators to bring their solutions to benefit society. As part of IPOS’ continuous commitment to provide excellent and efficient IP registration services to innovators and businesses, IPOS has now expanded the SG Patent Fast Track programme to include the acceleration of trademark (“TM”) and registered design (“RD”) applications effective 01 September 2020, and renamed the initiative as SG IP Fast Track (“SG IP FAST”).

Under the SG IP FAST, patent applications in all technology fields which are first filed in Singapore can be granted in as soon as six months. Applicants with a successful request for patent acceleration under the SG IP FAST can request acceleration of related TM and RD applications whereby straightforward TM applications can be registered in as soon as three months while non-straightforward TM applications can be registered in as soon as six months. RD applications can be registered in as soon as one month. Under the current practice, a standard RD application can be also be registered in as soon as one month. However, it may take about eight months for a standard straightforward trade mark to be registered.

The applications are deemed to be related if the TM and/or RD are to be used in relation to the invention contained in the patent application, or related products and services, example as follows:

Patent Application:
Invention relates to energy-efficient air conditioning units.

Trade Mark Application:
Potential goods or services to which the trademark is to be applied:

Class 11: Air conditioning apparatus; Air-conditioning fans; Air-conditioning filters.

Class 35: Retail services relating to air conditioning apparatus; Wholesale services in relation to air conditioning apparatus.

Class 37: Installation and repair of air conditioning apparatus.

Registered Design Application:
Articles to which the registered design is to be applied: Air-conditioner.

The related TM and/or RD applications must be filed within one month of the applicant being notified that a patent application has been placed on SG IP FAST. A copy of the Patent Preliminary Examination Report indicating that a patent application is placed on SG IP FAST and the patent application number must be provided with the request to place the related TM and RD under the SG IP FAST. Presently, the request will not incur any official fee.

There is no cap on the number of requests for acceleration of TM and RD applications. However, the cap of five patent applications a month under SG IP FAST, which will be reset on the first day of every month, will remain. Unutilised capacity will be rolled over to the next month, subject to a maximum cap of ten applications a month. There is also a cap of ten patent applications per year per entity (individual or corporate).

The patent application must satisfy the following conditions in order to be placed or remain on acceleration:

1. Application must be first-filed in Singapore, i.e. no priority claim;
2. Application must contain 20 or fewer claims;
3. Application must not be a divisional application;
4. Application must be filed with a request for search and examination report on the same day;
5. Application must state the reason(s) for requesting acceleration and the technology field to which the invention relates;
6. Where the formalities examination report is not favourable, the Applicant must respond within two weeks from the date of receipt; and
7. Where a written opinion is issued, the Applicant must respond within two months from the date of receipt.

Regarding item 5, possible reasons for acceleration include the patent application being filed is for an emerging technology with a short product lifecycle (e.g.: FinTech, Industry 4.0 and Artificial Intelligence) or a technology with an environment or public health cause (e.g.: food security, mitigating climate change, waste water and smart energy management, and therapeutic agents to combat COVID-19).

The TM applications must satisfy the following conditions in order to be placed or remain on acceleration:

1. The specification of goods and/or services in the application must be fully adopted from IPOS’ pre-approved classification database;
2. The application is not for a series mark;
3. The application is not for a non-conventional mark, such as 3D shape mark, colour as a trade mark, aspect of packaging, sound mark and other non-conventional mark;
4. The application is not for a certification or collective mark;
5. The objections raised by the Examiner in the first Examination Report are all resolved in the first submission within one month of the report;
6. The applicant responds as directed by the Registrar (such as filing the official form to formalise any amendments) in the second Examination Report within two weeks;
7. The application must not encounter opposition during the publication stage; and
8. The applicant cannot request for Extension of Time (“EOT”) during the course of examination.

The RD applications must satisfy the following conditions to be placed or remain on acceleration:

1. Deficiencies raised in the first Examination Report are all resolved in the first submission within two weeks; and
2. The applicant cannot request for EOT to respond to the Examination Report.

Through the SG IP FAST pilot programme, innovators and businesses will be able to better protect their creations, build a strong portfolio of intellectual property (“IP”) rights for strategic commercialisation, and to enjoy the maximum benefit of their IP protection. The SG IP FAST programme will end on 29 April 2022.

Categories

News and Events
Singapore – Law and Practice Updates
Newsletters

Recent Posts

SG IP Fast Track Programme (“SG IP FAST”)
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS”) has previously launched the FinTech Fast Track (“FTFT”) and Accelerated Initiative for Artificial ...
Amendments To The Singapore Geographical Indications Act 2014 And Geographical Indications Rules
The Singapore Geographical Indications (Amendment) Act 2020 and Geographical Indications (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2020 entered into force on 15 ...
Singapore Rank In The Global Innovation Index 2020
In the 2020 edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII), Singapore has retained the top rank as the most innovative ...
Patent Re-registration in Cambodia and Laos
Under a cooperation agreement between the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS), the Ministry of Industry & Handicraft (MIH) of ...
IPOS Operating as ISA, IPEA and SISA
With effect from 1 September 2015, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) will begin operating under the Patent Cooperation ...

Contact Us

2 Venture Drive
#15-21 Vision Exchange
Singapore 608526
+65 6333 9525
+65 6333 9527
singapore@henrygoh.com.sg

Useful Links

World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS)
Association of Singapore Patent Agents (ASPA)

Sign Up Newsletter

Make sure you don’t miss interesting happenings
by joining our newsletter program.

Copyright © 2025 Henry Goh (S) Pte Ltd
  • Terms of Service
  • /
  • Privacy Policy
  • /
  • Data Protection Notice
  • /
  • Disclaimer
  • /