Singapore’s CIOs and technology leaders are navigating a pivotal shift: the era of closed, in-house R&D is giving way to open innovation as a strategic imperative. With 42% of senior leaders citing high operational and talent costs as the top barrier to innovation, externalising R&D through structured platforms like IMDA’s Open Innovation Platform (OIP) is gaining traction.
This model not only transforms fixed costs into variable, outcome-based investments but also accelerates time-to-value. In 2026 and beyond, CIOs must lead this transition—leveraging global solver networks to access proven, scalable solutions while simultaneously building internal digital fluency through collaboration.
The maturity of Singapore’s innovation ecosystem (only 8% perceive connectivity issues) further empowers CIOs to focus less on infrastructure and more on commercial agility, ROI clarity, and frontier technologies. For technology heads, open innovation is no longer optional—it’s the engine of future competitiveness.
Click on the link to download the report and find out how your organisation can unlock agility and competitive edge through open innovation.
