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Singapore Named Asia-Pacific’s Most Innovative City
Singapore has been ranked as the most innovative city in the Asia-Pacific region in a study conducted by Solidiance, followed closely by Sydney and Melbourne. The report evaluated 16 major cities across the region based on their ability to foster innovation, attract talent, and build sustainable growth ecosystems.
But what truly defines an innovative city?
According to widely accepted frameworks, innovation is not limited to new products. It includes improved processes, organizational models, business practices, marketing methods, and governance systems. In short, innovation reflects a city’s ability to continuously reinvent itself.
The Solidiance study emphasizes that innovation thrives in strong ecosystems. Key ingredients include access to skilled human capital, knowledge creation through universities and research institutions, regulatory efficiency, global connectivity, technological advancement, and a high quality of life that tolerates experimentation and risk-taking. These principles align with the “creative class” theory, which argues that cities attracting entrepreneurs, professionals, and creative talent are better positioned for sustained economic growth.
Singapore’s top ranking reflects decades of deliberate transformation. The city-state has consistently prioritized long-term planning, leapfrog development, and openness to global talent. Its regulatory transparency, business-friendly environment, and multicultural integration have created one of the most attractive innovation ecosystems in Asia.
As Damien Duhamel, Managing Partner Asia at Solidiance, emphasized, competition is increasingly happening at the city level rather than the country level. Cities now compete to attract capital, talent, and ideas. In this context, Singapore’s global orientation and adaptability have given it a structural advantage.
Other regional cities demonstrate both strengths and limitations. Sydney’s entrepreneurial dynamism, Hong Kong’s legal transparency, Tokyo’s industrial legacy, and Shanghai’s scale each contribute to regional competitiveness. However, rapid urban growth in emerging megacities such as Mumbai and Jakarta continues to face structural challenges in governance, infrastructure, and human capital development.
While Asia-Pacific cities are progressing rapidly, they still trail some Western innovation hubs in global influence. Nevertheless, as urbanization accelerates, competitive dynamics will continue to shift.
Ultimately, the ranking is not merely symbolic. It serves as a benchmark for policymakers, investors, and business leaders seeking to identify the most attractive cities to build and scale operations. In a global economy driven by ideas, cities that continuously innovate will define the next era of growth.