Singapore is expanding its ICT reach by engaging in the exchange of ICT experiences and ideas with several countries. The latest of these took place during France-Singapore Innovation Days (FSID) 2013, an event for SMEs, researchers and innovators.

The fourth edition of the FSID, which took place in October, was dedicated to digital media, entertainment and gaming, with an emphasis on video games. France has 300 companies in the sector, and the country’s output of video games by volume is only exceeded by that of the United States.

Speaking at the event, Mr Robert Kim (pictured above), Director of Consumer Infocomm at the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), noted that video and music-related services are starting to gain traction in the region, dovetailing nicely with the French expertise. He also touched on the challenges of doing business in Southeast Asia, and how tackling these challenges can bring up new opportunities.

For example, the regional market, while large at half a billion people, is also greatly fragmented, in terms of language, culture regulatory frameworks and even modes of payment. However, Mr Kim pointed out that the diversity represents the chance to create a competitive advantage for those ready to adapt. Many companies want to enter the region, but instead of developing the local operating capability themselves, they would find it easier to get local partners, opening the door for collaboration.

“I’d advise you to look out for unexpected opportunities,” he added. He cited the example of a gaming portal in Vietnam which has more prepaid accounts than there are bank accounts in the country, and decided to leverage on this advantage to go into financial services.

“It’s not necessarily going to be easy,” cautioned Mr Kim. “It is, in fact, very challenging.” However, he promised that “IDA is here to help you succeed”, having invested in market research on how to enter the markets in Southeast Asia, ranging from hiring tech talent to policies and regulations.

Opportunities to reach out to another country, this time Israel, were presented at the Innovation Xchange World Tour, which took place on 9 October. A dozen Israeli start-ups in the ICT space, including interactive digital media, mobile and wireless application services and Software-as-a-Service companies, pitched their ideas to local and regional investors and venture capitalists representing both the private sector and government-linked funds. Besides creating opportunities to invest and collaborate, the event also provided Singapore’s entrepreneurs and start-ups with insights into the Israeli business ecosystem.

In another international networking event that took place a month earlier in September, IDA’s Executive Deputy Chairman Mr Steve Leonard participated in a panel discussion at the Russia-Singapore Business Forum on 25 September. The Forum offered a platform for companies from Singapore and the region to form links with their Russian counterparts, and explored trends and forces that could shape the global economy in the future. Speaking to political and business leaders from Singapore and Russia, Mr Leonard gave his views on the impact of big data, and the opportunities it offered in the development of Singapore’s ICT landscape.