The Design Business Chamber Singapore (DBCS) marked its 40th anniversary with the launch of the World Design Business Organisation (WDBO), a new global platform created to advance the business and economics of design. The launch, held in partnership with global creative change firm Consulus, took place during a gala event attended by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. The ceremony also recognised the top winners of the Singapore Good Design (SG Mark) Awards 2025, showcasing how Singapore continues to shape the future of design on the world stage.
WDBO and the Design Power Index
The creation of WDBO marks a major milestone in Singapore’s design journey, positioning the country as a global hub for design leadership and innovation. Building on DBCS’s four decades of advocacy for design as a driver of progress, the WDBO seeks to measure and enhance design’s contribution to business, economic growth, and social advancement. Central to this initiative is the Design Power Index (DPI), the world’s first benchmark designed to quantify design’s impact on economic and social outcomes.
According to Chee Su Eing, Chairperson of WDBO and former President of DBCS, the initiative gives design a common language that resonates with investors, policymakers, and corporations. “Our goal is to give design a language that investors, policymakers, and corporations can understand and measure, so that the value of design becomes a tangible part of economic and social progress,” she said.
Through WDBO, DBCS aims to unite public and private sectors globally, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration between designers, business leaders, engineers, and policymakers. The organisation’s long-term goals include establishing global benchmarks for design economics, strengthening education for the next generation of designers, and promoting design as a catalyst for sustainable growth in the era of artificial intelligence.
Celebrating design excellence through SG Mark 2025
The SG Mark Awards 2025 honoured innovative projects that demonstrated creativity, inclusivity, and social impact. Castomize’s TessaCast received the Platinum Award for its 4D-printed orthopaedic cast that adapts to individual patients’ contours, offering a reusable, sustainable solution that reduces medical waste by 30 per cent. The jury praised its combination of advanced engineering and human-centred design.
Three Gold Awards were also presented. Ability Robotics’ ReBalance won under the special Silver Futures category for its balance-assist technology that aids mobility and rehabilitation for seniors. Trigger Design and Beyond Vision International were recognised in the Experience Design category for Accessible Sights, an inclusive tourism initiative featuring multisensory guided tours led by visually impaired docents. EY Digital’s myResponder App for the Singapore Civil Defence Force earned a Gold Award in the Digital Design category for enabling faster, community-driven emergency responses.
Special Mentions included MonoLab Studio’s The Reserve, an adaptive industrial building conversion; Gallery G(ai)le + Musebox by NCS and the National Gallery Singapore, which integrates AI to enhance art accessibility; CPF’s Life Supermart by PLUS Collaboratives, which simplifies retirement planning; and The Afternaut Group’s EDL Showcase Gallery, which combines hybrid materials to inspire design exploration.
Honouring long-term innovation and impact
As part of its anniversary celebrations, DBCS also introduced the ReMarkables, a new recognition for organisations and designers who have consistently achieved excellence in the SG Mark for five to nine consecutive years. The inaugural list includes 20 recipients such as OCBC, DBS, Keppel Land, Philips, ONG&ONG, and Dell Technologies. The award celebrates resilience, innovation, and sustained commitment to excellence in design.
Hong Khai Seng, President of DBCS, said the ReMarkables and the WDBO reflect the organisation’s continued belief in design as a force for both social and economic advancement. “SG Mark has always been a reflection of Singapore’s evolving design story, one that values empathy, purpose, and progress,” he said. “As we celebrate 40 years of DBCS, the introduction of the ReMarkables and the launch of WDBO affirm our belief that design excellence, when seen through the lens of an economic driver, can be sustained locally and recognised globally.”
Since its inception in 2013, SG Mark has recognised designs that improve quality of life across industries such as healthcare, education, and digital technology. As DBCS enters its fifth decade, it continues to uphold its mission of ‘Better Business by Design’, encouraging collaboration among creative professionals, businesses, and policymakers to build a more inclusive, thoughtful, and forward-looking society.
