In Singapore, the right starting point is the activity you need support for: building a startup, adopting technology, expanding overseas or financing operations. Local ownership and business eligibility determine which routes deserve your time.
Illustrative founder decision
Check ownership and cash timing before writing the proposal
A founder with a Singapore company wants to build proprietary technology and buy ordinary business software. Those are separate activities. The technology project may belong on an innovation route; software adoption may belong on a capability-upgrading route. Start by splitting the budget.
A funding brief you can use
Check the actual ownership chain, entity age, operating location and project start date. Then list the activity, supplier, total cost, proposed contribution and payment timing. Confirm whether the route introduces equity rights as well as a grant.
The next conversation
Shortlist only the routes whose essential conditions your company meets. If support is reimbursed, the business must finance the spending before the claim is paid. If the route is a loan, model full repayment rather than treating government risk sharing as a discount on the debt.
Find your starting point
Scroll across to compare every column.
| Your situation | Look at first |
|---|---|
| Deep-tech proof of concept | Startup SG Tech |
| Raising equity with a government co-investor | Startup SG Equity |
| Growing an established SME | EDGE grant |
| Working capital or venture debt | Enterprise Financing Scheme |
Long-running Singapore routes
Startup SG Tech
- Type
- Grant with equity subscription rights
- Support
- POC up to S$400,000; POV up to S$800,000. Company paid-up capital at least 10% of the POC grant or 20% of the POV grant, respectively. Grant includes conditional share-subscription rights.
- Who it fits
- Singapore startups commercialising proprietary applied science/technology with breakthrough potential; not ordinary off-the-shelf integration or a generic agency launch.
- Key requirements
- Singapore private limited startup registered within the past 10 years; at least 30% ultimate individual ownership by Singapore citizens/permanent residents; not incorporated as a corporate subsidiary. Group sales at most S$100 million OR group employment at most 200. Core R&D in Singapore and significant operating role for main applicant. POC establishes technical/scientific viability; POV requires a technically workable concept and evidence of potential-customer or third-party-investor interest. Project must not have commenced at application; relevant IP ownership/assignment and Singapore economic-value tests apply.
- How to apply
- Start with the official Startup SG Tech Eligibility, FAQ and Apply pages. Submit the current Registration of Interest through Enterprise Singapore; preliminary screening precedes the full proposal.
- Availability
- Apply any time (assessed case by case)
- Timing
- Ongoing Registration of Interest; no fixed competition closing date published. Agency screening and grant budget/approval remain separate.
- Cost or condition to plan for
- Enterprise Singapore or its nominee receives a right to subscribe for shares equivalent to 50% of the awarded grant amount, capped at 49% of total shareholding, exercisable on a qualifying equity-financing round; no additional capital injection accompanies exercise. This does not mean an automatic 50% equity stake. Caps increased for formal Stage 2 applications from 2 January 2025. Apply page has differently dated form links: use the current official landing page and confirm the file version. Eligibility page last updated 18 September 2025; reviewed 16 October 2026.
- Official sources
- startupsg.gov.sg · startupsg.gov.sg · startupsg.gov.sg
- Last checked
- 16 October 2026
Startup SG Equity / SEEDS co-investment
- Type
- Equity investment
- Support
- SEEDS co-investment caps: S$2 million general tech / S$12 million deep tech; stage/round-specific ratios, not automatic awards.
- Who it fits
- Singapore technology/deeptech startups with global growth potential.
- Key requirements
- Singapore private limited company under ten years old, core activities in Singapore, paid-up capital at least S$50,000; substantial innovation/IP, international scalability and ready independent investor. Excluded activities include gambling/tobacco.
- How to apply
- Approach named SEEDS co-investment partners. For non-appointed investor, send investor background, proposed amount and independence plus startup two-page summary, business plan, accounts and ACRA Bizfile to the official SEEDS contact.
- Availability
- Apply any time (assessed case by case)
- Timing
- Ongoing investment assessment; no fixed closing date published.
- Cost or condition to plan for
- Dilutive private co-investment, subject to due diligence and investment committee/panel decision. Not a cash grant or guaranteed investor introduction.
- Official sources
- enterprisesg.gov.sg · seedscapital.sg
- Last checked
- 16 October 2026
EDGE Grant
- Type
- Reimbursement grant
- Support
- Annual shared cap S$100,000; within it, S$30,000 subcap for specified digital/equipment categories. Generally ≤ 50% SME/30% non-SME; eligible internationalisation/sustainability ≤ 70%/50%.
- Who it fits
- Singapore businesses upgrading capabilities, efficiency, digitalisation or overseas expansion.
- Key requirements
- Singapore-registered business with ≥ 30% Singapore citizen/PR ownership; activity-specific conditions. No prior work/payment/deposit before submission; expenses must fall within qualifying period.
- How to apply
- Select an activity on EnterpriseSG/BizSG; use its Business Grants Portal route.
- Availability
- Open now; recurs regularly
- Timing
- Open from 30 September 2026; no common closing date published. Shared annual cap resets 1 April; selected activity rules and qualifying period apply.
- Cost or condition to plan for
- Replaces new EDG/MRA/PSG applications after 29 September 2026. Existing claims continue separately. Reimbursement follows completion and full payment; submission is not approval.
- Official sources
- enterprisesg.gov.sg · enterprisesg.gov.sg
- Last checked
- 16 October 2026
Enterprise Financing Scheme — SME Working Capital Loan
- Type
- Loan, Government risk share
- Support
- Up to S$500,000 per borrower; maximum 5 year term; group exposure limits apply.
- Who it fits
- Eligible SMEs financing operational cash flow.
- Key requirements
- ACRA-registered and operating Singapore entity; at least 30% ultimate local citizen/PR ownership; group sales at most S$500 million, plus SME group revenue at most S$100 million OR at most 200 employees. Participating bank credit approval.
- How to apply
- Participating financial institution.
- Availability
- Ongoing, through banks or lenders
- Timing
- Ongoing participating-lender applications; enhanced 70% government risk share applies 1 September 2026–31 March 2027, not a universal application cutoff.
- Cost or condition to plan for
- Borrower still repays 100%. Government risk-sharing protects part of the lender exposure; it does not cancel borrower debt.
- Official sources
- enterprisesg.gov.sg
- Last checked
- 16 October 2026
Enterprise Financing Scheme — Venture Debt
- Type
- Loan, Equity-linked financing
- Support
- Up to S$8 million per borrower; ≤ 5 years; lender terms, warrants/RCPS and group limits apply.
- Who it fits
- Innovative high-growth firms lacking conventional hard-asset collateral.
- Key requirements
- Singapore registration/operations; ≥ 30% citizen/PR ultimate ownership; group annual turnover ≤ S$500 million; lender assessment.
- How to apply
- Participating financial institution; use official EFS-VD instructions.
- Availability
- Ongoing, through banks or lenders
- Timing
- Ongoing participating-lender applications; no fixed national closing date published.
- Cost or condition to plan for
- Warrants or redeemable convertible preference shares can create ownership consequences. Borrower repays 100% despite government risk-sharing.
- Official sources
- enterprisesg.gov.sg
- Last checked
- 16 October 2026
How to narrow your shortlist in Singapore
Check the actual cap table before writing the proposal. Several routes require ultimate local citizen or permanent-resident ownership, so a Singapore address is not enough. Then separate proprietary technical development, capability upgrading and debt. A loan with government risk sharing still needs to be repaid in full.
Questions before applying
Is Startup SG Tech completely equity-free?
Do not assume that. Its published grant terms include conditional share-subscription rights. Read those rights alongside the eligible project, paid-up-capital and ownership conditions before comparing it with another grant.
Which route should I shortlist first?
Shortlist the route that matches your actual activity, then check local shareholding, eligible costs, supplier conditions and whether approval must precede spending. Compare your cash contribution with the amount and timing of support.
Before you apply or spend
- Save the current official page and check for amendments.
- Confirm the exact eligibility condition that applies to you, in writing if possible.
- Work out your own share: the unfunded part, ineligible costs and cash needed before money arrives.
- For loans, ask for the full repayment schedule. For equity, model dilution.
- Get qualified advice before signing anything with legal or tax consequences.
Not sure which route fits?
Tell me where the business operates, what you need to fund and the route you are considering. Include the condition or trade-off you want to work through.
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Sources and review: programme links lead to the provider or official authority. Eligibility and application timing are shown with each route; use the dated information for your shortlist and the linked current terms before applying.