How Much Funding Can You Get?
- Up to 70% of eligible costs for SMEs (increased from 50% under Budget 2026), capped at S$30,000 per market
- Covers advisory, legal, and documentation expenses tied to market entry (IP filings, overseas incorporation, import/export licensing)
Budget 2026 Update: Support increased from 50% to 70% for SMEs (1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2029). The “new market” requirement will be removed in 2H 2026. See MRA Budget 2026 Changes for details.
What Is This Grant About?
- One of three pillars under the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) grant
- Helps companies build a legal foothold and protect IP when entering markets with ≤ S$100,000 sales in the last three years
Supported activities
- Intellectual property applications (trademarks, patents, designs, related IP work)
- Overseas incorporation and business registration fees
- Import/export certifications such as FDA or factory registrations
Key requirements and pitfalls
- Corporate shareholder rule: the overseas entity must list the applicant company as shareholder; individual ownership is ineligible unless prohibited locally with proof
- IP ownership: only IP owned by the applicant counts; licensee/franchisor-owned IP is excluded
- International IP systems: one application can cover multiple markets via Madrid, PCT, or Hague systems; include every market and note that Singapore IP fees are supportable when tied to these submissions
- Direct national filings: require one MRA application per market; check IPOS for guidance
- Objection costs: claim searches, examinations, filings, and objections together in the initial submission—standalone objection claims after approval are rejected
- Non-supported costs: GST, staff out-of-pocket expenses, and objection costs claimed after approval
Other MRA pillars
- Overseas Market Promotion — cap S$20,000
- Overseas Business Development — cap S$50,000
Who Can Apply?
To be eligible for MRA Market Set-up, your company must meet ALL of the following criteria:
- Business entity is registered and operating in Singapore
- At least 30% local equity held directly or indirectly by Singaporean(s) and/or Singapore PR(s), determined by the ultimate individual ownership
- Group Annual Sales Turnover not exceeding S$100 million OR a Group employment size not exceeding 200 employees
- Target market must be new to your business (≤ S$100,000 in sales in preceding 3 years)
- New to target overseas market
Review the full checklist on the main MRA guide before preparing your submission
How To Apply?
- Confirm eligibility: Ensure you meet all overarching MRA criteria and the activity-specific requirements listed above.
- Plan the scope: Decide on the target markets plus the IP, incorporation, and licensing work required (bundle international systems into one application; file direct national IP per market).
- Prepare documents: Financial statements (3 years or to-date management accounts signed by an authorised officer), consultant/vendor proposals with scope and itemised costs addressed to the ACRA name, and consultant credentials or track records (skip when using Enterprise Singapore’s accredited FTA/Trade Compliance consultants).
- Set up the claim plan: Include searches, examinations, filings, and potential objections in the initial budget to avoid unsupported standalone claims later.
- Submit on BGP: Log in with Corppass, complete the MRA form, upload supporting documents, and declare milestones through the Business Grants Portal. Need help setting up Corppass? See our Corppass Setup Guide.
- Implement and claim: Carry out the project, keep invoices/receipts, and file claims via BGP within the stipulated timeframe.
Where To Apply?
- Apply, monitor, and claim via the Business Grants Portal
- Use the same portal to answer Enterprise Singapore’s queries and track statuses
Worked Example
Scenario: Your manufacturing company sets up a sales office in Vietnam.
| Cost Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Company incorporation (Vietnam) | S$8,000 |
| Legal and compliance fees | S$12,000 |
| Employee deployment (6 months) | S$18,000 |
| Office setup costs | S$5,000 |
| Total cost | S$43,000 |
| MRA funding (70%) | S$30,000 (cap) |
| Your co-payment | S$13,000 |
Note: Market Set-up pillar is capped at S$30,000. Here, 70% of S$43,000 = S$30,100, which exceeds the cap, so MRA funding is capped at S$30,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does MRA Overseas Market Set-up cover?
MRA Market Set-up covers the legal and administrative costs of entering a new overseas market — including trademark and patent registration, overseas company incorporation, and obtaining import/export licenses like FDA registration.
How much funding is available for market set-up?
Up to 70% of eligible costs (increased from 50% under Budget 2026), capped at S$30,000 per new market. The “new market” requirement will be removed in 2H 2026.
Can I use international IP systems like Madrid Protocol?
Yes. One MRA application can cover multiple markets when using international IP systems like Madrid (trademarks), PCT (patents), or Hague (designs). Singapore IP fees are also supportable when tied to these international submissions.
Who must own the intellectual property?
The IP must be owned by the grant applicant company. IP owned by a licensor, franchisor, or third party does not qualify for MRA support, even if you are the licensee.
Can I claim IP objection costs separately?
No. You must include searches, examinations, filings, and potential objection costs together in your initial claim submission. Standalone objection claims filed after the initial claim approval will be rejected.
Related Information
- Grant Pitfalls Guide - Common pitfalls to avoid when applying for MRA Set-up
- Grants Directory — browse other support schemes
- MRA vs EDG: How to Choose? — use this matrix to choose between MRA-OMP, MRA-OBD, MRA Set-up, and EDG
- Overseas Expansion Grants Guide — detailed eligibility, checklists, and pitfalls for overseas expansion
- Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) - Main Guide — complete eligibility and timeline details
- MRA: Overseas Market Promotion — trade fairs and marketing activities
- MRA: Overseas Business Development — business matching and representation support
- Corppass Setup Guide - Step-by-step guide to set up Corppass for BGP access
- Singapore Grants Glossary — key terms and definitions