Both MRA and EDG can fund overseas expansion, but they serve different scopes. The key gate: does your target market qualify as “new” under MRA rules?
What are the key differences?
- MRA funds specific overseas market entry activities with a S$100K cap per new market. Three pillars: Market Promotion, Business Development, and Market Setup.
- EDG Market Access funds broader market entry projects with no cap — strategy development, research, multi-workstream transformation.
- “New market” rule (MRA only): Your company must have ≤S$100,000 in sales in the target country in each of the past 3 years.
- Scope rule: MRA covers defined activities (trade fair booth, entity setup). EDG covers comprehensive strategy with milestones.
Which grant should you choose?
| MRA | EDG | |
|---|---|---|
| Trade fair or exhibition booth | ✓ | — |
| Overseas PR/marketing campaign | ✓ | — |
| Overseas entity incorporation | ✓ | — |
| Trademark or IP filing overseas | ✓ | — |
| In-market BD consultant or staff posting | ✓ | — |
| Comprehensive market entry strategy | — | ✓ |
| Multi-country expansion plan | — | ✓ |
| Project scope exceeds S$100K | — | ✓ |
Legend: ✓ = Use this grant | — = Not applicable
How do they compare at a glance?
| MRA | EDG (Market Access) | |
|---|---|---|
| Funding cap | S$100K per new market | No cap |
| Support rate | Up to 70% | Up to 50% |
| Processing time | 6-8 weeks | 8-12 weeks |
| New market rule | Required (≤S$100K sales/3 years) | Not required |
| Scope | Specific activities only | Broad strategy + execution |
| Consultant required | No | Yes (for consultancy) |
| Company size limit | ≤S$100M or ≤200 staff | No limit |
How do you decide?
Step 1: Does the target market qualify as 'new'?
Has your company had ≤S$100,000 in sales in the target country in each of the past 3 years?
Step 2: What overseas activity are you funding?
MRA: Overseas Market Promotion
- Trade fair booth rental and setup
- Overseas product launch event
- In-market marketing campaign execution
MRA: Overseas Business Development
- In-market BD consultant engagement
- Distributor or partner search
- Overseas business development staff posting
MRA: Overseas Market Setup
- Overseas entity incorporation
- Trademark or product registration
- Import/export licence compliance
EDG: Market Access (larger scope)
- Comprehensive market entry strategy
- Multi-market expansion project
- Project scope exceeding S$100K
- Existing market deepening
What are common scenarios?
- “I’m attending a trade fair in Tokyo” → MRA (Overseas Market Promotion, covers booth and setup)
- “I want to incorporate a subsidiary in Vietnam” → MRA (Overseas Market Setup, covers entity formation)
- “I need a comprehensive ASEAN market entry plan” → EDG (multi-market strategy, exceeds MRA scope)
- “I’m hiring a BD consultant in Jakarta” → MRA (Overseas Business Development, in-market consultant)
- “My overseas project costs S$150,000” → EDG (exceeds MRA’s S$100K per-market cap)
- “I’ve been selling in Malaysia for 5 years” → EDG (Malaysia is not a “new market” for MRA)
What should you know before applying?
- MRA is per-market: You can apply for MRA separately for each new market (e.g., S$100K for Vietnam + S$100K for Thailand).
- “New market” is strict: If your company had >S$100K in sales in any of the past 3 years in that country, MRA does not apply. Use EDG instead.
- MRA covers specific costs only: Trade fair fees, consultant fees, incorporation fees, IP filing fees. It does not cover strategy consulting or internal staff time.
- EDG covers internal manpower: If your overseas project involves significant internal staff time, EDG is the better fit.
- Combine MRA + EDG strategically: Use MRA for specific activities (trade fair, setup) and EDG for the broader strategy — as long as costs don’t overlap.
Is this comparison right for you?
This guide is for Singapore SMEs planning overseas expansion. Use this guide if you are deciding between MRA’s activity-based funding and EDG’s broader market access support.
Not what you need?
- Comparing all three common grants? → PSG vs EDG vs MRA
- Just comparing PSG and EDG? → PSG vs EDG Decision Matrix
- Need help understanding MRA pillars? → MRA Explained: 3 Pillars
Related Guides
- PSG vs EDG vs MRA Comparison — 3-way comparison including domestic grants
- MRA Explained: 3 Pillars — understand Market Promotion, Business Development, and Market Setup
- MRA Documents Checklist — required documents for MRA application
- Why MRA Applications Get Rejected — common MRA mistakes
- SME Overseas Expansion Grants — complete guide to international market entry
- Grant Pitfalls Guide — common mistakes to avoid
- Singapore Grants Glossary
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