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Grant Guide 16 January 2026 9 min read

Overseas Expansion Grants for Singapore SMEs: Start Here

If you're a Singapore SME expanding to new countries, most funding falls into two buckets: test and enter a new market (promotion, partner development, setup) via Market Readiness Assistance (MRA), or larger overseas expansion projects (Market Access transformation) via Enterprise Development Grant (EDG). Before spending time collecting quotes, verify if your target country is a 'new market' (for MRA: ≤S$100,000 sales in that country in each of past 3 years), what you're paying for (promotion/trade fair, partner search, incorporation/IP/licences, or bigger project), and whether you've started anything (deposits, contracts, or POs before application may make you ineligible).

Verified 13 January 2026
In this guide

If you’re a Singapore SME expanding to new countries, most funding falls into two buckets:

Quick pick: Use the MRA vs EDG Decision Matrix to choose in 60 seconds.

Use the section below to choose the right starting point, then follow the checklist and application order to avoid rejections.

Answer These 3 Questions

  1. Is your target country a “new market”? (For MRA: ≤ S$100,000 sales in that country in each of the past 3 years.)
  2. What are you paying for? Promotion/trade fair, partner search/in-market BD, incorporation/IP/licences, or a bigger market access project.
  3. Have you started anything? If you’ve paid a deposit, signed a contract, or issued a PO for the scope you want to claim, you may be ineligible.

New Market Check

Do this before you spend time collecting quotes:

  1. List your last 3 years of sales by country (from accounting exports or invoices).
  2. For each target country, check whether any year exceeds S$100,000.
  3. If yes, that country is usually not a “new market” for MRA; consider EDG or other approaches instead.

Examples

  • If your Japan sales were S$0 (2022), S$40k (2023), S$90k (2024) → Japan is still a “new market”.
  • If your Vietnam sales were S$120k (2024) → Vietnam is not a “new market”.

What Counts As “Started”

Treat this as a red flag list to avoid accidental ineligibility.

Usually counts as “started”

  • Paying any deposit or invoice for the claimed scope
  • Signing vendor contracts / SOWs / engagement letters
  • Issuing a purchase order that commits you to the scope

Usually safe (still confirm per scheme)

Best-Fit Grants for Overseas Expansion

Start Here

Eligibility & Timing Rules

  1. Apply before you start: don’t begin work, pay deposits, or sign vendor contracts before submitting (MRA has limited trade fair exceptions; check the scheme page).
  2. Quotes and invoices must match your ACRA entity (UEN / registered name), and the application entity must be the one incurring the cost.

1) Market Readiness Assistance (MRA)

Use MRA when: you’re entering a new overseas market and need help covering third-party costs for promotion, business development, or market setup.

Good fit examples

  • You’re going into a new country and need a clear plan to generate first sales (not just research)
  • You need to hire a consultant for partner/distributor search in-market
  • You need to file trademarks/patents or set up an overseas entity before selling

How much

  • Up to 50% of eligible costs
  • Capped at S$100,000 per company per new market
  • Sub-caps: S$20,000 (Overseas Market Promotion), S$50,000 (Overseas Business Development), S$30,000 (Overseas Market Set-up)

When

  • Submit ≤ 6 months before project start
  • Project must finish within 12 months
  • The target market must be a “new market” (≤ S$100,000 sales in that market in each of the preceding 3 years)

How (fast path)

  1. Pick a single market and a single MRA pillar for this application (promotion / business development / market set-up).
  2. Confirm your market qualifies as “new” and you meet baseline MRA criteria (local equity, sales/employee thresholds).
  3. Collect ACRA profile, financial statements, a scoped proposal (deliverables + timeline), and vendor quotations addressed to your ACRA name.
  4. Submit via BGP using Corppass, then respond quickly if EnterpriseSG requests clarifications.

Where

2) MRA: Overseas Market Promotion

Use MRA-OMP when: you need overseas marketing/PR campaigns or to participate in international trade fairs.

Good fit examples

  • Running a targeted overseas marketing campaign with a vendor scope and deliverables
  • Exhibiting at an international trade fair to generate B2B leads (not purely B2C)

How much

  • Up to 50% of eligible costs, capped at S$20,000 per new market

When

  • The activity must be for a “new market”
  • Trade fair-specific rules apply (check the scheme page)

How (fast path)

  1. Confirm the fair/campaign qualifies (international trade fair, not excluded event types).
  2. Gather financials, a vendor proposal/quotation, and your campaign/fair plan.
  3. Submit as an MRA-OMP application in BGP.

Where

3) MRA: Overseas Business Development

Use MRA-OBD when: you need partner search, in-market BD services, or to deploy BD staff in-market under Overseas Market Presence (OMP).

Note: OMP here means Overseas Market Presence (staff deployment), not Overseas Market Promotion (MRA-OMP).

Good fit examples

  • Finding distributors/franchisees/partners via a third-party consultant
  • Outsourcing in-market BD execution (lead generation + partner nurturing)
  • Deploying a full-time BD employee stationed in-market under OMP (Overseas Market Presence)

How much

  • Up to 50% of eligible costs, capped at S$50,000 per new market

When

  • OBD projects should run at least 6 months (per scheme guidance)
  • The activity must be for a “new market”

How (fast path)

  1. Choose one activity type (business matching / in-market BD / OMP).
  2. Prepare financials, vendor scope/quotation, timeline, and (for OMP) employment documents.
  3. Submit as an MRA-OBD application in BGP.

Where

4) MRA: Overseas Market Set-up

Use MRA Set-up when: you need IP registration, overseas incorporation, or import/export licences for market entry.

Good fit examples

  • Filing trademarks/patents/designs tied to entering a new market
  • Incorporating an overseas entity with the Singapore applicant as the corporate shareholder
  • Obtaining import/export certifications (e.g., required registrations for selling)

How much

  • Up to 50% of eligible costs, capped at S$30,000 per new market

When

  • Direct national IP filings typically require one application per market (check the scheme page)

How (fast path)

  1. Confirm the activity is in scope and your ownership/shareholder structure meets the rules.
  2. Collect financials and itemised vendor quotations; include related filing/search costs upfront to avoid unsupported standalone claims later.
  3. Submit as an MRA Set-up application in BGP.

Where

5) Enterprise Development Grant (EDG)

Use EDG when: you have a larger overseas expansion project (Market Access) that needs a full proposal, outcomes, and execution by qualified vendors.

Good fit examples

  • A market entry project with clear deliverables, milestones, and measurable outcomes
  • A broader overseas expansion plan that’s part of a bigger business transformation project

How much

  • Up to 50% of qualifying project costs for SMEs (from 1 Apr 2023 onwards)
  • Up to 70% for sustainability projects approved between 1 Apr 2023 and 31 Mar 2026

When

  • Apply before the project is considered “commenced” (work started, payments made, or vendor contract signed)

How (fast path)

  1. Define the EDG project category and outcomes (Market Access for overseas expansion).
  2. Prepare financials, a detailed project proposal (scope, timeline, milestones), and vendor quotations.
  3. Submit via BGP using Corppass and respond to clarification requests promptly.

Where

Fast Application Checklist

  1. Target market(s) defined and validated (and for MRA: “new market” check done)
  2. Corppass (for BGP login) + PayNow Corporate or GIRO enabled (for payout)
  3. ACRA business profile ready (UEN, registered name matches quotations)
  4. Latest financial statements / management accounts ready
  5. Project scope written (deliverables, timeline, milestones, expected outcomes)
  6. Vendor quotations/proposals itemised and addressed to the correct ACRA entity
  7. Confirm you have not started work, paid, or signed contracts for the project scope you’re applying for

Suggested Application Order

  1. Use MRA to test and enter the first “new market” (one activity in one market).
  2. After you’ve validated the market and you have a bigger execution plan, consider EDG for a larger Market Access project.

Common Pitfalls

  • Starting work, paying, or signing vendor contracts before submitting (or before approval, depending on the scheme) counts as “commenced”.
  • Submitting too early/too late for MRA: applications should be submitted ≤ 6 months before project start.
  • Trying to bundle too much into one MRA application: one activity in one market per application.
  • Budgeting/claiming costs that are commonly excluded (GST, staff out-of-pocket travel, and other non-supported cost items).
  • Incomplete submissions (missing financials, unclear scope, missing quotations) get rejected or delayed.

Not a Fit

  • You’re already established in the target market (e.g., MRA “new market” rule doesn’t apply).
  • You want funding mainly for internal manpower or general travel (commonly excluded).
  • The project has already started or any contracts were signed for the scope you want to claim.

Glossary

For common grant terms and acronyms, see: Singapore Grants Glossary

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