MRA: Overseas Business Development

How Much Funding Can You Get?

• Up to 70% of eligible costs for SMEs (increased from 50% under Budget 2026), capped at S$50,000 per market
• Applies to three activity types within the MRA framework: business matching, in-market business development, and overseas marketing presence (OMP)

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?

• Overseas Business Development (OBD) helps Singapore companies identify partners, build networks, and station business development staff in a new market (≤ S$100,000 sales in the past 3 years)
• It is one of three MRA pillars alongside Overseas Market Promotion and Overseas Market Set-up

Supported Activities

• Business Matching: Engage consultants to identify licensees/franchisees, distributors, joint-venture partners, or logistics partners (primarily through in-person meetings after initial virtual touchpoints).
• In-market Business Development: Outsource business development services to execute on-the-ground lead generation and partner nurturing.
• Overseas Marketing Presence (OMP): Deploy your own BD employee in-market; support covers basic salary and essential office rental.

Key Requirements and Pitfalls

• Project duration: OBD projects should run at least 6 months to build meaningful relationships.
• Repeat projects: Follow-up applications for the same market are assessed on performance of prior OBD projects; EnterpriseSG encourages expansion to new markets.
• Business matching mode: Use virtual meetings only as initial touchpoints; the core engagement should be in-person for stronger results.
• OMP staffing: Staff must be full-time, stationed in-market, and not company owners/shareholders; freelancers or remote workers do not qualify.
• OMP costs: Only basic salary and eligible office rent are supportable—no overtime, bonuses, allowances, airfare, or living expenses.
• Subsidiary costs: If a subsidiary incurs costs, invoices must clearly show re-billing to the Singapore applicant.
• Mutually exclusive fees: You cannot claim OMP and in-market BD fees at the same time for the same market.

Who Can Apply?

To be eligible for MRA Overseas Business Development, 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)
• Ready to commit at least six months to business development work in-market
• Able to hire or deploy dedicated BD staff (for OMP) and bear ineligible expenses such as GST and travel

How To Apply?

1. Select the activity: Decide between business matching, in-market BD, or OMP based on what the market entry requires.
2. Check readiness: Ensure the market qualifies as “new” and that you have not started the project, hired consultants, or paid vendors.
3. Prepare documents: Financial statements (up to 3 years), detailed consultant proposals/quotations, project timelines, and (for OMP) job description or employment letter plus office rental quotes if needed.
4. Plan staffing: For OMP, outline contract terms, confirm staff will be stationed on-site, and document inter-company billing if a subsidiary employs them.
5. Submit on the Business Grants Portal (BGP): Use Corppass to file the MRA-OBD application, upload documents, and specify milestones/budgets. Need help setting up Corppass? See our Corppass Setup Guide.
6. Respond to EnterpriseSG: Clarify queries promptly; approval typically takes 8–12 weeks.
7. Execute only after approval: Implement the project, keep invoices/payslips, and prepare for audits (especially for OMP salary claims).

Required Documents

• Business Matching / In-market BD: Financial statements, consultant proposals with scope/deliverables/cost breakdown, and consultant credentials (not needed for EnterpriseSG-listed FTA/Trade Compliance consultants).
• Overseas Marketing Presence: Financial statements, BD staff employment letter (or job description if not hired yet), and office rental quotation if applicable.

Audit Requirements for OMP

• BD staff employment letter/contract and payslips or CPF statements.
• Proof of market presence: passport entry/exit stamps or residential/long-stay lease agreements.
• Office rental agreement (if rental was claimed).

Expenses Not Supported

• GST and staff out-of-pocket costs (airfare, accommodation, meals, transport).
• In-house manpower for business matching/in-market BD activities.
• Concurrent OMP and in-market BD fees in the same market.
• OMP incidentals such as bonuses, commissions, allowances, airfare, insurance, or remote-worker arrangements.
• Warehouse/factory/residential rentals, hotel stays, equipment, utilities, or telecom charges.

Where To Apply?

• Submit applications, change requests, and claims through the Business Grants Portal with Corppass access.
• Use the portal to update BD staff details (e.g., switch from job description to employment letter) and to respond to EnterpriseSG queries.

Worked Example

Scenario: Your tech company identifies distribution partners in Japan.

Note: Business Development pillar is capped at S$50,000. Since S$46,200 is within the cap, the full 70% applies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is MRA Overseas Business Development?

MRA Overseas Business Development (OBD) is one of three pillars under the Market Readiness Assistance grant. It funds activities like business matching, in-market business development, and stationing BD staff overseas to help Singapore SMEs enter new markets.

How much funding can I get for MRA OBD?

Up to 70% of eligible costs (increased from 50% under Budget 2026), capped at S$50,000 per new market. The “new market” requirement will be removed in 2H 2026.

What counts as a “new market” for MRA?

A market where your company has generated no more than S$100,000 in sales over the preceding 3 years. This requirement will be removed in 2H 2026 under Budget 2026 changes.

Can I claim OBD and OMP fees at the same time?

No. You cannot claim Overseas Marketing Presence (OMP) fees and in-market business development fees concurrently for the same market. These are mutually exclusive under MRA rules.

How long should an OBD project run?

OBD projects should run at least 6 months to build meaningful business relationships. EnterpriseSG assesses repeat applications based on the performance of prior OBD projects in the same market.

Related Information

• Grant Pitfalls Guide - Common pitfalls to avoid when applying for MRA-OBD
• Grants Directory - Browse all available Singapore government grants
• 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 - Overview, eligibility, and general application information
• MRA: Overseas Market Promotion - Trade fairs and marketing activities
• MRA: Overseas Market Set-up - IP registration and market entry
• Corppass Setup Guide - Step-by-step guide to set up Corppass for BGP access

References

• Market Readiness Assistance Grant - Enterprise Singapore - Official MRA page with current funding information

• MRA Supportable Activities (PDF) - Detailed guide on eligible activities and requirements

• MRA FAQ - Enterprise Singapore - Frequently asked questions about MRA

• Business Grants Portal - Apply for MRA and track your application status

• Singapore Grants Glossary — key terms and definitions