Enterprise Singapore has announced a “Business Refresh Package” that updates several key support schemes and sets the stage for a major shift in how companies will apply for funding from 2026.

The direction is clear: help more Singapore-based businesses grow revenue beyond the domestic market, support innovation and market access, and reduce the friction that companies often face when navigating multiple grant programmes.

This article focuses on three updates that matter most for companies planning growth in the next 12–24 months: the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) Grant, the revamped Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) approach, and the upcoming EDGE grant, a new consolidated grant framework that will replace today’s fragmented experience across MRA, PSG, and EDG.

MRA Grant Singapore: Higher support, broader access, and fewer constraints ahead

The Market Readiness Assistance Grant (MRA) remains one of the most practical options for companies taking concrete steps overseas—whether that means market promotion, business development, or setting up in a new location. Enterprise Singapore confirmed that from 1 April 2026, MRA will become more generous for SMEs, with support levels of up to 70% (previously capped at 50%). This higher support level is applicable until 31 March 2029.

There is also an extension of the enhanced grant cap of S$100,000 per company per new market for qualifying projects.

What changes under EDGE (from 2H 2026)?

From 2H 2026, once EDGE is implemented, MRA-related support will shift again in ways that could matter even more than the headline support percentage:

Eligibility extended to non-SMEs, with support of up to 50% of eligible costs (previously not applicable).

Removal of the “new market” criterion, meaning support is intended not only for first-time entry, but also to help companies deepen their presence in existing overseas markets.

This is a meaningful change in intent. It signals that Enterprise Singapore is not only encouraging companies to “try overseas,” but also to build staying power, repeatable sales, partnerships, and sustained operations beyond Singapore.

For companies already exporting or operating abroad, the removal of the “new market” requirement is potentially one of the most business-friendly adjustments in the entire package.

Global Innovation Alliance (GIA): More support and clearer pathways for startups and tech SMEs

The Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) supports startups and tech SMEs that need access to overseas innovation ecosystems, partners, corporates, research links, and market entry routes. The refreshed positioning described by Enterprise Singapore matters because it reflects how growth really happens: not every company needs the same kind of support at the same stage.

From 1 April 2026, support levels will increase to:

70% for SMEs (previously capped at 50%)
50% for non-SMEs (previously capped at 30%)

This higher support level runs until 31 March 2029.

“Launch” vs “Grow”

Enterprise Singapore also describes a refreshed GIA strategy with differentiated support:

“Launch” programmes for startups new to a market, providing market insights, short sprints, and early customer/partner discovery to test product–market fit.

“Grow” pathways for startups seeking to scale, with more tailored support aimed at partnerships, deeper market penetration, and technology maturation.

This distinction is important for founders and innovation leaders. A company exploring a market for the first time needs speed and learning. A company that already has traction needs introductions, commercial pathways, and partnerships that unlock scale. In that sense, the GIA update looks less like a cosmetic refresh and more like an attempt to match support to real-world growth stages.

EDGE grant Singapore: A new single grant scheme replacing MRA, PSG and EDG

The headline structural change is EDGE.

From 2H 2026, Enterprise Singapore will introduce EDGE, a new grant that streamlines three existing business grants: MRA, PSG, and EDG, into a single grant scheme.

Why EDGE exists (and why it matters)?

If you have supported grant applications, or applied yourself, you know the practical problem: many businesses don’t fail because their project is weak. They lose time because the grant landscape is fragmented.

Enterprise Singapore’s factsheet states that under EDGE, companies should see a simplified and more seamless process, and businesses will no longer need to determine which grant their activities fall under. Instead, they apply based on the intended activity, such as:

enhancing digitalisation capabilities
expanding into new markets
improving enterprise efficiencies

This is the central “pro-enterprise” move in the package: less energy spent decoding programmes, and more energy spent designing a project that makes commercial sense.

Who qualifies for EDGE?

Enterprise Singapore states that the applicant must be a business entity registered in Singapore, with other requirements depending on the supportable activity.

Funding levels and the S$100,000 annual cap

EDGE is described as supporting all Singapore businesses, including non-SMEs, up to S$100,000 per year for eligible activities.

Enterprise Singapore also notes that companies requiring more support can submit applications that will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

This is where the conversation becomes more nuanced.

A practical implication: simplification helps, but the cap changes the way companies should plan

For MRA and PSG-type projects, a S$100,000 annual cap may not materially change outcomes for most companies, because individual project sizes are often below that level.

Where it could matter more is for larger EDG-style projects, especially innovation, product development, or multi-stream transformations where funding amounts can exceed that range depending on scope.

So is EDGE an upgrade or a tightening?

The honest answer is: both can be true.

It is clearly a simplification in how companies engage with EnterpriseSG and apply for support.

But for companies that used EDG for larger initiatives, the annual cap introduces a planning constraint, unless the case-by-case assessment provides a path for higher quantum support in practice.

What this likely means for companies is straightforward:

Smaller or mid-sized projects become easier to structure and submit.
Larger projects may still be possible, but they will require sharper justification and clearer outcomes.

What businesses should do now (before 2H 2026)?

Even though many changes start from April 2026 and EDGE arrives in 2H 2026, companies can prepare early.

1) If overseas growth is on your roadmap, plan a staged approach

With stronger MRA and clearer GIA pathways ahead, businesses can structure overseas expansion in phases, early discovery, then deeper penetration. The removal of the “new market” criterion under EDGE is also a signal that EnterpriseSG wants companies to build sustained overseas presence, not one-off experiments.

2) If you anticipate larger innovation projects, plan for sequencing

If your transformation or development roadmap requires funding beyond S$100,000 in a year, think about:

splitting work into clear, outcomes-based phases
aligning scope to what is most defensible commercially
preparing a narrative that supports a case-by-case assessment route under EDGE

3) Expect the “how” of applying to improve

The EDGE change is designed to remove the burden of choosing between MRA, PSG, and EDG at the start. That alone can reduce delays and uncertainty, especially for first-time applicants.

Final note

Enterprise Singapore’s changes point to a broader goal: make it easier for businesses to act, whether that means expanding overseas, accessing global innovation ecosystems, or upgrading capabilities, without wasting cycles figuring out which scheme to use.

EDGE is the structural bet. MRA and GIA are the near-term signals of where Singapore wants companies to go: outward, competitive, and able to scale.

Enterprise Singapore’s Business Refresh: What Changes for MRA, GIA, and the New EDGE Grant?

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