Market Entry Setup
Up to 70% support for SMEs and up to 50% support for non-SMEs
Application outcome in 6 weeks
About this activity
Support for overseas expansion through incorporating an overseas entity, Intellectual Property (IP) registration of products/services, tax structure planning, import/export licensing, and agreement drafting in target markets.
- Support received for this activity counts towards your company's overall annual grant cap of S$100,000
- Project must be completed within 18 months from date of approval
- Costs incurred from date of application are covered upon approval
Areas of support
Companies may select at least one of the following areas:
- Drafting of Agreements
- Entity Incorporation
- Import/Export License
- Intellectual Property
- Tax Advisory
- Trade Credit Insurance
Supported costs
Professional service costs
Non-supported costs
Include (but are not limited to):
- Activities aimed at generating domestic business opportunities
- Goods and Services Tax (GST)
- Investment activities (investor sourcing, capital raising activities)
- Travel, accommodation and staff-related costs
Eligibility
Check your company's eligibility on BizSG.
Business entity must:
- Be registered and operating in Singapore
- Have at least 30% ownership (direct or indirect) by Singaporean(s) and/or Singapore PR(s), determined by the ultimate individual ownership
- Not have started work or made any payment or deposit to a supplier, vendor, or third party prior to application submission
Project deliverables
At the end of the project, submit the relevant copies of original documents corresponding to the area(s) of support, with English translated versions for all foreign language documents:
- Entity Incorporation
- Certificate of entity registration and copies of all licenses or permits obtained
- Official shareholding documentation reflecting that the applicant company holds majority ownership (more than 50%) of the incorporated foreign entity. If there is restriction of foreign ownership in overseas market, documentation should reflect the maximum allowable foreign ownership
- Tax Advisory
- Tax structure consultancy report detailing recommended tax structures and implementation guidance for the target market
- Intellectual Property
- Acknowledgement letter, certificate of registration, or filing documents submitted to relevant authorities
- Official documentation indicating Applicant Company's ownership of the intellectual property rights to the trademark/patent or exclusive licensing arrangements with Technology Transfer Offices/Institutions of Higher Learning
- Import/Export license
- All licenses or permits obtained from relevant authorities
- Drafting of agreements
- First set of agreements drafted as part of the approved activity, demonstrating genuine business need and market-specific requirements
- Submitted agreements to show specific business circumstances, local market requirements, or regulatory compliance needs. Annotations should demonstrate the specific clause relevant to the target market
- Generic or template-based agreements without market-specific provisions are not supported.
- Trade Credit Insurance
- Certificates of insurance obtained
Application documents and information required
- Vendor's proposal and quotation
- Vendor track records showing relevant credentials for the activity in the target overseas market
- Projection of expected overseas sales as a result of the project, for 1 year after project completion
- Projection of new jobs created, overall and Singaporeans only, with gross monthly salary above S$5,000, for 1 year after project completion
How to apply
Ensure all documents and information listed under the "Application documents and information required" section are ready before starting your application.
Determine the overseas market you wish to expand into, and identify a suitable vendor (if applicable) for your intended activity.
Sign in to your company's Corppass account to apply on BGP. If you do not have a Corppass account, refer to this guide to sign up.
If your application is approved, a Letter of Offer (LOF) will be issued and it must be accepted. The LOF will include the following:
- Conditions of support
- Grant amount awarded
- Project qualifying period
- Project deliverables
As proof of project completion, ensure all project deliverables outlined in the ‘Project deliverables’ section on this page or in the LOF are met.
After project commencement, if you need to make changes to your project, you may submit a change request during the project qualifying period. Note that only two types of changes are permitted:
- Change to project end date
- Change to claim due date
All change requests are subject to approval.
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6a. Set up your payment method
Submit the necessary information for your preferred mode of disbursement. The grant will be credited to your stipulated bank account through PayNow (preferred) or GIRO.
PayNow (preferred)
Register for PayNow Corporate with your company’s UEN +3 alphanumeric suffix (if applicable):
- Contact the bank or log in to your bank’s internet banking or mobile banking app
- Link the UEN to the bank account. A 3-digit alpha-numeric suffix can be added to the UEN to create multiple PayNow proxies
- Enter the company name to complete the setup
Once setup is completed, submit the PayNow Corporate details via the BGP claim form. Disbursement will be made within 14 working days after approval of claims.
GIRO
Submit GIRO details via the BGP form. Disbursement via GIRO may take up to eight weeks after approval of claims.
If neither PayNow Corporate nor GIRO has been set up, disbursement of the claim will not be possible.
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6b. Prepare your claim submission
Before submitting your claim, take note of the following and ensure your documents are ready:
- Only expenses approved in the LOF are eligible for support
- All project expenses must be paid in full before submitting
- Claims must be submitted before the claim due date
(i) Deliverables documentation
Ensure all project deliverables have been completed as stated in your Letter of Offer (LOF). Refer to the 'Deliverables' section on this page or your LOF for the full list of required documents.
(ii) Expense verification documents
Ensure you have the relevant proof of payment documents for all project expenses. If expenses were not paid directly by your company, include proof of reimbursement to the relevant party. Refer to the claim document requirements here for the full list of supporting documents required.
Supporting documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by an English translation.
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6c. Engage an auditor
Select an audit firm from Enterprise Singapore's Panel of Auditors and sign the audit engagement letter before submitting your claim. Claims submitted without a signed audit engagement letter will not be processed, and your claim must be submitted within 14 working days of signing. The Panel of Auditors may be updated periodically, refer to the current list here.
Once your documents and signed audit engagement letter are ready, log into the Business Grants Portal to submit your claim. Ensure all documents are clear and complete, as incomplete submissions may result in delays or rejection.
Important notes:
- Additional documents or clarification may be requested during the claim process. Prompt responses will help ensure smooth processing of the claim.
- Ensure that payment to the audit firm is made promptly, as the claim will only be submitted to Enterprise Singapore for assessment upon completion of the audit.
- Grant eligibility criteria apply until claim submission. If your company no longer meets the eligibility criteria at any point during the project, your claim will not be supported.
Once your claim is approved, you will receive an email notification.
You may expect to receive the grant disbursement in the stipulated bank account via your selected mode in the claim form within the timeline below.
- PayNow Corporate: 14 working days after claim approval
- GIRO: Up to eight weeks after claim approval
Check your bank account to confirm receipt of the grant.
For enquiry on grant disbursement, contact Enterprise Singapore.