By KYN AI Advisory Team — AI implementation specialists, Singapore
The Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) ceased on 29 September 2026. From 30 September 2026, Singapore companies apply for AI and automation projects under the EDGE Grant. According to Enterprise Singapore's EDGE Grant page, support is up to 70% for SMEs and up to 50% for non-SMEs, depending on the activity, with a cap of S$100,000 per year. Grants are paid on reimbursement, after the activity is completed and fully paid.
If you read older guides that describe EDG, treat the scheme details as out of date. This article separates what Enterprise Singapore states from what we infer, and tells you what to prepare.
What happened to EDG?
Enterprise Singapore's own EDG page states that EDG, the Market Readiness Assistance grant (MRA) and the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) ceased on 29 September 2026. Businesses apply under the EDGE Grant from 30 September. Ongoing EDG, MRA and PSG projects are still processed.
Fact: that is the stated position on both pages.
Assumption: applications already submitted under EDG follow the old rules. The page says ongoing submissions are processed, but not under which terms. Confirm with Enterprise Singapore if you are mid-application.
What does the EDGE Grant cover?
The EDGE page says the grant covers over 150 activities across business areas that include Automation and Digitalisation, Business Strategy, Financial Management, Innovation, Internationalisation, Standards and Sustainability. The rate varies by activity.
For an AI project, the relevant area is Automation and Digitalisation. The page does not list our kind of project by name, so we do not claim that a given build qualifies. A custom workflow system that automates a process is the kind of activity this area is aimed at. Whether your specific scope fits is for Enterprise Singapore to decide.
How much can you receive?
Per the EDGE Grant page:
| Item | Stated position | |---|---| | SME support level | Up to 70%, varies by activity | | Non-SME support level | Up to 50% | | Annual cap | S$100,000 per year, shared across all activities | | Cap reset | 1 April each year | | Payment | On reimbursement, after the activity is completed and fully paid |
Two consequences follow.
Cash flow. You pay the supplier first and claim afterwards. Plan for the full project cost to leave your account before any money returns.
The cap is shared. If you also claim for a sustainability or overseas activity in the same year, they draw on the same S$100,000.
"Up to" matters. The percentage is a ceiling for the activity, not what you will receive for your project.
Can you start the project before applying?
The EDG page states that projects must be new, must not have commenced and must not be generating revenue at the point of application. A project counts as commenced if work started, payment was made, or a contract was signed with a participating third party before the application date.
Fact: that is the EDG rule as stated. The EDGE page we read does not restate it.
Judgement: assume the same logic applies until Enterprise Singapore says otherwise. Do not sign a contract or pay a deposit before you have checked. This is the most common way a company disqualifies itself.
For a build, the order is:
- Book the review or scoping conversation. A scoping conversation is not a commitment.
- Get a written quotation.
- Check eligibility and apply.
- Sign after you have the outcome, or sign with a clause that makes the contract conditional on approval, and confirm that structure with Enterprise Singapore.
What documents should you prepare?
The EDG page listed a recent ACRA search, audited or certified financial statements and supplier quotations as mandatory documents. The EDGE page does not list documents. Assume similar requirements and prepare:
- a recent ACRA business profile;
- your latest financial statements;
- a written quotation with a clear scope, deliverables and milestones;
- a short description of the problem, the current process and the expected change, in measurable terms (hours, error counts, turnaround).
The last item is the one that most proposals lack. State the baseline before you build. "Reconciliation takes two people three days each month" is a usable baseline.
How do you write the business case for an AI project?
Reviewers read many proposals that say "improve efficiency". Yours should say what changes, for whom, and how you will measure it. Use four parts.
- Current state. Name the process, the people who run it and the time or error rate today. Use your own records, not an estimate from a vendor.
- Proposed change. State what the system does and what a person still does. For example: the system drafts and matches, and a named person approves.
- Measures. Pick two or three numbers you can read before and after, such as hours per week, turnaround in days, or the count of manual re-entries.
- Ownership after delivery. Say who runs the system, where it is hosted and who holds the account. A system in your own cloud account, with rights to the custom code passing to you, is easier to defend than one you rent indefinitely.
Keep it to one page. A short, specific case reads better than a long, general one.
How does the grant interact with a monthly retainer?
The EDGE page describes support for activities that are completed and fully paid for. A recurring retainer is paid over time and does not fit that shape well. Ask Enterprise Singapore, or your adviser, which components of a quote are claimable. Expect that the one-off build is the part most likely to be in scope and ongoing support is not. That is our expectation, not a stated rule.
A practical consequence: ask your supplier to separate build and retainer on the quotation, line by line.
Which AI activities are weaker candidates?
- Subscriptions to off-the-shelf tools with no implementation work.
- Work already under way.
- Projects whose benefit you cannot measure.
Strong candidates replace a manual, repeated process, have a defined scope and a measurable baseline. See where Singapore SMEs should start with AI for how to pick one.
Where KYN fits
KYN builds custom systems and agents for SMEs in Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia. Our first 14 days are a review of your stack and interviews with your team; that produces a written scope and quotation you can attach to an application. A full build ships in under 90 days. Pricing is a one-off build fee and a monthly retainer of at least twelve months, so we split the two on the quote.
We do not apply on your behalf and do not promise approval. See our grants page and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Is the EDGE Grant the same as EDG?
No. EDG ceased on 29 September 2026 and the EDGE Grant applies from 30 September. The EDGE page lists over 150 activities and an annual cap of S$100,000, which differ from the EDG structure.
Can I get 70% off an AI automation build?
Up to 70% is the SME ceiling, and the rate varies by activity. Your project may receive less. Confirm the rate for your specific activity before you budget.
Should I wait for approval before signing?
Yes, unless the contract is conditional on approval. Under EDG, projects that had started or been contracted before application were excluded. Check the current EDGE rule before you sign anything.
Checked 30 October 2026.
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