Funding a private AI project in Singapore
Three government schemes can pay for part of an AI system that runs in your own building. This page tells you which one fits, what to do before you spend a dollar, and what is still unknown about the scheme that replaces them later this year.
Every figure below is quoted from a government source, linked where it is used, and checked on 22 August 2026. Page updated 22 August 2026. We re-check those sources daily. Grant rules change without notice, so confirm your own position with EnterpriseSG before committing spend.
What to do, in order
- 1
Decide whether you are buying a listed product or commissioning a build.
Listed, pre-scoped product from the government directory: Productivity Solutions Grant. Built around your own operations, which is what private on-premise AI usually is: Enterprise Development Grant.
Detail and source - 2
Do not pay a deposit or sign anything before the application is submitted.
EnterpriseSG does not support retrospective PSG applications. Payment or a deposit to a supplier before submission ends the application.
Detail and source - 3
Check the eligibility lines before you spend time on a scope.
Registered and operating in Singapore, at least 30 per cent local equity, and financially able to start and complete the project.
Detail and source - 4
Write the scope in numbers, not in wishes.
EDG applications are assessed on project scope, outcomes and the competency of the service provider. A problem with no measure gives the assessor nothing to approve.
Detail and source - 5
Decide whether you can wait for EDGE.
EnterpriseSG says EDGE replaces PSG, EDG and MRA in the second half of 2026, up to S$100,000 per year, and that the current grants stay open until launch. If the project can wait, the rules you apply under may change; if it cannot, apply now under the scheme that fits.
Detail and source
Which scheme fits which project
The deciding question is whether what you are buying already exists on a published list. A pre-scoped product from the government solution directory goes under the Productivity Solutions Grant. Something commissioned around how your business works, which is what a private on-premise deployment usually is, goes under the Enterprise Development Grant, because it funds consultancy, software and equipment as one project.
Both fold into EDGE in the second half of 2026. EnterpriseSG says businesses will then apply by intended activity rather than by picking a scheme.
Enterprise Development Grant
EDG supports projects that upgrade, innovate or grow a business, under Core Capabilities, Innovation and Productivity, and Market Access. A private AI deployment normally sits in Innovation and Productivity.
Up to 70% for sustainability-related projects, per the Enterprise Sustainability Programme.
EnterpriseSG lists qualifying costs as third-party consultancy fees, software and equipment, and internal manpower cost.
Eligibility, in EnterpriseSG’s terms
- A business entity registered and operating in Singapore.
- At least 30 per cent local equity held directly or indirectly by Singaporeans or Singapore PRs, determined by ultimate individual ownership.
- Financially ready to start and complete the project, assessed on indicators such as the current ratio.
EnterpriseSG states that applications are assessed on project scope, project outcomes and competency of the service provider. Who you engage is part of what is being assessed. Source
Productivity Solutions Grant
PSG supports the adoption of pre-scoped IT solutions, equipment and consultancy services, at up to 50 per cent of eligible costs and up to S$30,000, against an annual cap running 1 April to 31 March. EnterpriseSG
Two rules that decide it. PSG funds solutions on the published directory, not work built to order, so a project scoped to your operations belongs under EDG. And EnterpriseSG does not support retrospective applications: no payment and no deposit to a supplier before you submit. Source
GoBusiness states that appearing in the solution directory is not a form of endorsement or recommendation by the participating government agencies.
EDGE, and what is still unknown
EnterpriseSG has announced EDGE, a single grant that replaces the Market Readiness Assistance, the Productivity Solutions Grant and the Enterprise Development Grant. The PSG and EDG pages both say EDGE launches in 2H2026 and the existing grants stay open until launch.
More support can be requested and is assessed case by case.
A widening: EDG support levels today are framed for local SMEs.
Not published yet, so nobody can tell you
- Whether the pre-scoped solution directory survives in its current form.
- Whether the up to 50 per cent support level carries across.
- Whether the rule against retrospective applications carries across.
- What happens to an application submitted shortly before launch.
- The full list of supportable activities.
EnterpriseSG states that more details will be provided at launch. We watch the pages daily and will update this one when the answers are published.
How to scope a project so it qualifies
- State the problem in numbers. Not that you want AI, but that four staff spend two days a month extracting data from supplier documents.
- Document the process as it runs today, who does each step, how long it takes, where errors occur.
- Describe the future state and what improves, with the measure you will be judged on.
- Say why it has to be on-premise, if it does. A regulatory or contractual limit on where data may be processed is a project constraint and belongs in the scope.
Where applications fail
- Paying a deposit before applying. For PSG this is fatal, and EnterpriseSG says so.
- Applying to PSG for work built to order. Custom work belongs under EDG.
- A scope with no measurable outcome. Assessment is on outcomes.
- Assuming a vendor is approved. EDG has no vendor list at all.
Questions
›Can a government grant pay for a private, on-premise AI system?
Partly, and which scheme applies depends on whether the system is off the shelf or built for you. The Enterprise Development Grant covers third-party consultancy fees, software and equipment, and internal manpower cost, which is the shape of an on-premise build made for one business. The Productivity Solutions Grant supports pre-scoped solutions from a published directory instead.
›How much does the Enterprise Development Grant cover?
Up to 50 per cent of eligible costs for local SMEs, and up to 70 per cent for sustainability-related projects, as stated by EnterpriseSG and verified on 22 August 2026. The exact amount depends on the project scope EnterpriseSG approves.
›How much does the Productivity Solutions Grant cover?
Up to 50 per cent of eligible costs, and up to S$30,000. EnterpriseSG applies an annual grant cap of S$30,000 for the solutions it supports, running from 1 April to 31 March the following year. Verified on 22 August 2026.
›Can I apply after the project has started?
For the Productivity Solutions Grant, no. EnterpriseSG states that retrospective applications are not supported, and that the applicant must not have made payment or any form of deposit to a supplier before submitting the application. Treat that as the rule for planning purposes and confirm the position for your specific project with EnterpriseSG before committing spend.
›What is EDGE and when does it start?
EDGE is a single grant that will replace the Market Readiness Assistance, the Productivity Solutions Grant and the Enterprise Development Grant. EnterpriseSG states it launches in the second half of 2026, will support all Singapore businesses including non-SMEs up to S$100,000 per year for eligible activities, and that businesses will apply based on intended activities rather than choosing a scheme.
›Is Altronis an approved or accredited grant vendor?
No, and neither is any other consultancy for the Enterprise Development Grant, because that scheme has no vendor list. The Productivity Solutions Grant has a directory of pre-scoped solutions, and GoBusiness states plainly that the listing is not to be taken as a form of endorsement or recommendation by the participating government agencies.
›Does the choice of vendor affect whether the grant is approved?
For the Enterprise Development Grant, yes. EnterpriseSG states that applications are assessed on project scope, project outcomes and competency of the service provider. Who does the work forms part of the assessment.
Working out whether your project is fundable
We can tell you which scheme fits, what the scope needs to say, and whether the work is worth doing at all if the grant does not come through. Thirty minutes, no slides, no obligation. We do not submit applications on your behalf and we are not paid by any agency.
Talk to usFigures on this page are quoted from EnterpriseSG, GoBusiness and IMDA and were verified on 22 August 2026; page updated 22 August 2026. Altronis is not an agent of any government agency, is not accredited or endorsed by one, and this page is not advice on your specific eligibility. Grant terms change, and EDGE is expected to replace these schemes in the second half of 2026. Confirm your position with EnterpriseSG before committing spend.