Grant schemes show the state’s priorities for business. For a decade, Singapore’s enterprise support had three separate doors: EDG for capability building, MRA for going overseas and PSG for pre-approved tools. On 30 September 2026, Enterprise Singapore replaced all three with the EDGE Grant. This piece is our interpretation of what EDGE means for brand budgets. We flag our interpretations clearly.
What the design signals
EDGE is activity-based. A company chooses the activities it plans to carry out, and each activity has its own support level and rules. For branding, the activity is called International Branding. The name states the policy. Enterprise Singapore now funds brand work that helps companies grow overseas, and excludes brand work aimed at domestic business.
We read this as a deliberate shift. EDG treated brand strategy as general capability building. EDGE treats it as an export tool. Exporters gain: SMEs now receive up to 70%, against EDG’s 50%. Companies that sell only in Singapore lose their main source of grant support for brand work.
The state now funds brand work as an export tool. Exporters gain support, and domestic-only brands lose it.
What changed for branding
- One scheme. EDG, MRA and PSG ceased on 29 September 2026. All new applications go through EDGE.
- An overseas condition. International Branding requires an overseas expansion plan and excludes domestic-focused activities.
- Higher support for exporters. Up to 70% for SMEs and up to 50% for non-SMEs.
- A shared yearly cap. S$100,000 per company per year across all EDGE activities, refreshed on 1 April.
- More evidence. Applications need one-year projections of overseas sales and new jobs, and the vendor’s SS 680 certificate.
- Implementation stays unfunded. Website development, collateral, social media and campaigns are excluded.
What it means for SME branding budgets
The shared cap changes how brand work competes for funding. Branding now draws on the same S$100,000 as automation, digital systems and sustainability projects. A company with a large digital project in the same year may have little left for brand work. We expect finance teams to plan EDGE activities as one annual portfolio.
The cap also favours phased programmes. Research and strategy can fall in one grant year, and identity in the next. Each funded project must still finish within 12 months of approval. Our guide to branding costs in Singapore covers what each phase typically costs.
For companies that sell only in Singapore, most brand work will now be self-funded. EDGE’s Business Strategic Planning activity, at up to 50% for SMEs, has no overseas condition. It does not name branding, and its fit for positioning work is untested.
What it means for exporters
For a company entering a new market, EDGE offers the highest support brand work has received in Singapore. A S$60,000 programme for one target market can cost an eligible SME S$18,000 after support, within the annual cap. The condition is evidence. The application needs a market strategy and sales projections. The claim needs a final report on the work’s contribution to overseas expansion.
Brand work without a clear link to overseas revenue will struggle to qualify. The full eligibility rules are in our guide to branding grants in Singapore.
What is still unclear
EDGE is new, so some questions remain open. Enterprise Singapore has not published examples of approved International Branding projects. Assessors’ treatment of brands that serve Singapore and overseas markets together is not yet clear. The fit of Business Strategic Planning for brand positioning has not been tested. We will update this piece as outcomes emerge.
How to prepare
Start with the market, then the brand. Name the target market, set out the expansion plan and estimate the sales it should produce. Then scope the brand work against the three International Branding areas: research, strategy and identity. Apply before any work starts or any deposit is paid.
Choose a consultant with current SS 680 certification. Vantage holds Practising Management Consultant (PMC) certification under SS 680, and we scope every engagement with the grant case built in from the start.