Artificial intelligence has moved from experiment to expectation. The problem for most Singapore companies is not ambition but access: the compute power, the cloud tools, and the expertise needed to turn an idea into a working solution are expensive and hard to assemble. The Enterprise Compute Initiative (ECI), announced at Budget 2025, is the Government’s answer. It pairs enterprises with the world’s largest cloud providers and helps foot the bill for the expertise needed to build real AI solutions.
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This guide explains what the ECI is, who runs it, how the support works, which cloud partners are involved, who it is for, and how it sits alongside Singapore’s other business support schemes. It is general information, not formal advice, so confirm the current eligibility criteria before you apply.
What Is the Enterprise Compute Initiative?
The ECI is a Government programme, administered by Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), with up to S$150 million set aside at Budget 2025. Its purpose is to help Singapore-based companies advance their AI transformation by giving them access to compute, cloud platforms, and AI tools through major cloud service providers, together with part-funded consultancy to put those tools to work. You can read the official details on the DISG website and in the EDB Budget 2025 summary.
How the Support Works
The ECI works by connecting a participating company to a cloud service provider and a consultant partner. Through the cloud provider, the company gains access to cutting-edge AI tools, cloud credits, and the training needed to develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). Alongside this, the Government supports part of the cost of consultancy services from selected consultant partners, who help the company build that MVP or carry out the change management needed to adopt AI across the business. The aim is to get companies from idea to a working prototype, and then to real adoption, faster than they could alone.
How Much the Consultancy Support Is Worth
DISG supports 70% of actual consulting costs, capped at S$105,000 per company, with qualifying consulting costs capped at S$150,000. The company pays the remaining 30%, and any consultancy spend above S$150,000 is unfunded. On top of this, the cloud service provider gives the company cloud credits and related tools; DISG does not publish a standard credit amount, as this depends on the provider’s programme.
ECI at a Glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Administered by | Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) |
| Budget | Up to S$150 million (Budget 2025) |
| What you get | Cloud credits, AI tools, training, and part-funded consultancy |
| Consultancy funding | 70% of actual consulting costs, capped at S$105,000 per company (consulting cost cap S$150,000) |
| Minimum size | At least 10 Singapore-based staff and a tech team of at least 2 |
| Cloud partners | Google Cloud, Microsoft, AWS (as listed by DISG) |
| Goal | Build a Minimum Viable Product and adopt AI at scale |
The Cloud Partners
A distinctive feature of the ECI is that it plugs companies directly into the major cloud platforms. The participating cloud service providers listed by DISG are Google Cloud, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services. Oracle announced a collaboration with DISG in January 2026, but it is not listed on DISG’s ECI page, so check the current list with DISG before you apply. Each programme runs for one year from that provider’s launch, with cohorts staggered across providers. Each provides access to compute, cloud platforms, and AI tools, and connects the company with nominated consultant partners who know the platform well. This means a company is not left to navigate the AI landscape alone, but is matched with both the infrastructure and the people who can build on it.
AI Cloud Takeoff: The First Programme
The first provider programme under the ECI was AI Cloud Takeoff, launched by Google Cloud and DISG in June 2025 following a pilot with 30 early adopters in late 2024. It aimed to help 300 digitally mature companies set up AI centres of excellence within its first year. AWS (AI Springboard) and Microsoft (an agentic AI accelerator) have since run their own ECI programmes with DISG; see EDB’s announcement of the AWS AI Springboard. AI Cloud Takeoff is a useful signal of the type of company the ECI is built for: businesses that already have their digital foundations in place and are ready to move to genuine AI deployment rather than first-time digitalisation.
Who Is the ECI For?
The ECI is aimed at digitally mature Singapore-based enterprises that are ready to advance their AI transformation. DISG’s eligibility criteria are specific:
- Registered or incorporated in Singapore, with a physical presence here.
- Sponsorship from the CEO or an equivalent-level leader.
- At least 10 staff based in Singapore.
- An in-house tech team of at least 2, such as software engineers, AI engineers or data scientists.
- Prior experience building a custom AI solution, for a proof of concept and/or wider deployment.
- Accessible datasets for the proposed use case, and the financial capacity to complete the project.
- Not in the gambling or betting industry. A parent cannot put forward multiple subsidiaries as participants.
No local shareholding requirement is stated. Applications are made through DISG, and applicants are told the outcome within about four weeks, after which the assigned cloud provider contacts them to onboard.
If your company is still setting up basic systems, other schemes are a better starting point. Since 30 September 2026, Enterprise Singapore’s EDGE grant has replaced the Productivity Solutions Grant and Enterprise Development Grant: see our guide to EDGE support for digital solutions and equipment, our directory of Singapore government grants, and, for background on the older schemes, our guide comparing EDG, PSG and MRA. For companies making a substantial capital investment in Singapore, the Refundable Investment Credit may also be relevant.
How the ECI Fits with Other Support
AI adoption rarely happens in isolation. The tax treatment of the software, hardware, and development costs a company incurs will interact with its overall tax position, which our Singapore corporate tax guide sets out. Companies should map the ECI against the grants and tax incentives they already use, so that each cost is supported once and the overall package is optimised.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who administers the Enterprise Compute Initiative?
The ECI is administered by Digital Industry Singapore (DISG), a joint office of EDB and the Infocomm Media Development Authority.
Which cloud providers take part?
DISG lists Google Cloud, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services as the participating cloud service providers. Oracle has announced a collaboration with DISG, but is not on DISG’s ECI page, so confirm with DISG.
Is the ECI for start-ups or established firms?
It is aimed at digitally mature enterprises ready to deploy AI, with at least 10 Singapore-based staff, a tech team of at least 2 and prior experience building a custom AI solution. Companies at an earlier stage should look at EDGE first.
How much of the consultancy cost is funded?
DISG funds 70% of actual consulting costs, capped at S$105,000 per company, on a consulting cost cap of S$150,000. Cloud credits and tools come separately from the cloud provider.
Want help mapping the ECI and other grants to your AI plans, or setting up the right Singapore entity to apply? Raffles Corporate Services can assist with the groundwork.
Information checked against official sources on 6 November 2026.
The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services
For a related funding option, see how companies build an in-house digital team through IMDA’s Digital Leaders Programme.
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