For a start-up building genuinely new technology, the hardest money to raise is the earliest money — the funding needed to prove that an idea works before there is a product to sell or a customer to point to. Startup SG Tech is Enterprise Singapore’s answer to exactly that problem. It provides early-stage grant funding to help technology start-ups fast-track the development of proprietary technology, through two tracks: Proof of Concept (POC) and Proof of Value (POV).
In a welcome move, the grant caps were raised for applications from 2 January 2025, so the amounts on offer today are substantially larger than they used to be. This guide explains how Startup SG Tech works, what it funds, the eligibility conditions, and how it sits alongside the rest of the Startup SG family.
What is Startup SG Tech?
Startup SG Tech is administered by Enterprise Singapore and is aimed at start-ups developing proprietary technology with strong intellectual property and clear commercial potential. Unlike broad-based productivity grants, it is a competitive, deep-tech grant — the assessment is rigorous and the funding is milestone-based.
There are two tracks depending on how mature the technology is:
Proof of Concept (POC)
POC grants support projects at the ideation stage, where the technical and scientific viability of a concept still needs to be established. Funding under the POC track is capped at up to S$400,000 (raised from S$250,000 for applications from 2 January 2025).
Proof of Value (POV)
POV grants support projects at the stage where the concept is established and the start-up needs to develop a working prototype and demonstrate commercial value. Funding under the POV track is capped at up to S$800,000 (raised from S$500,000 for applications from 2 January 2025).
Who is eligible?
Startup SG Tech is targeted, so the eligibility conditions are specific. Broadly, an applicant company should:
- Be a company registered and operating in Singapore, incorporated for no more than 10 years at the point of application;
- Have at least 30% local shareholding (Singapore Citizens or PRs);
- Carry out its core research and development activities in Singapore;
- Hold a viable proprietary technology with strong IP potential and a clear route to commercialisation;
- Meet a paid-up capital condition — broadly, existing paid-up capital of at least 10% of the POC grant amount, or 20% of the POV grant amount.
These are guideline figures; Enterprise Singapore assesses each application on its merits, including the strength of the technology, the team, and the commercial opportunity.
What can the grant be used for?
Startup SG Tech funds qualifying project costs associated with developing the technology, which typically include:
- Manpower costs for the technical team working on the project;
- Equipment, materials and consumables directly used in the project;
- Certain professional services and subcontracting related to the technical development;
- Intellectual property-related costs tied to the project.
Funds are disbursed against agreed project milestones rather than upfront — you deliver a milestone, then claim reimbursement for the qualifying costs incurred to reach it.
The equity component: what founders should know
One feature that distinguishes Startup SG Tech from a plain grant is Enterprise Singapore’s right to participate in the company’s equity upside. In broad terms, when the company subsequently raises a qualifying equity financing round, Enterprise Singapore has the right to exercise a share subscription of up to 50% of the awarded grant amount (subject to an overall cap on its shareholding). Founders should read the grant agreement carefully and factor this into their cap table planning before accepting an offer.
How to apply
Applications are made to Enterprise Singapore. In outline, the process is:
- Prepare your case — a clear articulation of the technology, its novelty and IP, the project plan and milestones, the budget, and the commercialisation pathway.
- Submit the application through the relevant Enterprise Singapore channel, with supporting documents.
- Assessment and panel review — deep-tech applications are evaluated on technical merit and commercial potential; expect questions and possibly a pitch.
- Letter of Offer — if successful, you receive an offer setting out the grant amount, milestones, disbursement terms and the equity provisions.
- Execution and claims — you carry out the project and claim disbursements against milestones.
Startup SG Tech vs the rest of the Startup SG family
Startup SG Tech is one of several schemes under the Startup SG umbrella, and it is important to pick the right one:
- Startup SG Founder provides a start-up capital grant and mentorship for first-time founders — a more general early-stage grant.
- Startup SG Equity is a government co-investment scheme for deep-tech and other qualifying start-ups raising private capital.
- Startup SG Tech (this scheme) is specifically for proving out proprietary technology through POC and POV projects.
Many founders use these in sequence — and often alongside broader support like the Productivity Solutions Grant. Our guide on how to stack Singapore government grants explains how to combine schemes without falling foul of the no-double-funding rules.
Why applications get rejected
Because Startup SG Tech is competitive, it is worth understanding why applications fail. The recurring reasons include:
- The technology is not genuinely novel. Repackaging existing, off-the-shelf technology — or building a straightforward app or website — rarely clears the deep-tech bar. Assessors look for defensible, proprietary innovation.
- Weak IP position. A vague description of the technology, with no clear path to protectable intellectual property, undermines the case.
- No credible commercialisation plan. The grant funds technology development that leads somewhere; a project with no realistic route to market is a hard sell.
- Failing the structural conditions. Not meeting the local-shareholding, incorporation-age, core-R&D-in-Singapore, or paid-up-capital requirements at the point of application.
- Thin milestones and budgets. Milestones that are not measurable, or budgets that are not properly justified, weaken confidence in delivery.
Getting the company’s structure and paid-up capital right before you apply removes several of these risks at a stroke, which is where early corporate-secretarial planning helps.
Frequently asked questions
Is Startup SG Tech only for tech companies?
It is for start-ups developing proprietary technology with strong IP — which spans sectors from biotech and advanced manufacturing to software and materials science. What matters is the depth of the technology and its defensibility, not the label.
How competitive is it?
Highly. Because the grant amounts are large and the funding is meant for genuinely novel technology, applications are scrutinised on technical and commercial merit. A weak or generic application will not succeed.
Do I need to spend the money first?
Disbursements are milestone-based and typically reimbursed after you incur and evidence the qualifying costs, so you need working capital to fund the project between milestones. This is why the paid-up capital condition exists.
Can I combine it with the Enterprise Innovation Scheme?
You cannot claim an enhanced tax deduction under the Enterprise Innovation Scheme on the same expenditure that a grant has funded — tax reliefs apply to the net cost you actually bear. Plan the two together so you claim each correctly.
The bottom line
With POC funding of up to S$400,000 and POV funding of up to S$800,000, Startup SG Tech is one of the most substantial early-stage instruments available to Singapore deep-tech founders. The trade-offs — a competitive assessment, milestone-based disbursement, a paid-up capital requirement, and an equity participation right — mean it rewards start-ups that come prepared with real technology and a credible plan.
If you would like help assessing your eligibility, structuring your company to meet the local-shareholding and paid-up-capital conditions, or preparing the supporting documentation, our team can guide you through it.
— The Editorial Team, Raffles Corporate Services