EnterpriseSG helps young founders in Singapore mainly through its Startup SG programmes. Most first-time founders start with Startup SG Founder, which pairs a startup capital grant with a mentor, while startups building their own technology use Startup SG Tech to fund the product. This guide breaks down each grant, who qualifies, and how to apply.
Grants are not free money you spend on whatever you like. They are matched against your own effort and capital, tied to milestones, and reviewed by real people. If you understand how each scheme is built before you apply, you save yourself months of chasing the wrong one. Here is what EnterpriseSG offers a founder in their twenties, in plain terms.
What EnterpriseSG actually funds
Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) is the government agency that supports local businesses, from one-person startups to large firms. For founders, its startup support sits under a single umbrella called Startup SG. The Startup SG programmes cover seven areas: Founder, Tech, Equity, Accelerator, Talent, Investor, and Loan.
You do not use all of them. As a young founder, two matter most at the start. Startup SG Founder gives you early capital and a mentor when you have an idea but no track record. Startup SG Tech funds the actual building of a product when your business depends on technology you own. The rest come into play later, once you are raising money, hiring, or borrowing to grow. The full list and current details sit on the official Startup SG site, which is worth reading before you commit to one.
Startup SG Founder: a grant plus a mentor
Startup SG Founder is the scheme most young founders reach for first. It is built for first-time entrepreneurs with a new business idea, and it gives you two things at once: a startup capital grant and a mentor who has run companies before.
Since 1 April 2024, EnterpriseSG matches your capital on a 1:1 basis, changed from the older 3:1 ratio. Grants run from S$20,000 to S$50,000, paid out against the money you put into your own company as paid-up capital (as of 2026). The exact amount you are offered depends on your business and the assessment. Check the current figures on the EnterpriseSG page before you plan around any number, since the terms are reviewed from time to time.
You do not apply to EnterpriseSG directly for this one. You apply through an Accredited Mentor Partner (AMP), an organisation appointed to run the scheme. The AMP assesses your idea on how original it is, whether it can work, how strong your team is, and the size of the market. If they back you, they become your mentor for up to a year, helping you hit the milestones tied to your grant. A good mentor here is worth as much as the cash. If you are still building that side of things, our guide on finding a real mentor in Singapore with no network is a useful start.
The core conditions are straightforward. The main applicant must be a first-time founder who is a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, the company must be Singapore-based with at least 51% local shareholding, and it should be newly set up rather than an established business. Read the eligibility on the official page carefully, because a small detail like when you incorporated can decide whether you qualify.
Startup SG Tech: funding to build the technology
Startup SG Tech is a different animal. It is for startups whose whole value comes from proprietary technology, and it funds the hard, expensive work of turning an idea into something that works and sells.
It runs in two stages. Proof-of-concept (POC) funding is for early ideas where you still need to prove the technology is even possible. Proof-of-value (POV) funding is for startups that have shown the concept works and now need to build a working prototype and test it with real users or customers. Grants are awarded against milestones, so you receive funding as you hit agreed targets rather than all at once. The scheme is competitive and the amounts are larger than Founder, which is why the bar is higher. The current caps and terms are listed on the Startup SG site, and they have been revised in recent years, so confirm the live figures rather than relying on an old blog.
If your startup is a service, a shop, or a content business rather than a technology you own and can protect, Startup SG Tech is not your route. That is normal. Plenty of good businesses do not need it, and reaching for the wrong grant wastes your time.
Other EnterpriseSG support young founders can use
Once you are past the idea stage, other schemes open up. Startup SG Equity has the government co-invest alongside private investors when you raise a round, which makes you more attractive to those investors. Startup SG Accelerator supports the incubators and accelerators you might join. Startup SG Talent helps with hiring and international founders, and Startup SG Loan gives government-backed loans through the Enterprise Financing Scheme.
Beyond Startup SG, EnterpriseSG runs the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG), which co-funds projects that build your capabilities, improve how you run the business, or take you overseas. It suits a company that is already trading and wants to grow, not a founder on day one. Most government grants are applied for and tracked through the GoBusiness grants portal, so it is worth getting familiar with that site early.
Comparing the main schemes at a glance
Here is how the schemes a young founder is most likely to touch compare. Treat the figures as a guide and confirm the live numbers on the official pages, since grant terms are reviewed periodically.
| Scheme | What it gives you | Best for | Key requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Startup SG Founder | Capital grant S$20,000 to S$50,000 (1:1 match) plus a mentor for up to 12 months, as of 2026 | First-time founders with a new idea | Backed by an Accredited Mentor Partner; 51% local-owned company |
| Startup SG Tech | Milestone-based grant funding for POC and POV stages | Startups building proprietary technology | Owns the technology; passes a competitive assessment |
| Startup SG Equity | Government co-investment alongside private investors | Startups raising an external funding round | Matched investment from a qualifying investor |
| Enterprise Development Grant | Co-funding for capability, innovation, and overseas projects | Companies already trading and ready to grow | Registered and operating in Singapore |
| Startup SG Loan | Government-backed loan via the Enterprise Financing Scheme | Startups needing working capital or financing | Applied through a participating financial institution |
Are you eligible, and how to apply
Before you touch any application, get the basics in order. Almost every scheme expects a company registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) and majority local ownership. If you have not incorporated yet, that is often step one, and it is cheaper and faster than most people expect.
For Startup SG Founder, you approach an Accredited Mentor Partner, not EnterpriseSG. Look at the list of AMPs on the Startup SG site, pick one whose focus fits your idea, and prepare a short, honest pitch: what the problem is, who has it, why your approach is different, and why your team can pull it off. For grants like EDG, you scope a clear project with defined outcomes and submit through the GoBusiness grants portal. In both cases, vague ideas lose. Specific plans with real customers in mind win.
Two practical points. First, you usually cannot stack multiple government grants on the same project, so choose deliberately. Second, an idea does not need to be complicated to be worth backing. It needs to be something people will pay for. If you are still testing that, building the skill and the network to run a business matters more than the grant itself. The free six-week FINternship masterclass is one way to work on exactly that alongside other young founders, and you can apply here if it fits where you are. For the money side of getting started, our guide on how to start a business with no money in Singapore covers the cheap, grant-free route too.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a registered company before applying for EnterpriseSG grants?
For most schemes, yes. Startup SG Founder and the other grants expect a company incorporated with ACRA and majority Singapore ownership, usually at least 51% held by citizens or Permanent Residents. Register the business first, then apply. Incorporating a private limited company is affordable and can be done online in a day or two.
Can a student or NSF apply for Startup SG Founder?
There is no rule that shuts out students or those who have finished national service, as long as you meet the core conditions: you are a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, you are a first-time founder, and you set up a qualifying company. Your idea still has to convince an Accredited Mentor Partner. Many young founders start while studying or right after NS, so read our guide on starting a side hustle as a student in Singapore to build momentum first.
How much money will I actually get from Startup SG Founder?
As of 2026, Startup SG Founder offers a capital grant of S$20,000 to S$50,000, matched 1:1 against the capital you put into your own company, following the change from a 3:1 ratio on 1 April 2024. The exact amount depends on your business and the assessment by the mentor partner. Always confirm the current figures on the official EnterpriseSG page before you plan your budget.
What if my business is not a technology startup?
You still have options. Startup SG Founder is open to any first-time founder with a new business idea, including non-tech companies, and its mentorship is often the bigger prize. Startup SG Tech is the one reserved for startups building proprietary technology. If you are running a service or retail business, focus on Founder and, later, the Enterprise Development Grant once you are trading.
Grants can shorten the climb, but they reward founders who already have a clear plan and a customer in mind. Get those right first, pick the one scheme that fits where you are, and treat the mentor you gain as seriously as the cash. If you want people to build alongside while you figure it out, that is exactly what FINternship is for.