More support for SMEs to adopt AI with new industry partnerships

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority has launched three new partnerships to help small and medium-sized enterprises adopt AI technologies, providing access to over 100 pre-approved AI solutions and free trials for platforms that enhance business operations. This initiative aims to bridge the gap for SMEs in leveraging AI, offering tailored support and resources to boost productivity and competitiveness amid a rapidly evolving technology landscape.

Singapore is boosting support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technologies through new industry partnerships and expanded access to market-ready solutions. On October 13, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced three collaborations designed to help SMEs implement AI tools effectively within their business operations.

The expanded support includes over 100 curated AI solutions pre-approved by IMDA, targeting various business functions such as customer relationship management, creative content generation, workplace collaboration, and finance. This initiative aims to help SMEs navigate the increasingly crowded AI marketplace and identify suitable technologies for their specific needs.

At the annual SMEs Go Digital Day event, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo highlighted that many smaller companies often operate with limited manpower and resources compared to larger firms. However, she noted that AI capabilities once accessible only to larger organizations are now becoming more attainable for SMEs. Government-supported adoption of AI-enabled solutions has seen a 20% increase from 2025 to 2026, according to Teo.

During the event, 30 companies were recognized for their effective use of AI in addressing practical business challenges at the inaugural SME AI Impact Awards, jointly presented by IMDA and the Singapore Business Federation.

The new partnerships are intended to provide hands-on assistance to SMEs beyond mere adoption of AI tools. A collaboration between IMDA and Singtel Stack-EZ will grant up to 10,000 SMEs six months of free access to an AI-powered data management platform. This tool automates the classification and organization of documents such as contracts and invoices, enabling faster retrieval and the export of structured data for accounting and other purposes.

Another partnership, with global IT consulting firm Beyondsoft, will offer up to 1,000 SMEs access to proven AI solutions that have demonstrated success in the Chinese market, addressing needs including sales management, store operations, and market intelligence. These SMEs will receive guided onboarding, technical support during a 60-day trial, and opportunities to engage with vendors through hosted events.

The third collaboration involves Salesforce, through which up to 1,000 SMEs will participate in two workshops to identify relevant AI use cases and receive support in developing at least one AI-enabled workflow tailored to their operations. This initiative focuses on deploying agentic AI capable of handling routine tasks and facilitating business decision-making.

Teo emphasized that while the expanding number of AI offerings presents significant opportunities, it also creates challenges in determining which tools are appropriate and supportive of human activities. The curated list on the SMEs Go Digital platform is intended as an entry point for SMEs to evaluate credible AI solutions, many of which offer trials or credits to help businesses test their suitability.

Recognizing the rapid evolution of AI technologies, IMDA has committed to regularly updating the list to ensure it reflects the latest and most effective tools available to SMEs in Singapore.

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