Singapore has launched a new digital platform designed to help local businesses access government grants and navigate trade-related challenges, particularly as they expand overseas. The BizSG portal, officially launched on September 30, aims to centralize support services and streamline access to various government schemes, according to Grace Fu, Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG). Fu highlighted that businesses often face difficulties in managing information across multiple websites when seeking grants and support for international expansion. BizSG addresses this by combining these resources into a single, user-friendly interface, employing emerging technologies to enhance discoverability and transaction processes.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which represent 99% of Singapore’s business landscape and are defined as companies with revenue under S$100 million or fewer than 200 employees, stand to benefit significantly from the platform. Key features include a comprehensive grant directory detailing available government funding schemes and an artificial intelligence-driven grant recommender that directs companies to appropriate support programs. Additionally, the portal features a grant eligibility checker linked to official records, currently applicable to EnterpriseSG’s EDGE Grant—which supports various business activities—and grants from the Skills and Workforce Development Agency, with plans to include more grants over time.
Beyond grant assistance, the BizSG portal offers tools to compute tariffs and assess the benefits of Singapore’s free trade agreements. It also incorporates data-driven functions that provide insights into trade flows, assisting businesses in evaluating the potential of overseas markets. The portal further facilitates networking opportunities and access to relevant events tailored to company needs.
Fu underscored the growing complexity of the global trade environment, noting that traditional globalization models are being challenged by geopolitical tensions and the fragmentation of trade rules. These dynamics affect how goods, capital, and supply chains operate worldwide. Despite these challenges, she emphasized that such shifts also open opportunities for firms to diversify markets, enhance supply chain resilience, and pursue new growth areas.
Highlighting the importance of adaptability in this evolving context, Fu stated that business competitiveness will increasingly depend on resilience and agility in addition to efficiency. Looking ahead, Singapore plans to leverage its upcoming role as ASEAN chair in 2027 to promote deeper regional integration and strengthen ASEAN’s ability to respond to economic changes. The country also aims to expand ASEAN’s partnerships with both current and new international collaborators. Singapore is set to assume the chairmanship from the Philippines next year.