Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) grant — Complete 2026 guide

The Market Readiness Assistance grant is a Singapore government grant, administered by Enterprise Singapore, that co-funds up to half of the eligible cost of expanding into a new overseas market, capped at S$100,000 per company per new market. For Singapore SMEs accessing government grants and incentives in 2026, market readiness assistance is the dedicated scheme for first-time international expansion — covering market entry, business matching and overseas promotion.

What the Market Readiness Assistance grant is

The MRA grant supports three broad activities when entering a new overseas market: overseas market promotion (such as marketing and public-relations campaigns), overseas business development (including market-entry and feasibility studies, and in-market business-matching) and overseas market set-up (including advisory on the entity, tax and regulatory steps in the target market). It is administered by Enterprise Singapore, the statutory board established under the Enterprise Singapore Board Act 2018, and is designed for companies taking their first or early steps into a specific new market.

Who the Market Readiness Assistance grant is for

The grant is for Singapore SMEs that are ready to sell abroad but have not yet established a meaningful presence in the target market. A company that already derives significant revenue from a market is generally not eligible for MRA support in that same market. The MRA pairs naturally with the other grants, and our stacking guide shows how they combine. Where expansion involves sending staff overseas or hiring in-market, review our partner note on Singapore’s job market and hiring environment as part of the plan.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible, a company generally must:

  • Be a business entity registered and operating in Singapore.
  • Have at least 30% local shareholding.
  • Have group annual sales turnover of not more than S$100 million, or a group employment size of not more than 200 — the standard SME definition.
  • Be new to the target overseas market (typically, not exceeding a defined revenue threshold there in recent years).

Confirm the prevailing eligibility and support details with the GoBusiness grants portal before committing, as parameters are reviewed periodically.

Cost, support level and timeline

Indicative parameters for 2026 planning:

  • Support level: up to 50% of eligible costs.
  • Cap: up to S$100,000 per company per new market, across the supported activities.
  • Application route: the Business Grants Portal, using Corppass.
  • Disbursement: reimbursement after the activity is completed and a satisfactory claim is submitted.

As with the EDG and PSG, the MRA is generally assessable income under the Income Tax Act 1947 unless exempt, so plan around the after-tax benefit. Expanding abroad may also create permanent-establishment and withholding-tax questions in the target market — factor those in early.

Step-by-step: applying for the MRA

First, pick the target market and the specific activity — promotion, business development or set-up. Second, obtain quotations from the service providers (for example, a market-entry consultant or a PR agency). Third, apply through the Business Grants Portal with Corppass before engaging the provider. Fourth, once approved, carry out the activity and keep all invoices, deliverables and proof of payment. Fifth, submit the claim with evidence of the completed activity. Keep these records aligned with your bookkeeping so the grant claim reconciles to your accounts.

Common mistakes and gotchas

The most common mistake is treating MRA as funding for a market where the company is already established — it is for new markets. A second is starting the engagement before approval, which forfeits support. A third is missing the SME size or 30% local-shareholding conditions. A fourth is overlooking the per-market cap, then being surprised that a large campaign exceeds the supported amount. Finally, companies often forget the tax position both in Singapore (the grant is taxable) and abroad (potential permanent establishment). For the broader incentive picture, see our tax incentives guide and the complementary EDB and IMDA schemes.

Related guides

Combine the MRA with other support using our grant-stacking guide, and review our incentives overview for the tax treatment of overseas-expansion income.

Worked example: entering a new ASEAN market

An SME decides to enter Indonesia. It commissions a market-entry study, attends a trade mission, runs a localised marketing campaign and takes advice on setting up a local entity — eligible costs totalling S$120,000. With support at up to 50% and a per-market cap of S$100,000, the supportable base is the lower of half the cost or the cap, so the grant could reach up to S$50,000 here (50% of S$100,000 of supported costs), claimed after the activities are completed and evidenced. The company funds the spend first and claims afterwards, so it plans cash flow around reimbursement.

Eligible versus ineligible costs

The MRA supports market promotion (marketing and public-relations campaigns for the new market), business development (feasibility and market-entry studies, in-market business-matching) and market set-up (advisory on the entity, tax and regulatory steps). It does not fund ongoing operating costs, the purchase of fixed assets, or activities in markets where the company is already established. Reading the eligible-cost categories carefully before engaging a provider prevents claims being trimmed later.

Sequencing MRA with other grants

Overseas expansion often combines schemes. A company might digitalise its export operations with the PSG, build new capability with the EDG, and fund the actual market entry with the MRA. The disciplines are the same across all three: apply before committing, keep measurable evidence, and never fund the same cost twice.

Tax and permanent establishment abroad

Expanding into a new market can create a taxable presence there. Sending staff, signing local contracts or establishing an office may create a permanent establishment, exposing profits to local tax and triggering withholding-tax and transfer-pricing questions. Singapore’s double-tax-agreement network can relieve double taxation, but the analysis should be done before, not after, the market entry. The MRA grant itself is assessable income in Singapore under the Income Tax Act 1947 unless exempt, so model the after-tax value.

Claims, documentation and outcomes

After completing the supported activity, submit the claim with invoices, proof of payment and deliverables — the study report, campaign evidence, or advisory outputs. Enterprise Singapore checks that the activity matched the approved plan and the new-market condition. Aligning the documentation with your bookkeeping keeps the claim and your accounts consistent and speeds reimbursement.

Choosing your first overseas market

The MRA rewards focus. Rather than spreading thin, most SMEs pick one or two priority markets where demand, regulation and logistics align with their offering. ASEAN neighbours such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are common first steps because of proximity and trade links; more distant markets demand deeper resources. Use the business-development element of the grant — a feasibility or market-entry study — to validate the market before committing to promotion and set-up spending.

Building the market-entry plan

A strong MRA application rests on a clear plan: the target market, the specific activities (promotion, business development, set-up), the providers engaged, the costs, and the expected outcomes. The plan should show why the company is genuinely new to that market and how the supported activities move it from interest to presence. Quantify where you can — target customers, distribution channels, projected first-year sales — so the activity reads as a deliberate expansion rather than speculative travel.

Working with overseas partners and trade missions

In-market business-matching, trade missions and overseas marketing can all fall within the supported activities. Working with reputable in-market partners — distributors, agents or advisers — accelerates entry and provides the evidence the claim needs. Where Enterprise Singapore or trade associations run missions to your target market, joining one can combine eligible promotion and business-development activity efficiently.

Record-keeping, reconciliation and the tax position

Keep invoices, proof of payment and deliverables for every supported activity, and reconcile them to your accounts so the claim is straightforward. Remember the per-market cap of S$100,000 and the up-to-50% support level when budgeting, and plan around reimbursement timing. The grant is generally assessable income under the Income Tax Act 1947, and the overseas activity itself may create tax obligations abroad, so factor both into the financial case before you commit.

FAQs

How much does the Market Readiness Assistance grant cover?
Up to 50% of eligible costs, capped at S$100,000 per company per new market across promotion, business development and set-up activities.

What does the MRA support?
Overseas market promotion, overseas business development (including feasibility studies and business-matching) and overseas market set-up advisory for a specific new market.

Who is eligible for the MRA?
A Singapore-registered SME with at least 30% local shareholding, group turnover up to S$100 million or up to 200 employees, that is new to the target overseas market.

Can I claim MRA for a market I already sell in?
Generally no. The MRA is for new markets; companies already generating significant revenue in a market are usually ineligible for MRA support there.

Is the MRA grant taxable?
Government grants are generally assessable income under the Income Tax Act 1947 unless specifically exempt, so budget around the after-tax value.

Need help with this? Call, SMS or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133, or email [email protected]. Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.