Startup SG Founder Grant

Startup SG Founder Grant

Startup SG Founder provides mentorship support and startup capital grant to first-time entrepreneurs with innovative business concepts.

The scheme will provide the startups with a startup capital grant of S$50,000. Startups are required to raise and commit S$20,000 as co-matching fund to the grant.

Applicants must apply and be accepted into SMU Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IIE)’s Business Innovations Generator(BIG) incubation programme to qualify for this grant.

Taking part in BIG is an essential step of the application process. This is to ensure that all start-ups incubating with SMU-IIE benefit from the incubation ecosystem in SMU with the following services made available to them.

  • Set milestones
  • Provide business networks & resources to support the growth of start-ups
  • Create networking opportunities with investors & corporates

This approach will help us to mentor and closely monitor the start-ups' progress during the course of their entrepreneurship journey with us.


There are two intakes we have for the Business Innovations Generator (BIG) Programme in a year. January and August.
For more information, please visit here.

Eligibility

Applicants must apply and be accepted into SMU Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IIE)’s Business Innovations Generator (BIG) incubation programme to qualify for this grant.

Open to all Singaporeans/Permanent Residents who meet the eligibility criteria.

Check Eligibility Criteria

Application Process through SMU IIE

Step 1: Please inform your BIG Account Manager of your interest in applying for the Startup SG Grant and get ready the following documents:

  • Business plan / pitch deck
  • CV of the applicant(s)
  • Copy of NRIC of Applicant(s)
  • ACRA bizfile Business Profile of company (if applicable)
  • ACRA e-statement to declare that the Applicant(s) is a/are first-time entrepreneur(s)
Following steps correspond with the BIG Entrepreneurship Journey that you can see on the application page.

Step 2: SMU IIE assesses the applications based on the eligibility and evaluation criteria as part of the BIG application journey map

Step 3: Shortlisted applicant(s) will be required to make a presentation to an evaluation panel.

Step 4 :Based on the panel evaluation, IIE recommends the qualified applications to Enterprise Singapore, together with appropriate milestones for disbursement of grant amounts.

Step 5: Enterprise Singapore will inform the applicant and SMU IIE on the application status for the grant.

Step 6: The applicant(s) who receive the grant will join IIE’s incubation programme to receive 12 months support in company growth and milestone tracking.

Suitable for

First-time entrepreneur and early-stage start-ups based in Singapore

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