The MRA grant, explained properly
Up to 70% support on eligible costs, up to S$100,000 per new market across three pillars. Here's how the Market Readiness Assistance grant works — and how to use all three pillars for Indonesia.
What is the MRA grant? The Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) grant is Enterprise Singapore's programme for SMEs taking their first serious step into a new overseas market. It funds up to 70% of eligible third-party costs across three pillars — Overseas Market Promotion (capped at S$20,000), Overseas Business Development (capped at S$50,000) and Overseas Market Set-up (capped at S$30,000) — per new market. Applications are made on the Business Grants Portal before the project starts.
What can the MRA grant pay for?
| Pillar | Supportable activities | Cap / new market | Indoscale service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overseas Market Promotion | Marketing and PR activities adapted to the target market — in-store promotions, road shows, pop-up stores, social media and online/offline publicity; physical and virtual trade fairs | S$20,000 | Market Validation |
| Overseas Business Development | Identification of potential overseas partners with one-to-one business matching; Overseas Marketing Presence (full-time BD employee in-market, 6–12 months); outsourced in-market business development | S$50,000 | Business Development |
| Overseas Market Set-up | Entity incorporation, IP/trademark registration, tax structure planning, import/export licensing, trade credit insurance, drafting of market-specific agreements | S$30,000 | Market Set-up |
Common exclusions across pillars: Singapore-imposed GST, out-of-pocket costs (airfare, accommodation, transport, meals), in-house manpower, and activities targeting the Singapore domestic market. Based on MRA supportable activities updated 1 April 2026.
Who qualifies for the MRA grant?
- Singapore-registered — business entity registered and operating in Singapore
- ≥ 30% local shareholding — held directly or indirectly by Singaporeans or PRs
- SME-sized — group annual sales turnover ≤ S$100 million or group employment ≤ 200 employees
- New market — overseas sales in the target market not exceeding S$100,000 in each of the last three preceding years
Enterprise Singapore makes the final eligibility assessment. We sanity-check your position in the free discovery session before you invest any time in an application.
Apply first. Start after approval.
The single most expensive MRA mistake is starting early. Projects that have commenced — a signed agreement, a deposit paid, work begun — before application approval are not supported.
Do not sign, pay or commence any project before the MRA application and approval process is completed.
Indoscale structures the proposal, quotation, deliverables and KPIs first, so your application is complete on day one — and your project mobilises the moment the Letter of Offer lands.
How to stack all three pillars for Indonesia
Used well, the MRA grant can support up to S$100,000 of your Indonesia entry across separate applications. The sequence matters.
Validate — OMP pillar
Run a 90-day market validation: localised campaigns, live selling, A/B tests. Prove which SKU, price and message win before committing capital. From S$8,400 after support.
Establish — OMS pillar
With evidence in hand, build to own the market: PT PMA, trademark, BPOM registration, licences and agreements — up to S$30,000 supported.
Grow — OBD pillar
Scale distribution with partner matching, in-market BD or your own Jakarta-based hire — up to S$50,000 supported.
From idea to Letter of Offer
Scope
Define the project: market, pillar, activities, timeline and vendor. We do this with you in the discovery session.
Prepare
Business proposal, itemised quotation, deliverables and KPIs — written to MRA's supportable-activity requirements.
Submit
Apply via the Business Grants Portal (BGP) with CorpPass. Respond to EnterpriseSG clarifications promptly.
Approve & start
Accept the Letter of Offer, then commence. Deliver, document, and claim on completion with full evidence.
Read next: The full MRA Grant FAQ (30 questions) · The Complete MRA Grant Guide · MRA Claims & Documentation
MRA grant, answered
How much funding can I get from the MRA grant?
Up to 70% of eligible third-party costs, capped per new market at S$20,000 for Overseas Market Promotion, S$50,000 for Overseas Business Development and S$30,000 for Overseas Market Set-up — up to S$100,000 per new market if you use all three pillars.
What are the three pillars of the MRA grant?
Overseas Market Promotion (marketing, PR and trade fairs), Overseas Business Development (partner identification, in-market BD and overseas marketing presence) and Overseas Market Set-up (entity incorporation, IP registration, licensing, tax planning and agreements).
Who is eligible for the MRA grant?
Singapore-registered businesses with at least 30% local shareholding, group annual sales turnover of not more than S$100 million or group employment of not more than 200 employees, and new-market overseas sales below S$100,000 in each of the last three preceding years. Enterprise Singapore makes the final assessment.
Does Indonesia count as a new market for MRA?
Indonesia qualifies as a new market if your company's sales there have not exceeded S$100,000 in each of the last three preceding years — the case for most Singapore SMEs that have not yet entered Indonesia seriously.
How do I apply for the MRA grant?
Applications are submitted via the Business Grants Portal (BGP) with a business proposal, vendor quotation, deliverables and KPIs. Apply and receive approval before signing, paying or starting the project. Indoscale prepares grant-ready proposals, quotations and evidence plans for all three pillars.
Not sure which pillar fits your stage?
That's exactly what the complimentary 1-hour discovery session is for. Bring your products; we'll bring the map.