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Grant Guide
Market Readiness Assistance Grant — Overseas Business Development
MRA OBD
Supports Singapore companies entering new overseas markets through partner identification, in-market business development and overseas marketing presence.
Quick Facts
Key information about this grant, including agency, support level, funding cap, supported costs and application window.
AGENCY
Enterprise Singapore
SUPPORTED COSTS
Partner identification, in-market business development, overseas marketing presence, BD staff salary and eligible office rental.
SUPPORT LEVEL
Up to 70% support for eligible SMEs
APPLICATION WINDOW
No fixed application closing date.
FUNDING CAP
Capped at S$50,000 per new market.
LAST REVIEWED
August 13, 2026
What This Grant Supports
Partner identification, in-market business development, overseas marketing presence, BD staff salary and eligible office rental.
Who This Grant May Suit
Singapore companies planning to enter or grow in a new overseas market and needing support for structured business development activities, partner identification, distributor or agent search, in-market lead generation, local business development staff deployment or outsourced overseas market-entry support.
Typical Project Examples
Typical projects may include identifying overseas distributors, agents, licensees, franchisees, suppliers, joint venture partners or logistics providers; arranging one-to-one in-market business meetings with potential partners; deploying a business development employee in the target market; conducting in-market lead generation; establishing early overseas market presence; and engaging third-party vendors to support outsourced business development activities.
Key Eligibility Notes
MRA supports Singapore companies expanding into new overseas markets. Applicants must be registered and operating in Singapore, have at least 30% local shareholding, and meet the group turnover or employment size criteria. The target market must be new, with annual sales there not exceeding S$100,000 in any of the past three years.
For Overseas Business Development, projects should generate clear in-market business development outcomes. Partner meetings must be one-to-one; group matching, vendor sourcing and investor fundraising meetings are not supported.
For Overseas Marketing Presence, the BD staff must be physically stationed in the target market and must not have started BD work there before application. Remote staff, freelancers, concurrent OMP and in-market BD applications, travel, accommodation, meals, GST and non-business office costs are not supported.
Grant eligibility depends on the latest programme requirements, company profile, project scope, timing and supporting evidence. RIC assesses grant fit based on the specific project context.
FAQs
What does the MRA Overseas Business Development track support?
The MRA Overseas Business Development track supports activities that help Singapore companies develop business in a new overseas market. This may include overseas partner identification, business matching, in-market business development and overseas marketing presence.
What is the funding cap for Overseas Business Development?
The Overseas Business Development track is capped at S$50,000 per new market.
What support level applies?
Eligible SMEs may receive up to 70% support and eligible non-SMEs may receive up to 50% support, subject to Enterprise Singapore’s prevailing terms and qualifying costs.
What is overseas partner identification?
Overseas partner identification involves research, identification and business matching with potential overseas partners such as licensees, franchisees, agents, distributors, suppliers, joint venture partners and logistics providers.
Are group business matching meetings supported?
No. For partner identification projects, group business matching meetings are not supported. Meetings should be one-to-one and should involve the applicant company’s direct participation with shortlisted companies.
Can MRA support investor meetings or fundraising trips?
No. Investor meetings for capital raising or selling company shares are not supported under Overseas Business Development.
What is Overseas Marketing Presence?
Overseas Marketing Presence supports the deployment of a permanent business development employee under the company’s payroll to drive in-market business development and marketing efforts in the target market. Support may cover basic salary and office rental for up to 12 months.
Can office rental be supported without business development staff?
No. Standalone office rental without hiring or deploying business development staff is not supportable.
Does the business development staff need to be physically based in the market?
Yes. For Overseas Marketing Presence, the business development staff should be stationed in the target market for the entire project duration. Remote working is not supportable.
Can the business development staff already be working on that market before application?
No. The business development staff must not have commenced business development work for the target market before the application is submitted.
Can the business development staff hold another role at the same time?
The business development staff should not hold concurrent roles in the company, such as being both business development staff and operations manager.
What is in-market business development?
In-market business development refers to outsourced third-party business development support, such as preparing local in-market business development personnel, reaching out to new business leads and reviewing market entry strategy.
Can a company apply for both Overseas Marketing Presence and in-market business development for the same market?
No. Companies should not have concurrent Overseas Marketing Presence and in-market business development applications for the same market.
What costs are excluded?
Excluded costs include Singapore-imposed GST, airfare, accommodation, transport, staff meals, in-house manpower, concurrent OBD-approved MRA fees in the same market, incidental staff costs such as overtime pay, commissions or bonuses, freelancers or remote business development staff, and non-supportable office costs such as warehouse, factory, residential or hotel space.
How can RIC help assess MRA Overseas Business Development fit?
RIC helps companies assess whether their overseas expansion plan is suitable for MRA Overseas Business Development, including target market fit, project scope, partner identification strategy, business development model, supportable costs, deliverables, timeline, application materials and claims readiness.
