Startup SG Tech

Startup SG Tech — Proof-of-Concept (POC)

Supports private Singaporean ventures proving proprietary deep technologies through proof-of-concept milestones.

Startup SG Tech Proof-of-Concept (POC) is a competitive grant administered by Enterprise Singapore that fast-tracks early-stage technical validation of proprietary deep-tech solutions developed by Singapore-based startups. The POC tier awards up to S$250,000 per grant, disbursed on a milestone-completion basis — payment is released only upon verified achievement of defined project milestones, not upfront. In addition to the cash grant, EnterpriseSG exercises share subscription rights as part of the award structure, introducing an equity component designed to align founder incentives with long-term commercial performance and growth discipline. Singapore's Budget 2026 announced S$1 billion set aside for early- and growth-stage deep-tech investments, with Startup SG Tech serving as a primary deployment vehicle for early-stage validation funding.

Eligibility is restricted to Singapore-registered private limited companies that are less than ten years old and hold at least 30 percent local shareholding by Singapore citizens or permanent residents. The technology being validated must be proprietary — defined by EnterpriseSG as a combination of processes, tools, or systems that ideally involve owned intellectual property or intellectual assets. Straightforward system integration of off-the-shelf components does not qualify as proprietary technology. The startup must also demonstrate a scalable business model with international growth potential. The application process begins with submission of a Registration of Interest form (November 2024 version) via go.gov.sg/askenterprisesg; there is no fixed deadline as applications are reviewed on a rolling competitive basis.

Startup SG Tech POC is positioned as the first step in the Startup SG Tech ladder: the complementary Proof-of-Value (POV) tier, which awards up to S$500,000, follows for startups that have validated their POC and are advancing to commercialisation readiness. The POC milestone structure means that successful applicants must define clear, measurable technical deliverables at the time of award — vague R&D scopes without defined milestones are unlikely to progress through EnterpriseSG's evaluation. Deep-tech startups in AI, medtech, robotics, semiconductors, and advanced materials represent the core applicant population.