AI grants for business in 2026: Singapore's EDGE Grant and what else pays
TL;DR
Singapore's EDGE Grant opened on 30 September 2026 and replaced PSG, EDG and MRA. SMEs can get up to 50% of a qualifying digital or automation project paid, within a S$100,000 annual cap. New Zealand has the only grant built specifically for AI. Australia, the UK and Malaysia pay mainly through tax relief and subsidised advice. The UAE offers training and loans, not cash. In every market, the rule that matters most is the same: apply before you sign or pay.
Free money is rarely free
Most business owners I speak to have heard there is "grant money for AI".
Very few have claimed any.
The money is there. The problem is timing. They found out after they had already signed the quote. Or paid the deposit. Or started the build.
At that point it is gone. Grants fund work you are about to start. Work already under way does not count.
So before we get into who pays what, remember that one rule. Apply first. Sign second.
What changed in Singapore on 30 September?
Enterprise Singapore closed three schemes on 29 September 2026: the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG), the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) and Market Readiness Assistance (MRA).
The next day it opened one. The EDGE Grant.
Here is what it looks like:
- Up to 50% support for SMEs, up to 30% for larger companies.
- Up to 70% for SMEs on internationalisation and sustainability activities.
- S$100,000 per company per year, across everything you claim. It resets on 1 April.
- A S$30,000 sub-cap for digital solutions, integrated enterprise systems and pre-scoped equipment.
- Over 150 activities across eight areas, including Automation & Digitalisation, Business Strategy and Innovation.
You qualify if your business is registered in Singapore with at least 30% Singaporean or PR ownership. SME rates apply up to S$100 million in group sales or 200 staff.
One thing to be clear on. EDGE does not have an "AI" category. AI projects get funded when they fit an activity, such as a digital solution, an enterprise system or an innovation project. So the way you scope the project matters as much as the project itself.
How do you apply for EDGE?
Five steps. The order is the whole game.
- Find your activity on the EDGE page or with the BizSG grant recommender.
- Get a quote. Do not sign it. Do not pay a deposit. Do not start.
- Apply through the Business Grants Portal with Corppass. One application per activity.
- Wait for approval, then do the work and pay in full.
- Make one final claim once the project is complete.
Some activities need a pre-approved vendor or a solution listed on IMDA's SMEs Go Digital platform. Check before you choose a supplier. A pre-approved ERP vendor gets you a decision in about a week. A non-approved one takes about ten.
Claims open on 1 November 2026 for digital solutions and equipment, and 1 December 2026 for everything else. And if you want to use this year's cap, apply before 31 March.
Two more Singapore dates worth knowing. AI spending becomes a qualifying activity under the Enterprise Innovation Scheme for Years of Assessment 2027 and 2028, on up to S$50,000 a year. And if you hold a SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit, the current credit expires on 30 November 2026. Use it or lose it.
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Which country has a grant just for AI?
New Zealand.
The AI Advisory Pilot, run through the Regional Business Partner Network, is the cleanest AI grant in any of our six markets.
- Up to 50% of an AI roadmap, capped at NZ$2,500.
- Up to 50% of implementation support, capped at NZ$12,500.
- For established businesses with an NZBN and fewer than 50 staff.
- Open until 30 June 2027, but funding is competitive.
Register with the Regional Business Partner Network, talk to a growth advisor, and get approval before any work starts. Same rule. Different country.
What about Australia, Malaysia, the UK and the UAE?
Here is the honest read. There is far less cash than the headlines suggest.
Australia. No open federal grant pays a small business to buy AI. What you can use: Digital Solutions coaching (up to 4 hours for a small fee, with AI as a priority topic), the permanent A$20,000 instant asset write-off for businesses under A$10 million turnover, and the R&D Tax Incentive if you are building something genuinely new. NSW now gives 4 free hours of advice a year, including AI. Queensland has announced a A$10 million small business AI programme. The details are not out yet.
Malaysia. The Budget 2026 measure is an additional 50% tax deduction for SMEs on AI and cyber security training endorsed through MyMahir. HRD Corp levy payers can fund registered AI courses. The MSME Digital Grant closed in September 2025, whatever some blogs still say.
United Kingdom. Innovate UK Smart grants are paused. Help to Grow: Digital closed in 2023. Manufacturers can use Made Smarter (up to £20,000 at 50% match). Scottish businesses get fully funded AI adoption support until March 2027. Everyone else should talk to their accountant about R&D relief and full expensing, and point the team at the free AI Skills Boost courses.
Dubai and the UAE. Big ambition, little cash for established businesses. Dubai Chambers runs agentic AI training for members. The Khalifa Fund has announced an AI & Robotics Loan. Hub71+ AI backs startups, in exchange for equity. Treat these as ways to cut costs, and plan the budget without them.
The full list, with every link and the date we last checked it, is on our AI grants page.
Why do grant applications fail?
The same four mistakes, in every country:
- Starting too early. A signed quote or a paid deposit makes the project retrospective.
- Expecting the vendor to apply. Your company applies. The supplier helps you prepare.
- Forgetting the cash gap. You pay the full invoice first and claim back later.
- Chasing the grant instead of the result. If the project would not be worth doing at full price, half price is still a waste.
That last one is the one I care about.
Where do we come in?
We start with the work. The form comes later.
Where would AI augment your team? Which hours would it give back? What would it move on the numbers? Once that is clear, we match the project to the scheme that fits it and help you prepare the scope and quotes the application needs.
Anaboo has applied to become an approved vendor. Until that is confirmed, the application is always yours to submit, and we will tell you plainly if a scheme does not fit.
What should you do this week?
- Pick the one process in your business that eats the most hours.
- Check the grants page for your country.
- Get a quote. Do not sign it.
- Talk to us before you apply.
Grants reward the businesses that plan first. Be one of them.
Live with passion & AI,
Brett
Host a podcast? Have Brett on as a guest.
Straight talk on implementing AI in real SMEs, no jargon, plenty of receipts from the businesses we run.
Frequently asked questions
What is the EDGE Grant?
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EDGE is Enterprise Singapore's business grant. It took over from the Productivity Solutions Grant, the Enterprise Development Grant and Market Readiness Assistance on 30 September 2026. It covers over 150 activities across eight business areas, including automation and digitalisation.
How much does the EDGE Grant pay?
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Up to 50% of qualifying costs for SMEs and up to 30% for larger companies, rising to 70% and 50% for internationalisation and sustainability activities. Each company can receive up to S$100,000 a year. Digital solutions, integrated enterprise systems and pre-scoped equipment share a S$30,000 sub-cap inside that.
Is PSG still available?
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No. The Productivity Solutions Grant closed to new applications on 29 September 2026. Projects already approved continue under the old rules. New digital projects go through EDGE.
Can a vendor apply for a grant on my behalf?
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No. Under EDGE the company must apply itself through the Business Grants Portal using Corppass. A vendor can help you prepare the quote and project scope.
Can I apply after I have started the project?
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Almost never. EDGE does not accept retrospective applications, and signing a contract or paying a deposit before you apply counts as starting. New Zealand's AI Advisory Pilot does not fund work completed before approval either.
Which country has a grant specifically for AI?
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New Zealand. The AI Advisory Pilot co-funds up to 50% of an AI roadmap (up to NZ$2,500) and implementation support (up to NZ$12,500) for businesses with fewer than 50 staff. It is open until 30 June 2027.
Brett is a four-time founder (Darra Tyres, Gladfish, EzyTrac, Anaboo) and the operator behind AIOS, Anaboo's AI Operating System. He writes from inside the build, installing AI in his own businesses first and reporting back what actually moves the numbers. Based between Singapore, the UK and Australia.
