Singapore’s digitalisation support framework aims to strengthen SME competitiveness through broad-based digital adoption, more advanced digital transformation, generative AI uptake and stronger cybersecurity. Led by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in collaboration with other public agencies and private technology partners, the system combines sector-specific digital roadmaps, pre-approved digital solutions, grant support, one-stop-shop advisory services and specialist programmes for more digitally mature firms. The flagship SMEs Go Digital programme has supported around 88 000 SMEs since 2017, while newer initiatives target firms with more advanced digital ambitions. Evaluation evidence indicates that basic digitalisation grants have improved productivity and revenue, particularly among micro firms, with sector-specific solutions generating stronger effects than generic ones. The model highlights the value of tiered, co-ordinated and sector-tailored support for SME digital transformation.
Singapore SME digitalisation support programme
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Introduction
Singapore has a comprehensive support framework to help SMEs adopt basic and advanced technologies. The country’s digital journey began as early as the 1980s with the National Computerisation Plan and has increasingly shifted focus from public sector-led digitalisation to proactive private sector enablement, with particular attention to SMEs. The SMEs Go Digital programme (SMEGD), launched in 2017, is a flagship initiative designed to accelerate digital transformation among Singapore’s SMEs, evolving over the years to adapt to the fast-changing technological environment.
The Digital Enterprise Blueprint (launched May 2024) lays out a strategic framework for SMEs, focusing on four key pillars: (a) ‘Be Smarter’ through AI adoption, (b) ‘Scale Faster’ via integrated digital processes, (c) ‘Be Safer’ by enhancing cyber resilience, and (d) ‘Upskill Workers’ to maximise digital fluency1. Building on the achievements of its 2014 Smart Nation initiative, Singapore launched Smart Nation 2.0 in October 2024 to address emerging opportunities and risks, such as generative AI, data privacy, and cybersecurity2.
This profile focuses on the insights from the SMEGD programme and reviews the most recent initiatives designed to accelerate digital transformation among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs):
Delivery arrangements
The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), a statutory body under the strategic direction of the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI), is the lead government agency responsible for driving digital transformation in Singapore. It works closely with other government bodies, particularly the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA, under MDDI) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG, a government agency championing enterprise development under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, MTI), as well as trade associations, industry leaders, and educational institutions to build a secure and competitive digital ecosystem. Recently, IMDA has expanded partnerships with major tech firms such as Microsoft, AWS, Salesforce, and Google to enhance SME access to AI tools, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity support, and digital skills training.
The SMEGD is led by IMDA, in close collaboration with EnterpriseSG and CSA. It provides an integrated support framework that includes sector-specific digital roadmaps, grant support, ready-to-use digital solutions, and specialist tech advisory services. Delivery is structured through the following key mechanisms:
Industry Digital Plans (IDPs) are developed in consultation with sector lead agencies and industry associations to provide tailored digital roadmaps for SMEs. IDPs provide SMEs with step-by-step guidance on digital solutions to adopt at each stage of growth, aligned with sectoral needs and business functions. The IDPs also identify relevant training programmes and available support schemes, helping SMEs build digital capabilities in tandem with technology adoption. As of 2024, IMDA has developed IDPs for 22 industries3.
Specialist consultancy: since the launch of the programme, the SME Digital Tech Hub, established by IMDA and operated by the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME), complemented the support provided through SME Centres. While SME Centres guide firms on adopting fundamental digital solutions – such as digital ordering, payments, and fleet management – using pre-approved tools, the SME Digital Tech Hub focuses on SMEs with more advanced digital needs. It provides specialised advisory in areas like data analytics, cybersecurity, and IoT, connects firms with ICT vendors and consultants, and enhances their capabilities through workshops, seminars, and technical clinics, ensuring tailored support across all stages of digitalisation.
The Chief Technology Officer-as-a-Service (CTOaaS) was launched in 2022 as a one-stop digital advisory and implementation support channel. Hosted on IMDA’s website, CTOaaS4 starts with a simple online digital readiness self-assessment. By answering a short series of questions, SMEs receive a bespoke diagnosis of their digital maturity, recommended digital solutions tailored to their business profile, and information on relevant government funding schemes. Beyond this, SMEs can access free digital consultancy and project management support from a shared pool of government-approved digital consultants. These advisors provide one-to-one guidance, helping SMEs plan and implement their digital transformation projects. The initial engagement is fully subsidised, lowering the entry barrier for SMEs.
Pre-approved digital solutions: There are over 450 subsidised digital solutions available for selection, ranging from those that address sector-specific or common business needs, to those that serve to streamline operations, enhance business sales revenue or safeguard business resiliency. These solutions are aligned with IDPs.
Tiered grant support based on digital maturity: The programme provides targeted funding assistance according to an SME’s digital readiness, from foundational schemes like Start Digital and Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) for basic digital tools, to Advanced Digital Solutions (ADS) for firms adopting more sophisticated technologies (see Table 1).
In addition, two recently launched programmes target digitally mature businesses, although they are not limited to SMEs alone:
Digital Leaders Programme (DLP), launched in August 2022, is delivered by IMDA in collaboration with Enterprise Singapore and other sectoral partners. It targets digitally ambitious local non-ICT companies, supporting them to become leaders in their industries. The programme provides strategic digital road-mapping support, masterclasses for business leaders to guide their companies’ digital journeys, and tech discovery workshops, webinars, and demo days to keep firms updated on the latest technological trends and solutions. To build strong internal capabilities, DLP offers salary support for hiring an in-house digital team, including a Chief Technology Officer (or equivalent) and up to five digital specialists. Companies are also connected to industry experts, partners, and tech talent to develop and implement their digital projects effectively. Additionally, the programme fosters a vibrant digital leaders community, creating opportunities for networking, peer learning, and co-innovation with technology partners and established digital leaders8.
GenAI × Digital Leaders initiative, launched by IMDA in March 2024, helps digitally mature enterprises deepen their understanding and application of generative AI. Through expert guidance and tailored support, companies receive help in developing bespoke GenAI solutions, from pilot projects to rollout, aligned with their business strategies. Delivery involves expert-led workshops and advisory sessions to build understanding of GenAI capabilities, opportunities, and responsible use. Participating firms are connected with leading technology partners, such as AWS and Microsoft, for technical expertise and access to their partner networks throughout the project lifecycle, from discovery and development to deployment. This ensures companies have both the strategic guidance and technical resources needed to integrate GenAI effectively for innovation, productivity, and growth.9
SMGD: House of Tau Sar Piah, a heritage bakery in Singapore, leveraged the SMEs Go Digital initiative in 2022 to navigate pandemic-era challenges. With funding support of PSG, the bakery implemented a Point of Sales system (POS, a system that manages sales transactions, combining hardware and software to process payments, track inventory, and record customer purchases in real time) and a pre-approved e-commerce solution. These tools provided them with data-driven insights into consumer demand, streamlined order management, and introduced online payment options. As a result, revenue increased by 10%, while operating expenses were reduced by 5%
DLP: Markono Group, a Singapore-based printing company established in 1967, originally a traditional book printer, redefined itself as an end-to-end solutions provider for global publishers by leveraging frontier technologies like AI. With support from DLP, the company established an in-house digital team, led by a Chief Technology Officer, to drive its transformation. This enabled Markono to develop a proprietary workflow system and launch an integrated e-commerce platform. As a result, the company expanded its product offerings, reduced on-demand print delivery times by 50%, and increased production capacity by 15%, positioning itself as a fast and sustainable printing partner across Asia.
The SG Cyber Safe Programme, launched in March 2021 and delivered by the CSA, aims to raise the overall cybersecurity posture of businesses, especially SMEs, through a structured suite of initiatives. It provides practical support such as the Cybersecurity Toolkit for Enterprises, which offers easy-to-use resources and templates to help businesses implement essential cybersecurity measures tailored to their operational needs. The programme also includes the Cyber Essentials and Cyber Trust marks, which serve as national certifications recognising businesses that meet baseline or advanced cybersecurity standards, thereby building trust with customers and partners. Eligible SMEs can receive financial assistance to adopt these measures under CSA’s support schemes. Additionally, CSA runs awareness campaigns, workshops, and outreach initiatives to promote good cyber hygiene practices across sectors, fostering a more cyber-resilient business environment in Singapore10.
Budget
Publicly available information on the budget allocations for Singapore’s SME digitalisation programmes does not provide a detailed breakdown by each specific initiative. Overall, the IMDA received an operating budget of approximately SGD 1.04 billion in 2025 (up from 695.56 million in 2024) to deliver its broad digitalisation mandate, including programmes such as SMEs Go Digital and the Digital Leaders Programme. However, funding figures are reported at the agency level rather than for individual schemes. The CSA was allocated SDG 168.43 million in 2025 for its programmes, including initiatives like SG Cyber Safe11. EnterpriseSG, as a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), had its operating budget set at approximately SGD 309.69 million in 202512. This funding supports a wide range of programmes, including digitalisation grants such as the PSG, among other initiatives. Although no recent figures for grant funding are available, the PSG was launched in 2018 with an initial budget of SDG 110 million over three years13.
Outreach
In terms of outreach, between 2017 and 2024, SMEGD programme supported over 88 000 SMEs14, which represents a substantial part of Singapore’s SMEs population of over 300 000 SMEs in 202415. The number of SMEs adopting PSG-supported digital solutions has grown significantly since 2018. Quarterly adoption rose from an average of 800 firms in 2018 to 4 000 firms in 202016. Since its launch to 2022, the Grow Digital scheme has enabled over 2 500 enterprises to connect to 13 cross-border digital platforms, giving them access to international markets across 10 countries17.
The DLP Programme has a much narrower outreach, with the initial target to support 80 businesses18. As of 2024, 31 companies have been onboarded into DLP19.
As of late May 2025, IMDA reports that over 200 enterprises have benefited from enhanced technical guidance and access to GenAI expertise through the GenAI × Digital Leaders programme The expanded phase of the initiative, in partnership with AWS and Microsoft, aims to scale support to 1 000 digitally mature SMEs, encompassing up to 500 GenAI projects in 202520.
Since its launch, the SG Cyber Safe Programme 55 SMEs have benefited from tailored cybersecurity assistance under the Cybersecurity Health Plan (CISO-as-a-Service) initiative. More than 180 organisations have achieved Cyber Essentials certification, while over 60 organisations have attained the more advanced Cyber Trust mark. For small organisations with fewer than 20 end-points, the estimated cost of implementing Cyber Essentials measures – after factoring in funding support from CISO-as-a-Service and the SMEGD programme – ranges between SGD 1 800 and SGD 4 500.
An impact evaluation of Singapore’s SMEs Go Digital programme5 found that PSG and SD grants led to measurable improvements in firm performance between 2017 and 2020. Firms receiving PSG support experienced an average increase in value-added per worker (VAPW) by 3.0% and revenue by 2.2%, while SD grant recipients saw increases of 1.8% in VAPW and 1.6% in revenue.
Smaller firms benefited the most, with micro firms achieving up to a 6.4% increase in productivity under PSG and 4.4% under SD.
Notably, sector-specific PSG solutions were almost twice as effective in improving firms’ productivity and revenue compared to generic solutions. Among SD solutions, digital transaction tools yielded the largest productivity gains. The evaluation also found that both PSG and SD grants had greater positive impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic, when digital adoption was critical for business continuity. Overall, the study concluded that firms adopting basic solutions should continue advancing towards more sophisticated technologies to maximise digitalisation benefits.
As the other programmes are still in their early stages of implementation, evaluation evidence on their outcomes and impact is not yet available.
Long-term strategic commitment matters. Singapore’s success builds on over four decades of consistent national digitalisation strategies, evolving from public sector computerisation to holistic economic digital transformation with explicit SME focus.
Integrated, tiered support meets diverse SME needs. The SMEs Go Digital programme combines foundational support (Start Digital, PSG) with advanced adoption schemes (ADS, Grow Digital, DLP), allowing firms to engage at their digital maturity level and progress systematically.
Sector-specific roadmaps enhance relevance and effectiveness. Industry Digital Plans (IDPs) tailored to sectoral processes and challenges ensure that solutions are practical, leading to greater productivity and revenue impacts compared to generic tools.
Multi-agency co-ordination drives delivery. The clear mandate of IMDA, working with Enterprise Singapore, CSA, and sectoral partners, streamlines programme design, outreach, and implementation, avoiding fragmented efforts.
Public-private partnerships expand scale and capability. Collaborations with major tech firms such as AWS, Microsoft, and Salesforce improve SMEs’ access to advanced technologies, training, and expert ecosystems.
Specialist advisory support addresses capability gaps. Programmes like CTO-as-a-Service and the SME Digital Tech Hub provide SMEs with trusted, practical advice and hands-on assistance, lowering barriers to adoption, particularly for firms without in-house digital expertise.
Financial support mechanisms reduce adoption risks. Co-funding grants, subsidised solutions, and salary support for in-house digital teams under DLP reduce financial constraints, incentivising firms to undertake ambitious digital transformation.
Flexible programme adaptation is crucial. The SMEs Go Digital programme evolved rapidly during COVID-19, expanding digital solution offerings and raising subsidy levels to meet urgent SME needs.
Cybersecurity integration is essential for resilience. SG Cyber Safe demonstrates the importance of embedding cybersecurity alongside digital adoption to build business trust and operational security.
Outreach scale differs by programme type. While broad-based schemes like SMEs Go Digital have reached over 88 000 firms, advanced initiatives such as DLP remain more targeted, reflecting the resource intensity and strategic nature of deep digital transformation support.
Digital transformation requires skills development alongside technology adoption. Initiatives embed training components (e.g. Digital Leaders masterclasses, upskilling pillars in the Digital Enterprise Blueprint) to build workforce readiness and maximise technology benefits.
Early impact evidence shows productivity and revenue gains. PSG and SD grants led to measurable improvements (e.g. up to 6.4% productivity increase for micro firms), with sector-specific solutions proving nearly twice as effective as generic alternatives.
Advanced programmes are in nascent stages but promising. The DLP and GenAI × Digital Leaders initiatives show early signs of strong engagement, with participating firms achieving tangible productivity gains, though systematic evaluation evidence is still pending.
Singapore shows how a centrally led but multi-agency model can make SME digital adoption easy to start and straightforward to scale. IMDA co-ordinates with Enterprise Singapore and the Cyber Security Agency to offer sector-specific Industry Digital Plans, a catalogue of pre-approved solutions, and specialist advisory (SME Digital Tech Hub) alongside CTO-as-a-Service, which couples a simple online self-assessment with neutral, one-to-one consultancy and implementation support. This combination reduces search, selection and delivery frictions, issues the UK also faces when support is fragmented.
A second lesson is tiering support by digital maturity. Through Start Digital, PSG, Grow Digital and Advanced Digital Solutions, firms can adopt basic tools first and then progress to integrated or advanced systems. The case’s evaluation evidence indicates measurable gains in productivity and revenues, with micro-firms benefiting most and sector-specific solutions outperforming generic ones, pointing to the value of staged pathways and sector tailoring for UK programmes.
Singapore also integrates public-private partnerships and cybersecurity by design. Partnerships with major tech firms expand access to tools and expertise, while SG Cyber Safe embeds practical cyber toolkits and certification alongside adoption support. For more ambitious adopters, the Digital Leaders Programme and GenAI × Digital Leaders provide strategic road-mapping, in-house capability building and expert guidance, suggesting a UK approach that pairs broad, foundational schemes with smaller, cohort-based offers for digitally mature firms.
Finally, the case demonstrates that scale varies by instrument. Broad programmes like SMEs Go Digital have reached a large share of SMEs, while advanced initiatives remain intentionally targeted. These elements – PSG’s pre-approved catalogue, CTO-as-a-Service’s neutral diagnostics and implementation support, and the documented outreach and impacts – taken together, offer a coherent, navigable and evidence-led template for UK delivery.
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