Digitalisation support schemes

Eligible EAs may receive up to 50% funding support for qualifying costs from 1 April 2023.

1. Sector-specific digital solutions

The sector-specific digital solutions pre-approved for the real estate agency industry are in the areas of document management and transaction records submission.   

2. Generic digital solutions 

Digital solutions that cut across industries, e.g., accounting management, customer relationship management, and human resource management, are available for adoption by EAs with PSG funding support.

To date, EAs have received PSG funding for the following:

• Packages that provide for business-grade laptops with collaborative tools and endpoint protection for EAs to work remotely and securely.

• Cloud-based accounting solutions that provide the necessary features for accounting and sales management.

• Video conferencing tools to allow users to participate in virtual meetings and engage in chats and polls via web browsers and mobile applications.

EAs which meet the following eligibility criteria at the point of application :

1. Registered/ incorporated and operating in Singapore.

2. Have at least 30% local shareholding.

3. Company’s Group annual sales turnover must not be more than S$100 million, or Company’s Group employment size must not be more than 200 employees. (Note: This employee criterion does not refer to your real estate salespersons who are associates of your company.)

4. Purchase/ lease/ subscription of the IT solution/ equipment/ consultancy service must be used in Singapore.

5. Must not have:

   1. Made any payment to a supplier, vendor, or third party in relation to the purchase/ lease/ subscription of the IT solution/ equipment/ consultancy service.

   2. Signed any contract with a supplier, vendor or third party in relation to the purchase/ lease/ subscription of the IT solution/ equipment/ consultancy service.

Note:

• Each EA is subject to an annual grant cap of $30,000 for digital solutions supported by ESG, starting on 1 April and ending on 31 March the following year. EAs which have fully utilised their grant caps will not be eligible for further support within the validity period of the grant cap.

• EAs can apply for the PSG for new digital solutions in the next period when the grant caps are refreshed.

1. Visit GoBusiness to access the list of pre-approved digital solutions for the real estate agency industry and identify relevant digital solutions that best suit your business needs. 

2. Get a quotation from the pre-approved vendor. 

3. Submit an application on the Business Grants Portal (BGP). EAs will need to have a Corppass account to transact on the BGP. 

You can refer to the step-by-step guide, which covers: 

1. Application submission 

2. Acceptance of Letter of Offer 

3. Claims submission 

If you require more information on the SMEs Go Digital programme for the real estate agency industry, you may refer to our guide (PDF, 135KB) and list of frequently asked questions (PDF, 184KB).

Projects under these three pillars can be supported through the EDG: 

1. Core capabilities

Help businesses prepare for growth and transformation by strengthening their business foundations. These should go beyond basic functions such as sales and accounting.

2. Innovation and productivity 

Support companies that explore new areas of growth, or look for ways to enhance efficiency. These could include reviewing and redesigning workflow and processes, or tapping into automation and technologies to make routine tasks more efficient.

3. Market access 

Support Singapore companies that are willing and ready to venture overseas. Companies may tap the EDG to help defray some of the costs of expanding into overseas markets.

Eligible EAs may receive up to 70% (for SMEs) or up to 50% (for non-SMEs) funding support for qualifying costs, namely third-party consultancy fees, software and equipment, and internal manpower cost.

EAs which meet the following eligibility criteria at the point of application: 

1. Are registered and operating in Singapore 

2. Have at least 30% local shareholding 

3. Be in a financially viable position to start and complete the project 

Applications will be assessed by ESG based on project scope, project outcomes, and competency of service provider.

1. Identify the key project category you wish to apply for.

2. Identify suitable providers to support the project.

3. Prepare the project proposal and supporting documents. Project proposal templates and an EDG application checklist are available to guide you in your preparation for submission.

4. Submit an application on the Business Grants Portal (BGP). EAs will need to have a Corppass account to transact on the BGP.

You can find out more information on the full application process.

You can visit the ESG’s website for more information and view the list of frequently asked questions.

All corporates, start-ups, and technology providers are eligible to participate.

Corporates can tap OIP consultants to assist in identifying and refining their challenge statement, while allocating prize money for the digital solution. Submit an enquiry form on IMDA’s website. 

Challenge Solvers should have digital technology expertise and innovation capabilities, and an interest to co-innovate with potential customers. Register at www.openinnovation.sg to keep up to date with the latest Innovation Calls. 

You can visit the IMDA or OIP website for more information, or email IMDA at info@openinnovation.sg.

Through CTO-as-a-Service, EAs can:  

• Perform a self-assessment of their digital readiness and identify their digitalisation needs and gaps

• Learn from other SMEs that have successfully implemented digitalisation projects

• Receive recommendations of digital solutions based on their profile and business needs

• Browse and compare digital solutions, by functions and cost

Eligible EAs can also engage digital consultants from IMDA’s appointed operators, Accenture and Stone Forest IT, to: 

• Gain deeper understanding of their business needs and priorities 

• Tailor digital solutions and training roadmaps for their business 

• Incorporate essential cybersecurity risks, basic data usage, and protection requirements into their digitalisation 

Eligible EAs can further request the digital consultants to help project manage the implementation of their digitalisation projects. 
 
First-time usage of the digital advisory and project management services is available at no cost to eligible EAs. Subsequent usage or enhancement of services will be based on commercial agreements, should EAs wish to continue to engage the digital consultants.

EAs that want to: 

• Know how to get started in going digital; or 

• Understand what type of digital solutions to adopt for their specific business needs; or 

• Select the digital solution that best meets their needs

EAs that meet the following requirements will be eligible for first-time usage of digital advisory and project management services at no cost: 

1. Registered and operating in Singapore. 

2. Have at least 30% local shareholding. 

3. Company’s Group annual sales turnover must not be more than S$100 million, or Company’s Group employment size must not be more than 200 employees. (Note: This employee criterion does not include RESs who are associates for most EAs.) 

4. Have not used CTO-as-a-Service digital consultancy services previously.

You can visit the CTO-as-a-Service website to get started.

You can visit the IMDA’s website for more information on CTO-as-a-Service.