Singapore SME Innovation Support Schemes - PRO INNO Europe

SPRING evaluates the proposals mostly internally, with a focus on the selection criteria,
based on the innovation – i.e. the USP, the revenue model, the market demand and the
management team. All applicants are interviewed. The progress of successful candidates
is tracked for 24 months after receiving the grant. Although quantitative data was not
presented it was stated that the failure rate was about 10% after 3 years.
It is also worth noting that the young entrepreneur development programmes of Spring
are complimented by several programmes run by the Universities. Many of the universities
also have incubators which further support the programme.
An example is the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Enterprise Incubator, which
in addition to the usual mentoring, networking activities, runs an internationalisation
programme which provides start-ups an opportunity to gain access into global networks.
For example the programme provides hot-desk and networking opportunities in
Silicon Valley for promising start-ups. Experienced mentors and/or overseas business
development managers work with these start-ups to help them establish links. The NUS
also runs an overseas college programme, which places students in overseas start-ups
for 9 months . This programme typically places 30 – 40 students per year in start-ups in
Silicon Valley for example. This programme does not have a direct involvement from
SPRING, other than assistance in the network building. It was stated that a very high
proportion of such students go on to start companies themselves.
3.2 Service Delivery: The EnterpriseOne Approach
www.business.gov.sg
EnterpriseOne is an aspect of a support delivery system established and managed by
SPRING in order to provide a ‘one stop shop’ for SMEs needing to access government
support. The EnterpriseOne scheme is very much focussed on providing an information
and basic advice service to a very large number of micro-enterprises. As background
Enterprises in Singapore can be segmented into:
• Micro-enterprises: Loosely defined as those with less than 10 employees and less
than S$1 million turnover, of which there are approximately 123,000 in Singapore.
• SMEs: Less than 200 employees and S$100, million turnover, of which there are
approximately 31,000.
• Large Companies: Of which there are approximately 1,600.
EnterpriseOne was developed in response to the call in the early 2000s for a dedicated,
one stop shop support service for SMEs, so that businesses did not waste time chasing
different government agencies for support. The EnterpriseOne portal, which was set up
in 2006, was intended to provide an online, self-help, information resource for SMEs,
complemented by a hotline service. The mindset behind the approach is that there
should be “no wrong door” for SMEs wanting to access government services and EnterpriseOne
should represent the big main front door.
EnterpriseOne stands for ’One Network for Enterprises’ and is a website bringing together
a range of information, services and support for Singaporean business, including
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