To those who have considered or who have started a startup: what do you think of the govt grants? Are they difficult to get?

The best teacher in the world is the market.

I attended a techinasia seminar before where a Singapore youngster was asking about the grant too. The speaker said something that I remember.... this type of question is uniquely Singapore.

He spoke about how great our government is, how they provide support for startups and entreprenuerships, but these Singapore companies that uses the grants... they may get crushed by international competitors when they expand overseas.

Only the market allows you to see what is needed, what is desired and what is profitable.

Any government grant is good, but do not let the grants affect your business decisions.

If you can start a company from day 1 that makes market sense, you are on safe ground, then you can maybe seek out grants that add extra profits.

but don't find grants then start a business... that is just bad business.

Hey there! Yes we did get government grants when we were first starting Seedly.

It was disbursed through the school we were studying in NUS, as the vehicle.

If I am not wrong back then it was funded by SPRING Singapore, now rebranded to Enterprise Singapore.

To share abit more context, I strongly believe that good ideas and team (which together form a comapny) will always find a way to get funding, be it with private investors or government grants.

You have to focus on validating your idea, getting to some level of product market fit and thereafter finding ways to raise capital.

If you want, I believe you can head over here for the full list of support from Enterprise Singapore: https://www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/financial-assis...