EDGE Grant Strategy and Branding, Singapore
A plan you can act on.
Up to 70% support.
The EDGE grant pays up to 50% of a growth strategy project for a Singapore SME, and up to 70% of a branding project for an overseas market. Both need a consultant with SS 680 certification, Singapore's standard for management consultants. Nachi Leong of ZES Consulting holds it, with Strategic Brand and Marketing Development as a certified area. ZES Consulting prepares the EDGE grant proposal, quotation and SS 680 certificate that a Singapore business needs to apply.
Send a short business summary, the market you want to grow in (Singapore, or which overseas market), headcount and local shareholding, and whether anything has been signed or paid. We reply within one working day. After a short call, you get a written scope and quote.
PSCMC certified by TÜV SÜD (SS 680) · Strategic Brand and Marketing Development · Since 2014
From start to finish.The consultant you meet is the consultant who stays with your project.
Who EDGE strategy and branding is for
For owners who know the business can grow, and want the plan written down.
Most enquiries come from the owner or managing director of a Singapore SME. Sales have reached a level, the team is busy, and the next step is unclear: a new channel, a new customer group, or a first overseas market. A strategy project puts the numbers, the market and the options in one written plan, and EDGE can fund part of it.
Sales have flattened
The business is steady but not growing. You want a written view of where the next growth comes from, with actions, owners and measures.
A first overseas market
You are looking at Malaysia, Indonesia or another market and want the brand researched and positioned for it before you spend on marketing there.
Selling online on several channels
Your own store, marketplaces and social selling each need a role. The roadmap sets which channel does what, and what to measure.
A lean team
There is no strategy or marketing department. You want one consultant who studies the business with you and leaves a plan your team can run.
A grant you have not used
You heard EDGE can fund strategy or branding and want to know which activity fits before anything is signed.
For the person who signs the quote. You get a defined scope and a written quote before any work starts. The EDGE application is submitted by your company before the project begins, and ZES prepares the proposal, quotation and SS 680 certificate it needs.
EDGE strategy project process
Application first. Then the study. Then the plan.
A ZES strategy or branding project under the EDGE grant has five steps. The application comes first, because EDGE does not fund work that started before your company submitted it.
- 01Agree the scope
A short call. We confirm the goal, the market (Singapore or overseas), which EDGE activity fits and what you have signed or paid. You receive a written scope and quote.
- 02Submit the EDGE application
Your company applies on the Business Grants Portal with its own Corppass. We prepare the proposal, quotation and SS 680 certificate the application needs. Work starts after you submit.
- 03Study the business and the market
We review your sales, channels, customers and operating model, then the market size, trends and competitors. For a branding project, we research how your brand fits the overseas market.
- 04Write the strategy
Growth strategy, roadmap and action plan, or brand strategy and identity direction for the overseas market. Each action has an owner and a measure.
- 05Present the plan
We present the plan to you and your managers and answer questions. You receive the reports EDGE asks for at claim stage.
Business strategic planning and branding deliverables
A written plan with owners, dates and measures.
The deliverables follow what Enterprise Singapore lists for each EDGE activity, so the same reports serve your team and your grant claim.
- Internal analysis: what drives your sales, your challenges, strengths, weaknesses and operating model
- External analysis: market size and trends, and a competitor review
- Growth strategy: business model options, a roadmap and an action plan
- Implementation timeline with the measurable outcomes expected
- For International Branding: brand research, brand strategy, or brand identity direction for the overseas market
- Report on how the branding project supports your overseas expansion
- Presentation of the plan to you and your managers
| Goal | Action | Owner | Measure | Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grow online sales | Give each sales channel one job and one target | Owner | Monthly orders per channel | Month 2 |
| Raise repeat orders | Start a follow-up offer for first-time buyers | Marketing lead | Repeat order rate | Month 3 |
| Test one overseas market | Brand research and positioning for the market | Owner | Report approved | Month 4 |
| Keep the brand consistent | Issue one brand guide to staff and suppliers | Designer | All new materials follow it | Month 2 |
Cost of an EDGE strategy or branding project
A written quote, from your scope.
a short call.
The fee depends on the goal, the market and how much research is needed. We confirm it in a written quote after a short call. EDGE reimburses up to 50% (Business Strategic Planning) or up to 70% (International Branding) for SMEs after the project is completed, within the S$100,000 yearly cap per company.
Your written quote sets out
- The EDGE activity the project fits, and why
- The analysis and research we carry out
- The reports and plan you receive
- The presentation to your managers
- The schedule, starting after your EDGE application is submitted
Carrying out the plan, such as building a website, running campaigns or overseas marketing, is quoted separately. Some of that work may fit other EDGE activities.
Planning around the EDGE application
The application comes first. The project follows.
The schedule is set in your written quote after scoping. The one fixed rule: your company submits the EDGE application before the project starts, signs or pays anything.
What helps the project move
- Sales figures by channel and customer group sent at the start
- A clear goal: a growth target, a channel or a named overseas market
- One decision maker available for the review meetings
- Existing brand materials and past marketing results shared early
What can add time
- Several overseas markets in one project
- Sales data spread across systems that need cleaning first
- Partners or shareholders who need to agree the direction
- An application that needs more documents from your company
EDGE details checked on enterprisesg.gov.sg on 7 October 2026.
Which EDGE activity fits your goal
Your goal decides the EDGE activity.
The EDGE grant helps a Singapore business by paying part of the cost of a defined project, after it is completed. For strategy and branding, the activity depends on where you want to grow.
Grow in Singapore
Business Strategic Planning: up to 50% for SMEs. Covers the market study, growth strategy and roadmap. EDGE has no activity for a Singapore-only logo or brand identity.
Take the brand overseas
International Branding: up to 70% for SMEs. Brand research, brand strategy, or a new or refreshed brand identity for the overseas market.
Enter the market after the plan
Other EDGE overseas activities include Market Entry Setup, Overseas Marketing and Public Relations, and finding overseas partners.
Check the consultant
Both strategy and branding activities ask for the consultant's SS 680 certification in the application. Nachi Leong is PSCMC certified by TÜV SÜD until 15 Sep 2029.
Check the timing
Apply before starting work, signing, issuing a purchase order or paying a deposit. Work started earlier is not supported.
Check the cap
S$100,000 per company per year, shared across all EDGE activities, refreshed every 1 April.
Why ZES
Certified for brand and marketing work. Proven on a growing brand.
Nachi Leong, Principal Consultant
Nachi Leong leads every ZES project, with experience since 2014. She is PSCMC certified by TÜV SÜD (SS 680:2021), with Strategic Brand and Marketing Development, Process Redesign and Standards Adoption as certified business areas.
About Nachi Leong- One consultant
The consultant you meet is the consultant who stays with your project.
- Certified for the work
Business Strategic Planning and International Branding both ask for the consultant's SS 680 certification. Nachi's PSCMC certificate is valid from 16 September 2026 to 15 September 2029 and includes Strategic Brand and Marketing Development.
- Plans a lean team can run
We write plans for owner-run businesses without a strategy department: each action has an owner, a date and a measure your team can track.
- Grant rules read first
ZES prepares the proposal, quotation and SS 680 certificate. Your company submits the application with its own Corppass. Enterprise Singapore decides, and ZES does not promise funding.
Recent ZES work
- Product listing automation across a web store and a marketplaceFashion label
- Lead capture into a CRM: 6,400+ leads over 12 monthsService business
- Shopify website migrationOnline retailer
- Website, brand and marketingFashion accessories brand
- Meta advertising managementConsumer brand
Case study: a brand system built for daily marketing
A Singapore direct-to-consumer brand launched its online store in December 2024. It sells through its own Shopify store, Shopee and TikTok Shop.
The brand system covers colour, typography, layout and photo style, so the owner's lean team can keep using it on every new post and product page.
ZES Consulting built the brand system, e-commerce website, marketing videos and reusable content templates for a Singapore direct-to-consumer brand. The brand recorded S$650k+ in completed sales and 7,400+ orders across its Shopify store, Shopee and TikTok Shop in under 20 months from its December 2024 store launch.
Send ZES your store or website link, the channels you sell on, and the market you want to grow in. We reply within one working day.
Brand name withheld.EDGE grant strategy and branding questions
Funding, timing, the consultant and what you receive.
Short answers for owners and managing directors. For every EDGE activity, read the EDGE grant guide.
Can the EDGE grant pay for brand strategy in Singapore?
Partly. EDGE has no activity for a Singapore-only logo or brand identity. A Singapore business can use Business Strategic Planning, at up to 50% for SMEs, for a market study, growth strategy and roadmap, and marketing and channel plans can sit inside that roadmap. Brand research, brand strategy and brand identity are funded under International Branding, at up to 70% for SMEs, when the work is for an overseas market.
Which EDGE activity covers branding?
International Branding, in the Internationalisation area. The company chooses at least one of three areas: brand research and analysis, brand strategy, or a new or refreshed brand identity, all for an overseas market. The reports at the end must show how the project supported the company's overseas expansion. SMEs can receive up to 70% support and non-SMEs up to 50%.
Why does the consultant need SS 680 certification?
SS 680 is Singapore's standard for management consultants. Enterprise Singapore asks for the consultant's SS 680 certification in the application for both Business Strategic Planning and International Branding. Nachi Leong is PSCMC certified by TÜV SÜD under SS 680:2021, valid to 15 September 2029, with Strategic Brand and Marketing Development as one of her certified areas.
How much can EDGE cover?
Up to 50% of qualifying costs for SMEs under Business Strategic Planning, and up to 70% under International Branding. Non-SMEs receive up to 30% and 50%. EDGE is capped at S$100,000 per company per year, shared across all EDGE activities and refreshed every 1 April. The grant is paid as a reimbursement after the project is completed and claimed.
Can we start the project before EDGE approves it?
Submit first. EDGE does not support work that started, or deposits paid, before your company submitted the application. Work after submission but before approval is at your own risk. That is why a ZES project starts with the scope and the application, and the study begins only after your company has submitted.
Who submits the EDGE application?
Your company does, on the Business Grants Portal, using its own Corppass. ZES prepares the documents the activity asks for: the proposal, the quotation and the SS 680 certificate. Your team checks and approves the wording before it is submitted. Enterprise Singapore assesses the application and decides on support. ZES does not promise an outcome.
What do we receive at the end?
A written internal and external analysis, a growth strategy with roadmap and action plan, and an implementation timeline with measurable outcomes. For International Branding, the brand research, strategy or identity work for the overseas market, plus a report on how it supports your expansion. We present the plan to you and your managers.
Can the plan cover online channels and marketing?
Yes. For a business selling through its own website, marketplaces and social selling, the roadmap can set the role of each channel, the target and the measure. The written plan can state each channel's role, target and measure. Building the website or running the campaigns is quoted separately, and some of that work may fit other EDGE activities.
Is our information kept confidential?
Yes. We treat client information as confidential, including sales figures or customer information. We have a non-disclosure agreement ready to sign whenever you want one, including before you send sales figures. We can sign the NDA before you share anything confidential. If your company has its own agreement, send it to us.
Related grant and brand services
Related EDGE and brand pages.
Start with the scope
Start with the scope
Send your business summary and the market you want to grow in, and after a short call you will receive a written scope and quote.
- Phone
- +65 8901 2255