More support for SMEs to adopt AI with new industry tie-ups, curated list of over 100 tools

SINGAPORE - Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore can now get access to more market-proven artificial intelligence solutions, alongside practical support in implementing such tools in their business processes.

On Oct 13, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced three new industry partnerships to provide such support to SMEs.

IMDA said it has also expanded its suite of pre-approved solutions available to SMEs, and will help firms cut through a crowded marketplace by curating a list of over 100 credible global AI tools covering business functions such as customer relations, creative content generation, workplace collaboration, and finance.

Speaking at the annual SMEs Go Digital Day, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo noted that smaller companies traditionally had to manage with less manpower, expertise and resources than their larger competitors.

But capabilities that were once available only to larger companies are now within the reach of SMEs, said Teo, noting that adoption of AI-enabled solutions that are supported by government funding has grown by 20% from 2025 to 2026.

At the event, 30 firms were recognised by IMDA and the Singapore Business Federation at the inaugural SME AI Impact Awards for having applied AI to real business needs and achieving measurable outcomes for their businesses and employees.

Beyond adoption, the Government wants to support SMEs to make practical and meaningful use of AI, which is where the new industry partnerships come in.

For instance, valuable business data often resides across multiple systems and shared drives, which makes it harder for a firm to realise the full potential of AI, noted Teo.

A new tie-up between IMDA and Singtel Stack-EZ will give up to 10,000 SMEs six months’ free access to an AI-powered data management platform that can automatically classify and organise documents such as contracts, invoices and receipts, allowing them to search and retrieve documents instantly.

SMEs will also be able to extract and structure their data into exportable formats, which can then be used for accounting, human resource and other business purposes.

Teo also noted that SMEs have expressed interest in tried-and-tested solutions that have gained traction in other markets.

Under a partnership with Beyondsoft - a global IT consulting and industry solutions firm - up to 1,000 SMEs will get access to AI solutions that have been proven in China and which address business needs such as sales management, store operations, and market intelligence.

Firms will get guided onboarding and technical support of curated AI tools throughout a complimentary 60-day trial, and Beyondsoft will also host showcase events where SMEs can discover solutions and speak with their vendors.

The third partnership, with software company Salesforce, will help up to 1,000 SMEs move from AI awareness to hands-on implementation in their day-to-day operations.

Participating SMEs will attend two structured workshops that help them identify relevant AI use cases in their business, and get support to build at least one AI-enabled workflow that addresses a real business need, said IMDA.

Teo said the partnership will help SMEs deploy agentic AI, which has the potential to take on routine tasks, support decision making and help businesses become more efficient.

In her speech, Teo said that while the growing number of AI tools on the market create tremendous opportunities, they can also lead to confusion as to which are fit for purpose, and whether they support human activities.

To better support SMEs in picking AI tools, Teo said IMDA has put together a list of 100 solutions on the SMEs Go Digital platform. These include products that are relevant across multiple business functions, she added.

“We hope that by doing so, it will help you cut through a crowded AI marketplace to identify the right tools for your needs,” she said.

“It’s a starting point, at least to orientate you to what’s available, (and) doesn’t prevent you from looking beyond.”

IMDA said examples of these tools include Canva, DeepSeek, Lovable, and Notion, and many of them offer trials and credits that give SMEs more options to explore and assess what best meet their needs before they commit to buy.

Teo said that given how quickly the AI landscape is changing, the Government will constantly update the list as new tools become available and proven.

“We are very mindful that a list (like this) is only as good as if we keep refreshing it, and so that is our commitment,” she said.