IMDA expands digital support for SMEs

[SINGAPORE] The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is expanding its support for Singapore’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by helping them find the right artificial intelligence solutions and tools that best meet their needs.

The latest support will come through new partnerships with tech-focused industry players such as Singtel, Stack-EZ, Salesforce and Beyondsoft to help SMEs integrate AI applications into their businesses.

IMDA’s latest support measure will allow SMEs to tap more pre-approved AI-enabled solutions, including 100 curated AI tools from around the world.

“Through the National AI Impact Programme and the Digital Enterprise Blueprint, our intention is to support SMEs in making practical and meaningful use of AI,” said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo.

She was speaking at the annual SMEs Go Digital Day, Singapore’s SME-focused digitalisation event, on Tuesday (Oct 13) at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre.

“We want the same benefits that SMEs want, which are to serve more customers, innovate more quickly, enter new markets and compete with larger players.”

The first step, she said, is to help SMEs access the right AI tools and capabilities. SMEs must then identify which tools are fit for purpose, which purpose is worth addressing with AI, and whether the benefits justify the costs.

They must also consider whether AI tools can support human activities.

These considerations should guide AI adoption to ensure it is “practical, purposeful and meaningful”, said Teo.

For instance, the Stack-EZ AI Data Enablement Programme will provide up to 10,000 SMEs with complimentary six-month access to Space, a digital document and workspace management tool that helps classify and organise documents such as contracts, invoices and receipts.

IMDA aims to AI-enable at least 70 per cent of all pre-approved solutions within the next two years.

Awards to recognise AI adoption

Among the SMEs already tapping AI to boost productivity are aquaculture group Blue Aqua International and social enterprise Agape. Both were recipients of the inaugural SME AI Impact Awards, which recognise SMEs that have successfully adopted the technology.

The awards were presented at a ceremony during the SMEs Go Digital Day event.

Fifteen winners were presented with the SME Innovation Excellence Award for building and deploying their own proprietary AI solutions. Another 15 received the SME Adoption Excellence Award for successfully implementing off-the-shelf AI tools to improve their operations.

“AI is one of the greatest things that can happen in the food sector and agritech because a lot of things we do will help humans produce better food,” said Dr Farshad Shishehchian, group executive chairman and founder of Blue Aqua International in an interview with The Business Times.

Blue Aqua, which provides farmcare solutions and runs Singapore’s first trout farm, has been using an AI platform for issues such as overfeeding and water quality.

Meanwhile, Agape CP – a social enterprise providing contact centre services – has been using AI to help identify callers, detect their sentiment and provide live agents with context before conversations begin.

“With AI, staff have more time to interact with clients and enhance their customer experience while administrative work is taken off their hands,” said Anil David, founder of Agape CP, in an interview with BT.

Their experiences reflect a broader shift among SMEs from experimenting with AI to embedding it more deeply into their business operations.

The Singapore Digital Economy Report released by IMDA last week noted that AI adoption among SMEs rose from 14.5 per cent in 2024 to 23.2 per cent in 2025. Two in five enterprises that adopted AI are also expanding deployment or have fully integrated AI across their operations.