ECI: The Government Shares 70% of Your AI Computing and Consulting Costs
AI infrastructure is expensive. The ECI programme is a hybrid model — the government pays 70% of your AI consultant's fees and gives you cloud credits to run your AI. You invest, the government picks up most of the tab.
Here's something many business owners don't realise: AI needs powerful computers to work. And renting that computer power (called “cloud computing”) can cost a lot of money — sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. On top of that, you need someone who actually knows how to design and build the AI system for your business.
The Singapore government's Enterprise Compute Initiative (ECI) tackles both problems at once. It's a hybrid model with two parts: subsidised AI consulting (the government pays 70% of the consultant's fee directly) and cloud credits (platform-specific credits worth up to S$250K per provider). This is not free money — it's co-funded infrastructure. You invest, and the government shares the cost.
“In a changed world, a decisive factor for success will be how we harness new technologies — foremost amongst them, Artificial Intelligence.”
— PM Lawrence Wong, Budget 2026 Statement, 12 February 2026
The ECI is part of a broader national push. Under Budget 2026, the government committed $37 billion under the Research, Innovation, and Enterprise (RIE2030) plan and launched the Champions of AI programme to support firms with the ambition to use AI to comprehensively transform their business. The ECI, backed by a S$150 million fund administered by DISG (Digital Industry Singapore), is the practical mechanism that makes this happen for SMEs.
How ECI Actually Works — It's Two Things, Not One
Most articles describe ECI as “cloud credits.” That's only half the story. ECI is actually a hybrid programme with two distinct parts:
“Our advantage does not lie in building the largest frontier models. It lies in deploying AI effectively, responsibly, and at speed.”
— PM Lawrence Wong, Budget 2026 Statement, 12 February 2026
Part 1: AI Consulting (Government Pays 70% of the Fee)
The government assigns an IMDA-approved AI consultant to work with your business. They help you figure out what AI to build, how to build it, and how to integrate it into your operations. Consulting costs are capped at S$150,000, with DISG supporting 70% of actual costs, capped at S$105,000 per company. You pay the remaining 30%.
Part 2: Cloud Credits (Platform-Specific, Not Cash)
The cloud provider (Google, Microsoft, or Amazon) gives you platform-specific credits — up to S$250,000 per provider. These credits are like a prepaid card that only works on that specific cloud platform. They are not cash. You cannot withdraw them, transfer them, or use them anywhere else. Use them within 12 months or they expire.
Think of it like electricity. Your AI is the appliance. The cloud is the power supply. And ECI is the government saying: “We'll subsidise 70% of your electricity bill — and we'll also pay 70% of the electrician who wires everything up.” You still pay your share. But the government makes it affordable.
How the Money Actually Flows
Important: ECI does not give you cash.
Here's what actually happens:
- The government assigns an approved AI consultant to work with your business.
- The government pays 70% of the consultant's fee directly to the consultant — you pay the remaining 30% to the consultant.
- The cloud provider gives you credits to use their AI services. These credits are like a prepaid card: they only work on that specific platform and expire after 12 months.
- You never receive a cheque. The subsidy flows through the consultant and the cloud platform — not through your bank account.
Consulting Subsidy
70%
govt pays consultant directly
Cloud Credits Per Provider
S$250K
platform credits, not cash
All 3 Providers Combined
S$750K
maximum cloud credits total
What This Looks Like for Real Singapore Businesses
Numbers in a table are abstract. Here's what ECI looks like for three different businesses you'd actually find in Singapore.
Mid-Sized Retail Chain (15 Outlets, ~50 Staff)
You sell electronics across 15 stores. You want AI to predict which products to stock at each store based on the neighbourhood demographics, past sales, and seasonal patterns.
Your total cost: S$24K in consulting + whatever cloud usage exceeds the S$100K in credits. For S$180K+ worth of AI consulting and infrastructure, you pay a fraction.
Logistics Company (60 Staff)
You run a delivery fleet. You want AI to optimise routes in real-time based on traffic conditions, incoming orders, and driver locations.
Result: you went from planning routes manually to AI doing it automatically. Your cost: S$36K in consulting. The AI runs on S$150K worth of cloud credits the government helped arrange.
Food Manufacturing Company (30 Staff)
You make ready-to-eat meals for supermarkets. You want AI to forecast demand so you produce the right quantities — less waste, fewer stockouts.
You pay S$30K in consulting fees and get access to powerful AI tools that would normally cost 3x more. The Azure credits cover your cloud AI costs for the first year.
Three Cloud Providers, Pick What Fits
ECI works with three cloud providers. Each one gives you up to S$250,000 in platform-specific credits. The provider you pick should match what your business already uses. Remember: these credits are locked to that platform — they're not interchangeable.
Google Cloud
Up to S$250K in CreditsBest if: Your company already uses Gmail, Google Drive, or Google Workspace. Everything works together smoothly.
Credits work for Vertex AI, BigQuery ML, and Google's full suite of AI services. Particularly strong for data analytics, search AI, and companies already in the Google ecosystem.
Key AI tools: Vertex AI (custom models), BigQuery ML (analytics), Gemini AI, Document AI, Vision AI.
Official application pageMicrosoft Azure
Up to S$250K in CreditsBest if: Your company uses Microsoft Office 365, Outlook, or Teams. Azure plugs right into the tools you already know.
Credits work for Azure OpenAI Service (ChatGPT/GPT-4), Copilot integrations, and the full Azure AI platform. The best choice if you want ChatGPT-style AI integrated directly into your daily work tools like Word, Excel, and Teams.
Key AI tools: Azure OpenAI (ChatGPT/GPT-4), Microsoft Copilot, Azure Machine Learning, Cognitive Services.
Official application pageAWS (Amazon Web Services)
Up to S$250K in CreditsBest if: Your company has an existing tech team already on AWS, or you want access to the widest range of AI tools available.
Credits work for SageMaker, Bedrock (which gives you access to Claude AI, Llama, Mistral, and other top models), and the full AWS AI/ML stack. The widest range of AI tools of any provider.
Key AI tools: Amazon Bedrock (Claude, Llama, Mistral), SageMaker (custom models), Comprehend (text analysis), Rekognition (image analysis).
Official application page| Google Cloud | Microsoft Azure | AWS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Credits | S$250,000 | S$250,000 | S$250,000 |
| Consulting Subsidy | 70% (paid to consultant) | 70% (paid to consultant) | 70% (paid to consultant) |
| Best for | Gmail / Google Workspace users | Office 365 / Outlook / Teams users | Teams with existing tech capacity |
| Key AI Platform | Vertex AI, BigQuery ML | Azure OpenAI (ChatGPT), Copilot | Bedrock (Claude), SageMaker |
| Strength | Data analytics, search AI | ChatGPT in daily work tools | Widest range of AI models |
Can You Apply to All Three?
Yes. Maximum S$750,000 in cloud credits across all three.
Each cloud provider is a separate application. You can apply to all three if you have different AI projects, or even if you use multiple clouds for the same project. That's up to S$250,000 x 3 = S$750,000 in subsidised cloud credits — plus the 70% consulting subsidy for each track.
That said, be realistic. If you cannot use S$250K of cloud services within 12 months, you will waste unused credits. Apply for what you can actually consume.
Who Can Apply? (Eligibility Requirements)
ECI is not for every business. It's designed for SMEs that are ready to invest in serious AI infrastructure. Here are the requirements:
Your business is registered in Singapore
Registered with ACRA and operating here.
At least 10 employees
This is NOT for micro-businesses or solo founders. You need at least 10 staff. If you have fewer than 10, look at PSG or the GenAI Sandbox instead.
Prior experience developing custom AI solutions
ECI is not for complete beginners. You must have prior experience developing custom AI solutions. If you're just starting out with AI, look at PSG or the GenAI Sandbox first.
Technical team of at least 2 people
You need at least 2 technical staff — software engineers, AI engineers, or data scientists based in Singapore. ECI requires hands-on technical capacity within your company.
CEO-level sponsorship
The programme requires commitment from the top. Your CEO or equivalent must sponsor the AI initiative — this is not a department-level project.
At least 30% local ownership
At least 30% of shares held by Singaporeans or PRs.
Annual revenue under S$100 million (or fewer than 200 employees)
Either criterion works. This is an SME programme.
You have a clear AI use case
You need to know what you want to use AI for. “I want to try AI” is not specific enough. “I want AI to predict daily customer traffic so I can schedule staff better” — that works.
Who This Is NOT For (Be Honest With Yourself)
ECI is generous, but it's not the right fit for every business. Save yourself the application effort if any of these apply:
Fewer than 10 employees
Try PSG (for ready-made AI tools) or the GenAI Sandbox (for experimenting with AI at low cost) instead.
Zero tech experience
If your business has never used any digital tools or cloud software, ECI will be overwhelming. Start with PSG or the GenAI Sandbox to build basic digital capability first.
No specific AI project in mind
“I heard AI is important” is not a use case. You need a specific problem you want AI to solve. If you're unsure, talk to us first — we can help you identify the right project before you apply.
You cannot use S$250K of cloud services in 12 months
The credits expire. If your AI project only needs S$20K of compute, you will waste the rest. Be realistic about your actual cloud consumption needs. You can always apply for less.
The Smart Move: Combine ECI With Other Grants
ECI covers AI consulting and cloud computing. But what about ready-made AI tools? Or custom AI development beyond what the ECI consultant handles? That's where the other grants come in.
ECI: AI consulting + cloud credits
Government pays 70% of the AI consultant's fee. Cloud provider gives you platform credits. Up to S$250K per provider in credits.
EDG: Custom AI development
Hiring an AI company to build a custom solution for your business. Government pays up to 70%, max S$700K.
PSG: Ready-made AI tools
Off-the-shelf AI software from the government's approved list. Government pays 50%, max S$30K per year.
Example: Healthcare Company Combining All Three
You run a healthcare company and want to use AI to manage appointments and analyse patient data. Here's how you could stack the grants:
Your net cost: S$7,500
Your net cost: S$120,000
Your consulting cost: S$30,000 | Cloud credits: S$200K (platform credits)
For S$715K worth of AI systems, consulting, and cloud services, your total out-of-pocket is roughly S$157,500. Three different grants, each paying for a different part of the project. No overlap, no issues.
3 Things to Know Before You Apply
You Need a Specific AI Project
You can't just say “I want to try cloud computing.” You need a clear plan: what AI you want to build, what problem it solves, and how much computing you'll need. Don't worry — we can help you figure this out.
Credits Expire — Use Them or Lose Them
Cloud credits typically last 12 months. Plan ahead so you actually use them all. Unused credits expire — that's subsidised computing power you're leaving on the table. Be realistic about how much you can consume.
Stack It With Other Grants for Maximum Savings
ECI covers consulting and computing. EDG covers custom development. PSG covers ready-made tools. EIS gives tax savings. Use them together. Read our complete guide to all AI grants for the full breakdown.
Calculate How Much ECI Could Save Your Business
Use our grant calculator to see exactly how much ECI's consulting subsidy and cloud credits could save you — across Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and AWS.
Takes 2 minutes. Free. No sign-up required.
Open Grant CalculatorOfficial References
All facts and figures in this article are sourced from official Singapore government publications. Verify the details yourself: