Strategies to Enhance Outreach and Engagement with SME Owners in Heartland and Traditional Business Sectors

10 Mr Lee Hong Chuang asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry what are the Ministry's strategies to enhance outreach and engagement with SME owners, particularly in heartland and traditional business sectors, to ensure they are not left behind in Singapore’s economic transformation efforts.

Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Government works closely with our Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) and SME Centres, to engage businesses at scale. SME Centres are run by the TACs in partnership with Enterprise Singapore, and offer one-to-one business advisory services, workshops and group-based upgrading projects. We are enhancing these Centres to provide more comprehensive and personalised business advisory services to assist businesses on more complex issues.

For heartland merchants, Enterprise Singapore works closely with the Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore (HECS) to provide business advisory services, and training. In 2024, HECS assisted more than 2,000 heartland enterprises. Enterprise Singapore also supports heartland shops through initiatives, such as the Enhanced Visual Merchandising Programme and the Heartland Enterprise Placemaking Grant. The former helps heartland shops to refresh their storefronts and develop their marketing positions, while the latter provides support for heartland merchants to organise placemaking and promotional events to attract more customers. For example, Unidbox Hardware tapped on the Heartland Enterprise Placemaking Grant to organise a Home Solutions Carnival in Hougang in 2025, with activities, such as home safety talks and DIY tool assembly competitions. The three-day event attracted over 500 visitors daily, leading to an 8% increase in revenue.

In addition, the newly launched Sprout@AMK at the Ang Mo Kio Town Centre seeks to help heartland enterprises testbed innovative concepts, refine their business models as well as marketing strategies. The site is currently housing the first batch of merchants from the Heartland Innovation and Transformation (HIT) programme for a 12-month period. Upon completing their leases at Sprout@AMK, participating merchants may apply for direct allocation of vacant Housing and Development Board (HDB) shop spaces under the HDB Enhanced Entrepreneur Scheme, where they will also be able to receive a 10% rental discount for the first term of a three-year tenancy. Through combining training, mentorship and access to retail spaces, the HIT programme complements our existing efforts to rejuvenate our heartlands while helping heartland businesses stay relevant.

Additionally, the National Heritage Board (NHB) recently introduced the SG Heritage Business Scheme to recognise, drive awareness and inspire a greater appreciation of our local heritage businesses. Designated heritage businesses will enjoy various incentives, such as brand visibility and business consultancy support. NHB's Organisation Transformation Grant also supports heritage businesses to adopt innovative projects that can contribute to their long-term viability. In February 2025, the Government set up the Inter-Agency Task Force for Heritage Businesses, Traditional Activities and Cultural Life. Co-chaired by the Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth, Ms Low Yen Ling, and the Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Assoc Prof Dr Faishal Ibrahim, the Task Force brings together key agencies to develop policies and schemes to better support heritage businesses in historic districts, including issues related to business sustainability and transformation.