Start@SG: Chatbot helps SMEs apply for grants

Chatbot helps SMEs apply for grants

A chatbot to help firms navigate government grants has gone live. Fintech platform Pealo's Grants Chatbot aims to help small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) find the most relevant grants to meet their needs.

A chatbot is a computer programme designed to simulate a conversation.

"Government organisations in Singapore are doing a great job by updating our grant landscape with new and improved financing options regularly," said Pealo grants specialist Subashini Balakrishnan.

"However, it can become a bit time-consuming for businesses to stay up to date... whenever something new is announced."

Firms that want to apply for grants will be referred to Pealo's (human) grant specialist.


Crowdo wins MAS licence Crowdfunding platform

Crowdo has received its full Capital Market Services (CMS) licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to facilitate two types of securities crowdfunding - peer-to-peer lending and equity crowdfunding.

This makes Crowdo the first regional operator that can undertake licensed peer-to-peer lending in South-east Asia, it said. Crowdo is the third firm here with a CMS licence for securities crowdfunding. FundedHere and CapBridge are the other two.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 28, 2016, with the headline Start@SG: Chatbot helps SMEs apply for grants. Subscribe