EntrePass Requirements: Singapore Eligibility Explained

EntrePass eligibility comes down to two conditions on the company, plus one of five qualifying criteria on you or the business. Here is exactly what each one asks for.

The short answer: you need an ACRA-registered private limited company in which you hold at least 30 percent of the shares, that is venture-backed or owns innovative technologies (if it is more than 12 months old at application, renewal criteria apply instead). On top of that, you must meet at least one of five qualifying criteria: funding raised, incubator or accelerator support, a past exit, registered IP, or a research collaboration.

The two core conditions

Every EntrePass applicant, regardless of nationality, must satisfy both of the following before the qualifying criteria are even assessed.

Company structure and shareholding. You must have started, or intend to start, a private limited company registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), and hold at least 30 percent of that registered company yourself.
Venture-backed or innovative. The company must be venture-backed or own innovative technologies. Plain trading, franchise or lifestyle businesses without that backing generally do not qualify.
Company age. If the registered company is more than 12 months old as of the application date, the Ministry of Manpower assesses it under the separate renewal criteria instead of the first-time eligibility criteria below.

The five qualifying criteria: which situation are you in?

You only need to meet one of these five. Most first-time applicants qualify through funding raised or incubator support; the other three suit specific track records.

	What is required
Funding raised	At least SGD 100,000 from a single funding round, from a recognised investor (SEEDS Capital, Vertex Ventures, Startup SG Equity partners, or an internationally renowned VC firm, corporate or business angel), for any past or current business.
Incubator or accelerator support	The business is, or will be, supported by a government-recognised or internationally renowned incubator or accelerator, such as a Startup SG Accelerator or Startup SG Founder partner, Y-Combinator, MassChallenge or Alchemist Accelerator.
Founded and sold a business	You founded and sold a venture-backed or innovative-technology business, with documentation showing you founded it, that it was venture-backed or innovative, and that the sale happened under your management.
Registered intellectual property	The registered or proposed business holds IP registered with an approved national IP institution, and that IP provides a significant competitive advantage that cannot easily be replicated.
Research collaboration	An ongoing, verifiable research collaboration in Singapore with an Institute of Higher Learning or a Research Institution (for example, one under A*STAR), related to the business and involving you personally.

Indicative Criteria current as of the Ministry of Manpower's EntrePass eligibility page, last updated 2 December 2024, fetched 2026-07-16. Requirements change; a licensed specialist confirms your position before you apply.

Businesses that do not qualify

MOM excludes certain business types from EntrePass regardless of funding or IP, because they are not considered venture-backed or innovative in nature: coffee shops, hawker centres and food courts; bars, night clubs and karaoke lounges; foot reflexology and massage parlours; acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine and herbal dispensing businesses; employment agencies; and geomancy businesses.

How this differs from the Employment Pass

EntrePass is specifically for the venture-backed or innovative-technology founder path described above. If you would instead take a qualifying managerial or executive role in a Singapore company and meet the salary threshold, the Employment Pass may be the simpler route, it does not carry the shareholding or innovation test. We cover both routes side by side, and how they relate to the family office and Global Investor Programme paths, in the EntrePass and Employment Pass overview.

If you are structuring wealth, not building a venture

These founder routes exist to bring an operating business to Singapore. If your goal is instead to hold and structure family wealth, the relevant paths are the 13O and 13U tax schemes and the Global Investor Programme route to Permanent Residency. See the family office setup guide and the Global Investor Programme guide, or the direct EntrePass vs family office comparison if you are weighing both.

Frequently asked questions

What are the EntrePass requirements in Singapore?

You must meet two core conditions: have started, or intend to start, a private limited company registered with ACRA in which you hold at least 30 percent of the shares, and that company must be venture-backed or own innovative technologies. You must also meet at least one of five qualifying criteria: funding raised, incubator or accelerator support, a past exit, registered intellectual property, or an ongoing research collaboration.

What is the EntrePass eligibility criteria for funding?

You must have raised at least SGD 100,000 from a single funding round, from investors such as SEEDS Capital, Vertex Ventures, partners under Enterprise Singapore’s Startup SG Equity programme, or internationally renowned venture capital firms, corporates or business angels, for any past or current business.

Is there a minimum paid-up capital for EntrePass?

The Ministry of Manpower does not publish a minimum paid-up capital figure as part of the EntrePass eligibility criteria. The requirement is a minimum 30 percent shareholding in an ACRA-registered private limited company that is venture-backed or owns innovative technologies, plus meeting one of the five qualifying criteria.

What businesses are not eligible for EntrePass?

Coffee shops, hawker centres and food courts; bars, night clubs and karaoke lounges; foot reflexology and massage parlours; acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine and herbal dispensing businesses; employment agencies; and geomancy businesses are all listed by MOM as not eligible for an EntrePass.

Not sure which criterion you meet?

We do not assess EntrePass applications ourselves. We match you with an independent immigration specialist who can review your funding, IP or research position and confirm the strongest route.

Get matched

Sources

Eligibility criteria are drawn directly from the Singapore Ministry of Manpower's EntrePass eligibility page (mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/entrepass/eligibility, last updated 2 December 2024, fetched 2026-07-16) and are indicative; Enterprise Singapore evaluates applications alongside MOM. Requirements change over time. This page is general information, not immigration, financial, tax or legal advice, and Singapore Family Office Guide holds no corporate-service or immigration-advisory registration itself.