On the websites of pro-enterprise government initiatives such as EnterpriseOne (www.business.gov.sg), or private business/trade organisations or chambers such as the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises.
What does it mean?
Singapore introduced the First Mover Advantage scheme to encourage the development of innovative business ideas that optimise the use of state land, buildings, public parks or other government assets.
It is open to everyone, including Singapore citizens, permanent residents, foreigners, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), multinational companies and foreign businesses.
Examples of business ideas that have won recognition under the scheme include advertising on table-tops at hawker centres, a centre devoted to building sandcastles at East Coast Park and an environmental hub at Pulau Ubin.
If your idea satisfies the criteria and a public agency agrees to implement it, you will enjoy one or both of the following:
Allocation advantage: The public asset will be allocated to you on favourable terms. For example, you get to use the asset for a fixed trial period without having to tender.
Price advantage: You get to use the public asset at rates below market levels. For example, you could rent state land at a discount.
Why is it important?
Granting first movers some form of advantage will strengthen the entrepreneurial incentive to look for new business models involving public physical assets.
This will promote the growth and diversity of business ideas in a pro-enterprise environment, as well as more effective use of public-sector physical assets.
So you want to use the term, just say...
'I want to start a company to provide car cleaning services in HDB multi-storey carparks. It has never been done, so I wonder if I can gain a First Mover Advantage if I propose the idea to HDB.'
