Meraki MX or FortiGate for a Singapore SME: Grant Package or Buy Direct?
A grant-backed firewall package can lower the invoice, but it is often priced off vendor list prices, locked to a bundle, and paid in full upfront. Buying direct with Cisco or Fortinet promotions often result in a price that is just as competitive or even lower to the end user, and the firewall can be purchased immediately without waiting for grant approvals. Megatron Technology supplies and installs both Meraki MX and FortiGate for Singapore SMEs with competitive prices.
Megatron Technology Pte Ltd (est. 1990), Singapore Cisco Networking Partner and Managed Services Provider, Fortinet reseller. CT Hub, Kallang.
Related pages: Fortinet · Cisco Meraki · FortiGate vs Meraki MX for Singapore offices · FortiGuard expired: why web filtering locks users out · FortiOS 7.6 removed SSL VPN on small FortiGates · Knowledge base
What replaced PSG and EDG?
New applications for the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG), Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) and Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) stopped on 29 September 2026. From 30 September 2026, new support is the EDGE Grant.
Enterprise Singapore’s page says SMEs can receive up to 70% and non-SMEs up to 50%, and that the rate differs by activity. The FAQ is tighter: up to 50% for SMEs and 30% for non-SMEs on most activities, with up to 70% for SMEs on internationalisation and sustainability.
The shared cap is S$100,000 a year across all EDGE activities, refreshed on 1 April. Inside that cap, up to S$30,000 can go to single-function digital solutions, integrated systems and pre-scoped equipment. Grant support is by reimbursement: you pay in full upfront, finish the activity, then claim.
How does a grant-backed package actually work?
A pre-approved or pre-scoped package is a fixed bundle: a named firewall, a licence term, and installation. The grant is measured against the pre-scoped package, often based on vendor list pricing.
You apply on the Business Grants Portal first. Enterprise Singapore does not publish a “buy first, claim later” rule for a new EDGE activity. Do not order on the hope that a later application will cover it. Read the activity page and the letter of offer before placing the order.
The model and the term are pre-scoped in the package, rather than based on your requirements. A pair for high availability, a larger FortiGate, or a Meraki MX that matches an existing dashboard may not be in the bundle.
What does waiting cost if the current firewall is already due for refresh?
Note the following caveats:
A lapsed FortiGuard web filter drops web traffic by default. That is the expiry article.
A small FortiGate still on SSL VPN cannot be upgraded to FortiOS 7.6 until remote users are moved. That is the 7.6 article.
A Meraki MX with a licence about to expire stops being a managed firewall after the grace period. Renewal is a separate purchase, not a grant form.
If the box is failing or the licence date is approaching, a reimbursement grant does not keep the office online while you wait.
How is buying direct priced?
List price minus the programmes the project qualifies for: vendor promotions, deal registration, and a multi-year licence, often result in a final price that is lower than the amount paid for the grant package.
A direct quote can include the model you actually need, a warm-spare MX (one licence for the pair) or two FortiGates (two licences), and a term that matches your device lifecycle.
Grant package or buy direct?
| Question | Grant package | Buy direct |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cash | You pay the vendor in full, then claim | You pay the quoted price; no later claim |
| When it is installed | After approval, then delivery | This month, if the model is in stock |
| Which model | The bundle’s model | The model sized to your line and inspection |
| Licence term | Fixed by the package | 1, 3 or 5 years, matched to the lease |
| HA or a second site | Often out of the bundle | Quoted as a pair or a second site |
| Who supports it after go-live | Whoever sold the package | The partner on the quote — ask before you sign |
We do not claim a direct quote is always cheaper than a grant package. Get a quote for both options before issuing the order.
When is the grant route worth it?
When you currently do not have a firewall installed, the bundle model is the model you would have bought, and you can pay in full and wait for reimbursement. Confirm the activity support level on the EDGE page. Do not assume 70% grant when budgetting.
When does buying direct win?
When the licence expires this quarter, the box reaching end of life or is starting to fail, you need a specific model or a high-availability pair, or you are opening a second site soon. A grant application does not replace a firewall that has already stopped protecting due to lapsed licenses.
FAQ
Who can supply and install FortiGate or Meraki MX for an SME in Singapore?
A Cisco Networking Partner can supply and install Meraki MX. A Fortinet reseller can supply and install FortiGate. Megatron Technology does both and quotes them side by side.
Is a grant-backed firewall package always cheaper?
No. The grant is a percentage of eligible cost, after you pay in full, and only if that activity is approved. A direct quote with current programmes applied can be comparable or even better at times. Compare the same model, the same term and lead time.
Can I buy now and still claim a grant?
No. EDGE pays after the activity is completed and fully paid, against a pre-approved application. Enterprise Singapore says new EDG and PSG applications closed on 29 September 2026. If you already hold a letter of offer, follow that letter. Otherwise confirm the EDGE activity page before you raise a purchase order.
Megatron Technology Pte Ltd is a Singapore networking specialist established in 1990 (UEN 199002644W), a Cisco Networking Partner and Managed Services Provider, and a Fortinet reseller, based at 2 Kallang Avenue, #08-17 CT Hub. Send user count, internet bandwidth, the current firewall model and the licence expiry date. We will quote Meraki MX and FortiGate side by side, with current programmes applied, and say if a grant wait is worth it.
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