An extension of the application deadline for the Digital Tools for Small and Medium Business (SME) promotion has been announced. It is recalled that the action is being implemented as part of the Digital Transformation Program, which finances the Recovery Fund with the executive body Information Society (Information Society) and a total budget of 180 million euros. Due to the great interest shown in the action and the high grant rate, today we will recall its main elements.

As mentioned in the published announcement, the Digital Tools for Small and Medium Enterprises program will provide vouchers that will be allocated for acquisition by purchasing or renting new digital tools. The purpose of the action is to strengthen the digital maturity of the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises operating in various sectors of the economy.

Participating businesses can be strengthened through the use of new digital products and services to:

– Modernize their production, commercial and administrative function.

– Update the way you communicate and collaborate and introduce new forms of hybrid work (hybrid workspace).

– Digitize electronic transactions with customers and partners, including e-commerce.

– Increase the level of security and trust in electronic transactions.

The program supports existing small and medium-sized enterprises, as defined in Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC, that carry out economic activities and for which, in the aggregate, the following conditions are met, inter alia:

1. They have a headquarters or branch in Greece with a Greek VAT number.

2. They are active on the date of application for program funding.

3. Founded / formed before 01/01/2022.

4. They form a legal entity (Anonymous Society, Limited Liability Company, Limited Liability Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership, IKE, Individual Enterprise, Social Cooperative Enterprise, Cooperative) or Individual Enterprise and keep aplographic or doublet books.

Application deadline extended to Monday, October 31st.

For needs, enterprise shares are divided into 4 categories, with two sub-categories each, depending on their size in terms of employment. The intensity of assistance for all categories is 90%.

According to the Action Guide, the digital products/services for which the market is strengthened through this should contribute to the following:

– Improving the operation of enterprises, such as commercial software applications, customer management and support applications, personnel management applications, staff training applications, warehouse management applications, etc.

– Collaboration, productivity and remote work, such as productivity, communication and collaboration platforms, remote work support tools, task, project and portfolio management tools, etc.

– Strengthening e-commerce, such as cloud tools for: marketing automation, digital campaign management and customer loyalty, cloud tools/connectors connected to an online store, tools/connectors to connect to electronic payment systems, tools/connectors to interact with transport services etc. .

– Security and trust such as end user security, general security monitoring by a third party/service, application and data access security, data governance compliance, business continuity, etc.

Additional expenses are also allowed, such as installation, configuration, product configuration, updates, staff training, digital transformation consulting, etc.

Applications are submitted with company access codes (username and password) to the AADE (Taxisnet information system) tax authorities via the Program’s Electronic Support Management Platform (ESP) https://beneficiary.digitalsme.gov.gr.

Detailed information about the competition can be found on the KtP website https://www.ktpae.gr/, the Digital Media Transformation Program website https://digitalsme.gov.gr/, and the Recovery Foundation

Applications are accepted until Monday, October 31, 2022.

* Mrs. Mary Paspaliari is the Managing Director. AMBIO SA