The global pandemic has shown, especially in Germany, that there are still some digital weaknesses here. In addition to the problems that companies could not offer every employee the option of a home office due to a lack of software or hardware, there was also the cost factor. Not every company, especially small and medium-sized ones, can offer every employee a laptop so that they can perform their daily tasks from home. However, this problem does not only affect the home office sector. Many companies are moving away from the typical stationary large desktop PCs and offering their employees handy and mobile laptops. In addition to the above-mentioned home office options, this also has the advantage of working in a more agile and mobile manner, e.g. in meetings. Here you don’t have to leave the meeting or conference for a short time to get certain information or presentations, but you have everything important stored directly on your own employee laptop.
To drive digitization in German companies, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection has launched the “Digital Now” project.
“Digital Now” offers medium-sized companies the opportunity to exploit the economic potential of digitization. This means they can apply for financial subsidies to make appropriate investments in small and medium-sized enterprises. We are happy to explain in a brief overview what is behind the Ministry’s project.
1. who can apply for the grants?
Medium-sized companies from all sectors (including craft enterprises and freelance professions) with 3 to 499 employees are eligible for funding. It is important here that companies plan a corresponding digitization project, such as investments in software/hardware or Workplace as a Service.
2. what are the requirements?
The company must present a digitization plan by answering specific questions when applying for funding. This
describes the entire digitization project,
explains the type and number of qualification measures,
shows the current status of digitization in the company and the goals to be achieved with the investment,
for example, shows how the organization in the company is being made more efficient, how the company is opening up new areas of business, how it is developing a new business model and/or how its market position is being strengthened.
The following conditions are also important for the promotion:
- The company must have a permanent establishment or branch in Germany where the investment is made.
- The project must not have begun at the time of grant approval.
- Once approved, it must generally be implemented within twelve months.
- The company must be able to prove the use of the subsidies.
- Duration and funding
The important thing to know here is that the funding has been extended until December 31, 2024. The goals of the program are:
- More investment by small and medium-sized enterprises in digital technologies as well as qualification and know-how of employees
- More cross-industry digitization processes at SMEs and craft enterprises
- Improved digital business processes in the company
- More opportunities through digital business models
- Strengthening the competitiveness and innovative capacity of SMEs
- Empowering employees to recognize the opportunities of digitization and to initiate new investments in the digitization of their company
- Higher IT security in companies
- Strengthening companies in economically structurally weak regions
If you have questions about the Ministry’s funding program or have already been approved and would like to learn more about our products, why not book a free consultation appointment or request a trial to get to know Workplace as a Service?
