ERDF 129: ERDF e-Business Development Grant Scheme

This aid scheme is available for SMEs operating in the manufacturing industry and related services. Its aim is to support enterprises that are interested in propagating the use of ICT in their daily business operations. Those benefiting from this scheme will be able to claim funding under three eligible costs: (i) consultancy services related to the integration of the chosen ICT solution within the enterprise, (ii) ICT hardware costs and (iii) ICT software costs.

This scheme will enable enterprises to innovate, improve their market positioning and increase their competitiveness. Of special interest will be projects that adopt ICT solutions as business enablers to establish processes that extend beyond the boundaries of the enterprise, to provide holistic ICT solutions for integrating the operations of an enterprise, and to exploit the capabilities of broadband solutions.

This aid scheme will assist a total of 100 SMEs invest in ICT solutions (i.e. Database Management Systems; Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions; Computer Aid Design and Manufacturing software; Content Management Solutions and Client Relationship Management solutions) to improve their operations through ICT technologies and implement new ideas to achieve better results in an increasingly competitive global environment. The aid scheme will assist SMEs improve their use of ICT for e-business solutions, through investment in consultancy services, ICT hardware costs and ICT software costs. Through the adoption of Information Communication Technologies SMEs will be in a position to upgrade and automate processes and daily operations and will also have the opportunity to increase their market reach through the use of e-commerce. The adoption of ICT solutions in the Maltese SMEs will ensure greater competitiveness of the Maltese economy so as to emulate the industrial growth of the other EU Member States.

The E-Business Development Grant Scheme aims to promote ICT propagation in firms. It will assist Small and Medium Enterprises to adopt ICT solutions in their daily business operations so as to improve their business processes. This scheme will support enterprises to invest in ICT to integrate business functions, streamline workflows, enhance interactions with clients and suppliers and to improve products and services diversification. This will address the Priority Axis 1 result indicator of improved ICT take-up within SMEs.