Submission of applications to the action starts tomorrow, Thursday, February 23Digital Transformation of SMEs» with a budget of 300 million euros, in the context of supporting its businesses NSRF 2021-2027.

By decision of the Deputy Minister of Development and Investments Yiannis Tsakiris, the Action Package “Digital Transformation of Small and Medium Enterprises” with a budget of 300 million euros was announced, which is part of the new “Competitiveness” Program of the NSRF 2021-2027.

The electronic submission of funding applications for the Bundle of specific actions begins on Thursday, February 23 will remain open until the available budget is exhausted.

The aim of the Action is to address the lag of Greek businesses in integrating modern digital technologies into their production activity.

The Minister of Development and Investments Adonis Georgiadis stated:

“The SME support program of the new Program Period 2021-2027 finally starts with 300 million euros for digital transformation. From Thursday, February 23, the invitation will be opened for those small and medium-sized enterprises that really want to seize the opportunity. We remain first in all of Europe».

The Deputy Minister of Development and Investments Yannis Tsakiris stated:

“Small and medium enterprises are the key growth cell of the European economy and the backbone of the Greek economy. The response of European economies to the double challenge of the “green” and digital transition now essentially depends on the ability of small and medium enterprises to effectively adapt to the demands, but also the opportunities, of the rapidly changing economic and technological environment. The “digital transformation” call is the first flagship action of the new NSRF 2021-2027 and comes to strengthen and support the efforts of SMEs to become more extroverted and more competitive in the demanding international economic environment».

The program that covers targeted needs of SMEs depending on their existing digital and technological maturity, but also their different investment needs, is structured in 3 Actions.

The evaluation of funding applications will be immediate (FiFo) and the investment plans will be evaluated in the order they are submitted until the Action budget is exhausted per district category. The subsidy rate is up to 50%, while in some regions of the country it reaches 60%.

Action 1 – Basic Digital Transformation of SMEs: concerns medium, small and very small enterprises which have not yet integrated important information and telecommunications technologies (ICT) in their operation and aim to cover basic deficiencies in applications and equipment. The minimum and maximum total supported budget (P/Y) of the funding application is set from €18,000 to €30,000.

The maximum duration of completion of the investment will not exceed nine (9) months from the date of issuance of the Approval Decision.

The main categories of expenses covered concern:

Equipment Expenses (supply of digital office equipment, upgrade of internal data transfer networks, interaction with employees, customers or suppliers, etc.)

Software Expenses (supply of basic business resource & process management applications, image processing, 3D models and CAD, digital security, customer and supply chain management, production optimization, etc.).

Expenses for the provision of services related to the digital upgrade (advisory support for monitoring the implementation of the investment plan, technical support for the implementation of the investment plan, installation or configuration of applications included in the financing application).

Action 2 – Advanced Digital Transformation of SMEs: concerns medium, small and very small businesses that aim to expand their digital and technological maturity with integrated investments in new ICT that will upgrade their competitiveness in international markets and improve their production process.
The minimum and maximum total supported budget (P/Y) of the financing application is set from €50,000 to €650,000, while the maximum duration of completion of the investment will not exceed fifteen (15) months from the date of issuance of the Inclusion Decision.

The investment projects that will be submitted should have the character of an initial investment and meet one of the following criteria:

Creation of a new business establishment.
Expansion of the capacity of an existing unit.
Diversification of a unit’s output into products or services that have never been produced in it
Fundamental change of the entire production process of an existing unit.
The main categories of expenses covered are the following:

Equipment for the supply of advanced plant or personnel operation systems, production automation with robotic systems, upgrading of internal data transfer networks, supply of advanced technological systems and mechanical equipment, etc.

Applications/software, for supply of modern applications of business resource & process management, customer and supply chain management, artificial intelligence tools, production optimization, upgrading of services provided, digital facility control, etc.

Services related to the digital upgrade.

Action 3 – Leading SME Digital Transformation: concerns medium, small and very small businesses that have already integrated ICT in many of their operations and now seek to implement integrated investments in cutting-edge technologies or 4th industrial revolution solutions.
The minimum and maximum total supported budget (P/Y) of the funding application is set from €200,001 to €1,200,000, while the maximum investment completion period will not exceed eighteen (18) months from the date of issuance of the Inclusion Decision .

It is pointed out that the investment plans should have the character of an initial investment and in particular one of the following criteria should be met:

Creation of a new business establishment.
Expansion of the capacity of an existing unit.
Diversification of a unit’s output into products or services that have never been produced in it.
Fundamental change of the entire production process of an existing unit.
The main categories of expenses covered are the following:

Equipment for procurement, digitally controlled E/M equipment, advanced systems for remote operation of facilities, automation of the various stages of the value chain with robotic systems, upgrading of internal data transfer networks, digital technological systems, etc.

Applications/Software for provision of applications of increased intelligence of administrative and financial planning, digital security, customer and supply chain management, data analysis with artificial intelligence tools, production optimization, upgrading of services provided, blockchain, etc.

Services related to the digital upgrade for consulting and technical support for the configuration and integration of the new systems in the operation of SMEs, system certification, etc.

The Action “Digital Transformation of Small and Medium Enterprises” essentially marks the start of the new NSRF 2021-2027, through which resources of 26.2 billion euros will be allocated to finance the Greek economy. Only through the Competitiveness Program will resources of up to 4 billion euros be made available for the support and transformation of Greek small and medium entrepreneurship.

The start date for the electronic submission of funding applications to the Integrated State Aid Information System (OPSKE app.opske.gr) is set for Thursday 23.02.2023 at 12:00. The Call will remain open until the exhaustion of the available budget per Region Category as long as the relevant regulations for granting state aid remain in force (651/2014, 1407/2013). Applications that are not submitted online cannot receive aid.

The start date of expenditure eligibility is defined as the date of submission of the funding application. The maximum duration of completion of the physical and financial object of the investment project cannot exceed eighteen (18) months, from the date of issuance of the Incorporation Decision.

Submitting a funding request is allowed either only in “Action 1 – Basic Digital Transformation of SMEs” or only in “Action 2 – Advanced Digital Transformation of SMEs” or only in “Action 3 – Cutting Edge Digital Transformation of SMEs”, under penalty of rejection of all applications.