These are the grants you can apply for to digitise your business before the end of the year

The retail sector is one of the sectors that has grown and changed the most thanks to the evolution of new technologies. With the development and implementation of online shops in recent years, it has not only transformed the sector as such, but also changed the shopping habits of consumers.

According to the IAB's E-commerce 2021 studyv, 76% of Spanish internet users already use the internet as a shopping channel. However, despite the fact that online commerce is a tool that allows businesses to expand and reach a larger number of customers, only 24% of SMEs sell online, according to the DESI report.

For this reason, different programmes, grants and subsidies have been approved to support digital transformation in commerce. In this post we tell you about some of the grants and subsidies that you can apply for before the end of the year.

Digital entrepreneurs

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation is going to allocate 51 million euros over the next three years to boost female digital entrepreneurship. This, through the ENISA Digital Entrepreneurs funding line.

The aim of this aid is to support and promote, through funding, female digital entrepreneurship projects and reduce the existing gender gap in this field.

In order to apply for this aid, you will have to take into account some of the following requirements:

• Registered office in Spain.
• Be an SME, as defined by the European Union.
• Have its own legal personality.
• The business project must demonstrate its technical and economic viability, and present a business model that is innovative, novel or has clear competitive advantages.
• The borrowing company must co-finance the financial needs associated with the business project.
• The company's own funds will be at least equivalent to the amount of the loan.
• The company applying for an Enisa loan must show a balanced financial structure and professionalism in its management.
• Companies whose activity corresponds to the real estate and financial sectors are excluded.

Amount of aid: from a minimum of 25,000 euros to a maximum of 1,500,000 euros.

Application deadline: until 31 December 2023, the deadline for this aid is permanently open.

 CDTI Innovation Direct Line

The aim of the CDTI Innovation Direct Line is to finance projects that enable the incorporation and adaptation of new technologies at sectoral level, provided that such implementation represents a competitive advantage for the business applying for it.

There is no restriction on the sector or technology to be developed. However, businesses wishing to apply must demonstrate sufficient technical, economic and financial capacity to carry out the proposed project.

Amount of aid: the minimum budget for the project is 175,000 euros.

Application period: open throughout 2021.

Growth  

Growth aims to support business projects of businesses interested in expanding their business or achieving some competitive improvement, a change of model in their production system, or who want to expand their production capacity by acquiring new technology, increasing their range of products / services or diversifying markets. All this, through financing for businesses that meet the following requirements:

• Be an SME.
• Have its own legal personality, independent of that of its partners or participants.
• Have your main activity and registered office in Spain.
• Have a business that is innovative, novel or with clear competitive advantages.
• Co-financing of the financial needs associated with the business project.
• Your own funds must be at least equivalent to the amount of the loan.
• You must show a balanced financial structure and professionalism in your management.
• Demonstrate the technical and economic viability of your project.
• The accounts for your last closed financial year must be filed with the Commercial Registry or other appropriate public registry.
• The real estate and financial sectors are excluded.

Amount of aid: a minimum of 25,000 euros and a maximum of 1,500,000 euros.

Deadline for applications: until 31 December 2021.

According to the Confederación Española de Organizaciones Empresariales (CEOE), the commerce sector represents 13% of the Spanish business fabric. Taking this context into account, and in order to strengthen this sector, the Government seeks to accompany small and medium-sized businesses in their digital transformation process. A necessary process that directly affects all areas of the commercial economy.