The digital leap that companies have been forced to make as a result of the pandemic has been more complex for SMEs than for large companies. In view of this situation, the government has drawn up an SME Digitalisation Plan for the next four years. The aim is none other than to provide small businesses with financial resources to boost their digital transformation.
This plan, which forms part of the Spain Digital Agenda 2025, is in addition to two others: the Public Administration Digitalisation Plan and the National Digital Skills Plan. The investment foreseen for these three lines of action exceeds 11 billion euros over the next three years.
In this sense, SMEs will have more resources and tools to help them develop their digital skills. In this way, they will avoid becoming uncompetitive in such a virtualised environment. The following is a summary of the main ideas covered in this document.
What are the main objectives of the SME Digitalisation Plan?
Of the 11 billion foreseen for all actions, the government will allocate 5 billion to this plan until 2023. The forecast is that it will help 1,500,000 SMEs, 80% of which will correspond to the self-employed and micro-enterprises.
The main themes of the plan include guidance and advice on innovations such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and the Internet of Things. The most basic concepts, such as digital marketing, connectivity and cybersecurity, will also be reinforced.
Training is another aspect of the plan. Some €650 million will be earmarked to reduce the existing digital divide, especially between the different generations.
What measures will be available to SMEs?
Within the aforementioned lines of action, the plan specifies four specific actions to be developed in the coming years:
Connectivity Bonds
The aim of these bonuses is to facilitate access to Internet connection everywhere. Without this functionality, no digital impulse measure can be carried out, which is why it is essential. Especially in a context of business relocation, in which many SMEs continue to telework and, therefore, with greater complexity in this regard. The Connectivity Bonds will have a planned budget of 50 million euros.
Digital Toolkit
This set of actions is the most comprehensive of the entire plan, and therefore the one that requires the most investment. In total, the government will allocate 3,000 million euros to this item. With this amount, it will finance all the tools and resources necessary to implement the basic elements for digitalisation in all SMEs:
- Websites.
- ERP resource management systems.
- CRM systems for customer management.
- Digital marketing.
- Cybersecurity and protection.
- E-commerce and online sales.
Business Entrepreneurship Support Programmes
These actions are especially aimed at startups and digital entrepreneurship companies. Thus, the National Entrepreneurship Office will be created, a virtual body that will bring together all the information, tools and resources to promote digital entrepreneurship in business. A network of public and private centres including incubators and start-up accelerators will also be created. For all of this, 182 million euros will be invested.
Agents of Change
For the digitalisation of SMEs to become an effective and lasting reality, it is not enough just to provide tools. It is necessary to invest in the digital professional training of employees. This is precisely the objective of this measure, for which 300 million euros will be used. In this way, the professional profiles that are furthest away from this environment will be digitally trained.
This plan is in addition to the other actions being carried out by public administrations to meet the objective of the Digital Spain Agenda 2025. According to this roadmap, it is estimated that in four years 80% of Spaniards will have good digital skills. Moreover, these could vary depending on the needs of each area of work and the requirements in each case.
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