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Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy, today launched the first of a series of Grow Digital workshops for Midlands businesses in Technical University of the Shannon, Athlone in conjunction with Advanced Technologies in Manufacturing (ATIM) cluster.
The Grow Digital workshop series will be rolled out across the regions over July and into the autumn, and will feature Digital Transition Clinics to assist businesses as they navigate the process of digitalisation.
Speaking ahead of the launch event in Athlone, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy, said:
"The goal of Grow Digital is to help drive a step-change in the level of digital uptake by enterprises right across the country. Growing our businesses’ use of digital technologies will help us to build the resilience of our enterprise base and as we work to future-proof our economy in the years ahead. We are at a point now where every business should be looking at how they could benefit from the implementation of digital technologies.
"These workshops will give enterprises across the regions an important opportunity to hear from other regional businesses that have already progressed their own digitalisation and how it has benefitted them. It is my hope that this will help to drive home the message of the potential offered by these technologies. We’ve launched these workshops alongside the new Digital Transition Fund, which is in place to help businesses at all stages of their digital journey. I strongly encourage all businesses whether they have yet to embrace digitalisation or are further along their digital journey to find out more of the supports available to them and avail of the financial and advisory supports if applicable."
A key focus for the workshop is to support businesses in identifying the next steps which they can take as they look towards adopting new digital technologies. These clinics will be run by representatives from the network of Local Enterprise Offices, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. The workshops include case studies from regional businesses that have advanced their own digital transition and discussion of the funding available under the new Digital Transition Fund. The Digital Transition Fund is now in place to help companies use digital technologies like AI, cloud computing and big data to improve their products, processes, supply chains and services.
Ruairí Ó hAilín, Manager Operational Excellence and Digital with Enterprise Ireland, said:
"The Grow Digital series of workshops will give practical advice to companies at every stage of the digital journey. Our experience over the COVID-19 pandemic clearly demonstrated the value of digitalisation in terms of optimising business processes, maintaining client relationships and establishing new sales opportunities by delivering services online. It is important that this momentum behind digital adoption is maintained and built upon.
"Enterprise Ireland, on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, is administering the new Digital Transition Fund. Under the Fund a range of grants to assist with planning and implementing a digital transition are available to eligible companies. I would encourage every company to examine the options that are available to them under the fund and to attend the series of ‘Grow Digital’ workshops."
Caitríona Mordan, Cluster Manager, ATIM Cluster said:
"Companies are becoming increasingly aware of the need to adopt digital solutions, but it can be daunting. The ATIM Cluster supports manufacturing enterprises access the right knowledge, people and supports at the right stage of the digitalisation journey so members can avoid pitfalls, become more productive and remain competitive into the future."
Padraic McElwee, Chair of the network of Local Enterprise Offices said:
"As the Local Enterprise Offices are the first stop shop for start-ups and small businesses in Ireland, these workshops provide an excellent opportunity for micro-enterprises to further enhance their digital capabilities. The pace of change in digital adoption is accelerating and the Local Enterprise Office will continue to ensure that small businesses have access to vital supports to help them adapt and embrace the benefits that digital transformation offers."
The Grow Digital workshop series will be rolled out across the country over the summer and autumn. The next Grow Digital Workshops will be held on 14 July in Sligo and 27 July in Kildare.
The Digital Transition Fund has been allocated funding of €85 million during the period to 2026 as part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. €10 million will be available in 2022. It will be administered by Enterprise Ireland.
The Fund will be used to help companies use digital technology like AI, cloud computing and big data to improve their products, processes, supply chains and services. The funding will help companies at all stages of their digital journey – from going online to facilitating exporting and to using digital technologies to reach new markets and improve their productivity and competitiveness.
A new online website is also being developed which will allow companies assess what their needs are and point towards their next steps to improve their offering through digital technology.
The National Digital Strategy, 'Harnessing Digital – the Digital Ireland Framework' was launched in February 2022. The Strategy is a high-level framework that sets out a pathway to drive and enable the digital transition across the economy and society, to maximise the productivity of our enterprise base, as well as the well-being of our citizens and the efficiency of our public services.
The National Digital Strategy aligns with EU priorities under the Digital Decade to 2030, with clear targets to drive the transformation of our economy and society across four dimensions: Digitalisation of Business, Digital Infrastructure, Skills and Digital Public Services.
It sets out specific targets for the digitalisation of business, including: