Expression of Interest: Digital Transformation Flexible Fund (UK)

The Digital Transformation Flexible Fund (DTFF) is a demand led grant scheme aimed at establishing a Northern Ireland wide fund to stimulate digital innovation. It seeks to address the financial barriers to the adoption of advanced digital technologies as a means to achieve business transformation amongst small and micro businesses.

In keeping with this innovation or transformational focus, the DTFF will be based on the following advanced digital technologies/tools:

• Smart technologies/smart environments, the Internet of Things (IoT) and simulation;
• Process automation via robotics/cobotics, additive manufacturing;
• Big-data and analytics;
• Immersive Technologies (AR/VR/MR/Haptics);
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning; and
• Horizontal and vertical system integration, distributed ledger systems/blockchain technologies.

Funding Information

• Funding is available between £5,000 – £20,000 (ex VAT) for an investment project.
• Funding awarded will be worth up to 70% of the total value (ex VAT) of an investment project.
• All DTFF supported projects require a matched co-investment from Applicant Companies at a minimum of 30% of the overall project costs

Eligible Investment Types

• DTFF will enable the purchasing of capital equipment and/or resources for ‘off the shelf’ software solutions and/or bespoke system development, based on the following advanced digital technologies/tools:
  • Smart technologies/smart environments, the Internet of Things (IoT) and simulation;
  • Process automation via robotics/cobotics, additive manufacturing;
  • Big-data and analytics;
  • Immersive technologies (AR/VR/MR/Haptics);
  • Artificial intelligence and machine learning; and
  • Horizontal and vertical system integration, distributed ledger systems/blockchain technologies.
• DTFF will not cover the on-going revenue costs of leasing software nor any ongoing maintenance, update or training costs, which should be borne by the applicant.

Ineligible Investment Types

• DTFF will not facilitate capital investment in the following which could be viewed more as ‘digitisation of existing operations’, rather than digital innovation/transformation:
  • Website and e-commerce development,
  • Social media strategies,
  • Mobile marketing, paid advertising, blogging and content creation,
  • Search engine optimisation,
  • Purchase of IT equipment,
  • Customer relationship management and,
  • Non-industrial 3-D printing
• This list is not exhaustive and the DTFF Operations Team have the discretion to omit costs if deemed ineligible and/or not within scope of the project.

Geographic Focus

• Applicants applying for funding must be based within Northern Ireland and within one of the Local Government Districts (LGD) i.e., have their headquarters or main operation centre within one of the following local authority districts:
  • Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
  • Ards and North Down Borough Council
  • Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
  • Belfast City Council
  • Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
  • Derry City and Strabane District Council
  • Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
  • Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
  • Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
  • Mid Ulster District Council
  • Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
• Geographic eligibility can also be ascertained by establishing whether the business pays its business rates to any of the local authority districts illustrated above (if it pays business rates).
• In instances where an applicant business has its head office elsewhere, geographic eligibility will be determined by establishing whether the impact from the investment project benefits the Northern Ireland economy.
• Similarly, businesses that are based in the eligible area, but which operate outside of it, will need to demonstrate how the investment benefits their operations within the area i.e., creates jobs or develops capacity in their operations based in the local area

Eligibility Criteria

• Businesses wishing to access the Digital Transformation Flexible Fund must be:
  • Based in Northern Ireland and operate within 1 of the 11 local Council areas;
  • A Small or Micro business (Micro business: 1-9 FTEs. Small business: 10-49 FTEs – Full Time Equivalent);
  • VAT registered (VAT exempt businesses trading above the VAT threshold can apply);
  • Actively trading for a minimum of 12 months;
  • Have a Digital Transformation Plan or equivalent;
  • Centred on one or more of the six advanced digital technologies; and
  • Have not received State Aid/Subsidy (funding from any national or local public sector scheme) in excess of €300,000 over the previous three financial years (De Minimis aid).
• The Programme is open to all sectors with the exception of primary agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

For more information, visit DTFF.