Digital Transformation Flexible Fund

Overview

The Digital Transformation Flexible Fund can offer eligible businesses and social enterprises help to fund their digital transformation project.

Digital technology is transforming the way in which businesses operate, helping them to gain a competitive edge and achieve long term success. The DTFF grants are worth between £5,000 and £20,000 and are designed to help small and micro businesses accelerate their digital transformation ambitions.

If eligible, the grant can fund up to 70% of the cost of a project with 30% match funding from the applicant.

The DTFF programme is a competitive process where proposals are compared to each other to determine those that offer the biggest potential for business growth and digital transformation.

Eligibility

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;
• 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*.

Project Eligibility Criteria

The DTFF capital investments are committed to enabling business transformation rather than the ‘digitalisation’ of existing business models or operations and must 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 (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality/Mixed Reality/Haptics);
▪ Artificial intelligence and machine learning; and
▪ Horizontal & vertical system integration, distributed ledger systems/blockchain technologies.

In order to claim from DTFF, successful applicants must complete an Innovate NI Innovation Assessment in order to draw down funding. This can be found here: Innovation Assessment | Innovate NI

Funding Levels

• 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.

DTFF funding calls will open in tranches throughout the year. These will be published on the DTFF website (www.dtff.co.uk) and through social media announcements. Interested parties are recommended to sign up to the DTFF Ezine also to be informed on call opening dates.

DTFF reserve the right to close funding calls earlier, if necessary, due to the volume of applications received.

• The minimum value of funding available to applicants is £5,000 ex VAT (minimum total project value £7,142.86).
• The maximum funding available is £20,000 ex VAT with a minimum total project value of £28,571.43.
• There is no upper limit to the total project value, but maximum funding remains at £20,000 ex VAT.