Business Technology & Innovation Programme
Empowering your business with The Western Cape Digital Business Technology and Innovation Support Fund
Should you wish to be notified if and when the fund reopens, please express your interest at DEDAT.Broadband@westerncape.gov.za
Is your business ready for the digital era?
Using digital business tools could take your business to the next level
The Western Cape Digital Productivity Business Technology and Innovation Support Programme can help you do it
Designed to catapult your business into the digital age!
Call for Proposals Detailed application requirements: Click here
About the Project:
The Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT): Business Technology & Innovation programme for Productivity Boost (The Fund) aims to tackle the challenge of low productivity in Western Cape firms to achieve greater competitiveness of firms in the region to match or beat international standards through the adoption of technology and of promotion of digital transformation.
The Western Cape Government’s Growth for Jobs Strategy seeks to affirm the province as the tech(nology), financial, innovation and design capital of Africa, through robust business, government, and community innovation, supported by academia (‘quad helix’). It is envisaged that the region will be characterised by strong technology ecosystems and centres of excellence in a range of industries and opportunities, contributing towards and improving the competitiveness and growth in existing firms, within a supportive enabling environment.
Business productivity and competitiveness of the firms within South Afria, and so too the Western Cape province is low and continues to decline relative to our global counterparts. SA firms are not keeping pace with or do not exceed comparable international market standards, therefore resulting in constrained economic growth within the province.
These trends of poor performance needs to be reversed and the competitiveness of firms in the region must be taken to — or beyond — international standards through adequate business support, with one of the areas of focus being the promotion and adoption of technology and enabling a deep-seated culture of innovation. Increased Research & Development, user education and the creation of a sense of curiosity and urgency around continual improvement are central themes amongst others.
The competitiveness of the Western Cape in a future, digitally transformed world will depend on the ability of the technology and innovation sector to contribute more significantly to the digital transformation of enterprises and to create jobs and economic value through the establishment and development of digital businesses (from start-ups to scale-ups to corporates).
The approach to drive up productivity improvements through technology adoption in Western Cape firms, along with the complementary business/management support across the province is multifaceted.
DEDATs' Business Technology & Innovation Programme for Productivity Boost has established a Fund that will support initiatives under the following two (2) categories:
Focus areas the Western Cape Business Technology & Innovation Programme for Productivity Boost Fund will support:
Note: Digital literacy and digital skills programmes will NOT be supported by this Fund. However, the fund may support certain training related to familiarising teams to the specific technology implemented as part of the digital productivity initiative implemented via the Fund. These will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
Important note for ALL applicants: It requires that the interventions funding is fully utilised by 22 March 2024. Other components of the intervention implemented may be fully completed by the 31 May 2024.
Eligibility criteria:
Exclusions:
The following costs and expenditure will not be considered for support from the Business Technology & Innovation Programme for Productivity Boost Fund:
- Charities, commercial semi-state companies, trade associations, or company representative bodies (e.g. Chambers of Commerce)
- Social entrepreneurship applicants operating under a commercial domain
- Political parties or organisations
- Businesses under debt review
- Businesses located outside the Western Cape
- Entities whose trade or operations may prejudice the reputation and good standing of DEDAT
- Applications will not be considered for businesses who are currently receiving funding/support from the Department, whether it's the individual business that applied or businesses being supported by the intermediary
- Operational expenditure such as salaries, rent, insurance, accountant/audit fees etc
- Project management fees or project administration fees. The department may consider covering costs related to onboarding of technology implemented
- Training provided by the intermediary organisation
How to Apply:
- The period of application to the Fund is open until 15 March 2024 and is subject to budget availability, whichever comes first. It is in the best interest of the applicant to submit funding applications as soon as possible
- Review and Respond to the Call for Proposals. Click here to access the Call for Proposals
- The application process is two-fold and entails (i) the completion of the required online information and (ii) the uploading of the required supporting documents. Link to the online form: https://forms.office.com/r/R7yhpaVYh2
- Only applications submitted via the online process, will be considered. No emailed or hand-delivered applications will be considered
- Completion of the online form is mandatory
- All required documents listed above are compulsory and must be submitted in order to complete your application. Please ensure that all documents submitted are legible. Where documents are illegible, damaged, or corrupted, the application cannot be considered
- The Department is unable to notify applicants on the correctness and completeness of the requisite information and documents submitted, nor can it request additional information. The onus is on the applicant to ensure that all the required information and the correct documents are timeously submitted
- We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the online form so that you have the necessary information at hand when completing your application. You can refer to the application guide here
- To resubmit documents all documents please use this link: https://bit.ly/WCGBusTechInnov
Contact Details
Enquiries can be directed to Mr Mahdi Hendricks at Mahdi.Hendricks@westerncape.gov.za or Ms Linah Maqashu at Linah.Maqashu@westerncape.gov.za
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We are pleased to share with you that the Western Cape Government (WCG) has once again achieved certification as a Top Employer in 2024. |
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Western Cape Government © 2023. All rights reserved.
This project is an initiative of the Western Cape Government. |
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