HIE Digital Specialist Advice Grant

What is it?

Our Digital Specialist Advice Grant helps organisations explore how advanced digital technologies could improve productivity, efficiency, resilience and growth.

The grant provides up to £5,000 towards the cost of specialist digital consultancy, helping you access expert advice before making decisions about investing in new technologies, systems or ways of working.

Whether you're considering artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, cyber security, data innovation or other advanced digital technologies, specialist support can help you identify opportunities, assess potential benefits and understand how digital solutions could address challenges within your organisation.

Funding can be used to commission one-to-one consultancy that results in a digital action plan or feasibility study.

Digital technologies may include:

• robots/robotics/cobotics

• sensor technologies

• Internet of Things

• data innovation

• artificial intelligence

• cyber security/risks

• software development

• augmented reality/virtual reality/3D visualisations

• additive manufacturing and laser machining

• cyber security solutions

Projects that have an element of ‘deep tech’ will also be considered (e.g. blockchain, photonics, aerospace and space technologies, electronics, cyber threat intelligence, fusion power and quantum computing).

The Digital Specialist Advice Grant is designed to help organisations plan their digital transformation journey and make informed decisions about future investment in technology.

Who is eligible?

Organisations of any size based within the Highlands and Islands region are eligible to apply.

Applicants must comply with HIE’s fair work conditions for financial support. If you would like to speak to someone about the fair work requirement or need more information, please email enquiries@hient.co.uk

Who is NOT eligible?

• All projects are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Individual enterprises or those who are part of a group that are large enterprises may be ineligible.

• Businesses and social enterprises operating primarily in the retail, food and beverage service or personal services sector (e.g. shops, pubs, cafes, restaurants, hairdressers, beauticians, alternative therapist etc) or business services sector (lawyers, accountants, consultants, training agencies etc), on a case-by-case basis.

• Accommodation businesses operating from an applicant’s own home (e.g. B&B or AirBnB type businesses) are not eligible.

• Organisations which are primarily core funded by the public sector are not eligible. Core funding does not include project funding and service level agreements with the public sector.

• Religious and political organisations are not eligible.

How much can I apply for?

You can apply for between £2,000 (minimum payable) and £5,000. If your project exceeds £5,000, you will need to meet the additional costs.

Applicants will be required to identify up to three eligible consultants to support their project. HIE will not make recommendations on who you should work with.

What can the funding be used for?

This funding can be used for projects focused on the adoption of advanced digital technologies including artificial intelligence or robotics.

The funding is for consultancy costs to develop a feasibility study or action plan for digital technologies leading to, for example, increased productivity, impact on jobs, skills or workforce development, efficiency gains, reducing energy costs, or carbon reduction.

The consultancy can include:

• market research / testing, opportunity analysis and market assessments

• energy efficiency feasibility study associated with application of a digital technologies

• project feasibility, identify and appraise options and preparing a business case for investment

• feasibility and impact analysis of new workplace practices and organisational structures and approaches to learning and development to reduce costs or improve resource utilisation

• research supporting emerging digital technologies e.g. Industry 4.0 related, within the business

• specialists to fill a skills gap relating to adoption of digital technologies

What can the funding NOT be used for?

The funding cannot be used towards:

• projects previously funded by HIE

• covering salary costs of payroll employees

• materials

• placements

• legal costs

• travel and accommodation costs are generally excluded from eligible costs, but they will be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the applicant’s location

How do I apply?

To apply, please complete our enquiry form and a member of our team will get in touch.

The small print, this is important

• All HIE grant assistance is discretionary.

• Grant awards are subject to due diligence and budget availability. Due diligence includes making an assessment on the need for public funding; the viability of the business going forward; the ability of the applicant to deliver the project; the impact of the development on the economy, and the strength of the business case presented to HIE.

• Making an application to the fund does not guarantee that your application will be successful. If you are not successful in your application or you are only partially successful e.g. you receive funding of a lesser amount than you applied for, we will arrange a call with you to let you know why you have been unsuccessful and point you in the direction of other possible sources of funding.

• There is NO appeals process. We are unable to consider a complaint purely relating to dissatisfaction as to the outcome of a funding decision. However, if you have identified a specific process failure relating to your application, then you may wish to make a formal complaint. See our formal complaints process for more information.

• Organisations will commission a supplier of their own choosing. When submitting an application organisations will also have to provide a copy of their outline brief for the work proposed and evidence that at least 3 quotes have been received from potential contractors.

Need to speak to us?

If you would like to talk to someone about your enquiry, please email enquiries@hient.co.uk and we will get back to you.