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We support businesses, communities and social enterprises through a range of support services, including advice, funding, events and property. Find out how we can help you.
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HIE’s Digital Specialist Advice Grant offers organisations based in the Highlands and Islands area up to £5,000 towards the costs of obtaining digital specialist advice.
Introducing digital technology into your business has many advantages, including cutting costs, speeding up processes, improving customer insights, creating the ability to make faster business decisions and increase revenue.
This funding is available to cover the costs of 1-2-1 consultancy on digital technologies leading to an action plan or a feasibility study for your business.
Digital technologies may include:
Projects that have an element of ‘deep tech’ will also be considered, for example, blockchain, photonics, aerospace and space technologies, electronics, cyber threat intelligence, fusion power and quantum computing.
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
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.
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:
The funding cannot be used towards:
To apply, please complete our enquiry form and a member of our team will get in touch.
If you would like to talk to someone about your enquiry, please email enquiries@hient.co.uk and we will get back to you.
Any organisation applying for grant funding from HIE must comply with our fair work conditions for financial support. This includes:
* The Real Living Wage increased from £12 per hour to £12.60 per hour on 23 October 2024. Employers have 6 months, until 01 May 2025, to implement the increase.
If you would like to speak to someone about our fair work requirement for funding or need more information, please email enquiries@hient.co.uk.
Have a look at our other support programmes that may be of interest to you.
We support businesses, communities and social enterprises through a range of support services, including advice, funding, events and property. Find out how we can help you.
Our Digital and Technology Adoption Capital Grant can provide organisations based in the Highlands and Islands region funding to support digital transformation ambitions.
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