Digital Accelerator Grant | Digital Enterprise

Match-funded grant

Our Digital Accelerator Grant is designed to support new projects that will give a vital boost to your business, from getting your business online, improving your customer service, to purchasing more efficient IT equipment helping you cut your environmental impact, and anything in between.

Our Digital Accelerator Grant is for projects worth between £2,000 – £25,000. We’ll provide financial support worth up to 50% of the project costs (maximum value of £10,000), with the remaining balance being invested by your business.

Considering investing in digital but need advice?

With the range of technologies that are on offer it can be difficult to know what’s the right solution to meet the needs of your business. Once you’ve registered and we’ve determined that you’re eligible for a grant, then you’ll be able to discuss your project in more detail with one of our specialist Digital Growth Advisor, who can provide impartial advice and support.

Know exactly what your business needs?

If you’re confident you know what technology, and what solution, is right for your business then once you’ve registered and spoken to one of our Digital Advisors, we may be able to fast-track your application. To fast-track your application you’ll need to provide and upload three quotes to the Client Portal.

Eligibility framework

Am I eligible?

When assessing businesses, the following eligibility framework is in place for Digital Enterprise:

Growth-focused businesses
Based in one of the five West Yorkshire Local Authorities
Trading for minimum 3 years
VAT registered (or can demonstrate an annual taxable turnover that meets or exceeds the VAT threshold)
5-100 FTE employees*
B2B or B2C. If B2C, the business will need to demonstrate that more than 50% of its turnover comes from customers outside of West Yorkshire, or that the project will significantly boost turnover from their customers based outside of West Yorkshire.
Not received Minimum Financial Assistance (funding from any national or local public sector scheme) in excess of £315,000 over the previous three financial years

*We may consider exceptional projects from smaller or larger businesses based on their potential impact. If your business has less than 5 employees, you’ll need to demonstrate your commitment and a substantive plan to becoming a growth company. If your business has more than 100 employees, you’ll need to demonstrate that your project couldn’t be completed within a reasonable timescale without support from Digital Enterprise.

Is your digital project more than £25,000?We may be able to support you with one of our High Impact Grants Find out more >

Registration

If your business sounds like it fits within our eligibility framework, please follow the link to register your interest.

Registrations must be completed by either a CEO, Founder, Director, or senior decision maker of the business. This is to ensure that the data we capture at the registration stage is a true reflection of senior leaders, and for us to understand the business communities we’re engaging with.

While we’d like to be able to provide support for every business that registers, we can only offer a limited number of grants. We have a competitive application process, so while your business may be eligible to register, each application will be reviewed on a case-by-case based through an investment appraisal. If your application is successful, this appraisal will also determine what percentage of funding will be granted.

Find out more about our application process

**We have now committed all of our current available funding, we are therefore temporarily closing to new registrations. To register your interest and to be kept up to date with regards to DE3, please use the link below.**

Our Partners and Funders

Digital Enterprise is funded by the UK Government and supported by the following organisations

Top tips for a strong application

We have limited funds available and need to ensure they are awarded where they will achieve most impact in terms of improving the productivity and growth of both individual business enterprises and benefit to the local economy as a whole.

So please ensure you provide us with a comprehensive description of your business and digital project. We score projects on a variety of metrics including:-

Digital transformation – to what extent is the business adopting new to the firm technologies and how will this impact on operations? (So for example, a request simply to replace outdated equipment would score poorly, whereas projects that result in more efficient ways of working, open up new products or services, or allow you to bring previously outsourced functions inhouse will score well.
Growth and viability – how will the project improve the competitiveness and reach of your business? Will it allow you to open up new markets? What impact is the project likely to have on turnover and is it envisaged new jobs will be created?
Economic impact – will the project increase overall trade, particularly with customers outside of West Yorkshire? Will high quality skilled jobs be created? Will the project help to reduce the environmental impact of your business operations or otherwise contribute to Net Zero?

It is not necessary to meet all of these criteria, but your overall score may influence the level of support you are offered.