About 100 entrepreneurs have been trained for a month to grow their successful online business. Digital education is carried out through the “Digital Upgrade” training program, implemented by ODIMM in partnership with Startup Academy.
Between March 9 and April 2, business representatives who applied to the “SME Digitization Support Tool” benefited from direct expertise to guide the process of migrating business online from mentors with experience in marketing, communication, IT, logistics, etc.
Iulia Costin, CEO of ODIMM, highlighted the importance of training in the field of digitalization, given that it represents the future of business in the current conditions. “Digitization provides SMEs with important opportunities to improve the efficiency of production processes and the ability to innovate in terms of products and business models, and the use of e-commerce and information technologies significantly increases their competitiveness in the market.”
Maria Nemciuc, Entrepreneurship Program Manager, TEKWILL, stated that: “the development of the IT sector is very important, but it cannot grow without synergy with companies in other fields of activity, which are consumers of IT products”.
The beneficiaries of the courses were distributed, based on a self-assessment questionnaire, in 3 levels, depending on the degree of business digitization.
The program included 5 modules: Online Presence, e-Commerce Planning, Customer Service, Process Digitization, Transportation and Logistics. Each of them meets a vital aspect of the SME digitization process and facilitates the path to a tangible final result, following the course.
Within the program, local and international mentors shared their experience with the participants. Here they are:
The SME Digitization Support Tool was launched in June 2020 to support the digital transformation and development of small and medium-sized enterprises to harness the innovative potential and facilitate companies’ access to internal and external markets. To date, 466 companies have been trained and 180 have been financially supported through Grants and Business Vouchers. Another 99 businesses were submitted for funding under the 2nd Call for Projects. The program is funded from the state budget, supplemented by European Union funds and GIZ Moldova with financial support from the German Government, being implemented by ODIMM in partnership with GoOnline of COR Association, Startup Academy Program developed by TEKWILL project, with support from USAID, Sweden, and UK aid.
