Scottish council announces extra funding to support local digital transformation

Highland Council has announced additional funding to support the digital transformation of local companies. 

The announcement follows the “great response” to the council’s business digital grants programme, which was supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Councillor Ken Gowans said. 

Last year, the grant helped 160 local companies with cash totalling £570,000. 

Gowans added: “This investment helped businesses with their digital transformation, allowing them to better adapt to the demands of a rapidly evolving digital landscape and enhancing their competitiveness, improve customer experience, and upskill employees, providing growth opportunities.”

Kevin Donnachie, manager of Inverness Coffee Roasting Co, used the grant to purchase new hardware to improve the services offered through its Shopify website. 

Donnachie added: “It also allows the progression and development of other areas of the business and has opened the space for a new job opportunity. The application process was simple, efficient and quick. It was also important to us that we purchased the hardware from a local supplier, keeping the expenditure in the Highlands.”

Inverness Coffee Roasting Co were one of the businesses to benefit from a digital grant. Manager Kevin Donnachie is pictured with his team | The Highland Council

The scheme’s success has allowed the council to reallocate part of the UKSPF monies towards the authority’s Business Growth grant programme and start-up grant initiative.

To date, more than 250 businesses have accessed the start-up and growth grant funding, receiving a total of £500,000 from the UKSPF. 

It is hoped that this financial boost will allow businesses to boost productivity and innovation as well as create jobs and stimulate economic growth in their communities.