Acelera Pyme, the meeting point to drive digital transformation in small and medium-sized companies

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a major role in the Spanish economy. 99% of companies in our country have fewer than 50 workers, and employ 50% of the workforce. Although many of these SMEs have already begun their transformation towards digitalization, it is true that there is still some way to go. According to the latest DESI report, 62% of Spanish SMEs have at least a basic level of digital intensity. However, they are below the European average in the use of cloud services or Big data analysis, all capabilities that can generate great benefits and opportunities for companies.

Among the advantages of digital transformation, we find the boost in productivity, time and cost reduction, improved customer experience... and also greater ease in collecting, combining and analysing data, promoting greater knowledge of what is happening inside and outside the company for better decision making. 

To boost the digital transformation of SMEs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation has launched Acela pyme, a program that offers advice, training and high-value services to take advantage of all the benefits of the digital world.

What is Acelera Pyme?

Acelera pyme is a program developed by Red.es, under the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, which seeks to build the reference ecosystem for the digital transformation of Spanish SMEs.

This action is part of the SME Digitalization Plan 2021 - 2025, aligned with the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan and the 2025 Digital Spain agenda. With a budget of more than 4,000 million euros, it includes 16 actions structured into 5 lines of action: basic digitalization of SMEs, support and management of change, disruptive innovation, digital entrepreneurship and support for sectoral digitalization.

The Acelera pyme program is aimed at SMEs of any size, sector and level of digitalization. It has three main lines of action:

• Acelera pyme platform. This is a digital meeting point for SMEs and the agents involved in their digitalization. It includes general resources, as well as other specific resources by sector of activity. On this platform you can find various contents (success stories, news, interviews, audio-visual resources, reports, etc.) to expand knowledge, as well as self-assessment tools to know the level of digital maturity of a company and identify areas for improvement. Currently available is the trade sector, which centralizes all the specific information of great value for the digitization of this sector and the development of e-commerce.
• Acelera pyme office network. Following the signing of an agreement with the Spanish Chamber of Commerce and other agents, a network of physical offices has been set up throughout the country.  These offices provide on-site and remote assistance for the resolution of queries, including advice and information on access to public and private financing.
• Support and Advisory Services. The program includes technical and specialized support, as well as seminars and practical workshops throughout Spain.

Self-assessment tools

As mentioned above, one of the resources available on the Acelera pyme platform are the self-assessment tools. These are a series of tests and questionnaires to determine the degree of digitization achieved. Specifically, users can currently take three tests:

• Digital diagnostic test, to know the level of digital intensity according to DESI and the situation compared to other SMEs in Spain.
• Digital transformation self-assessment, to find out the specific level of maturity in various areas of digitization.
• Cybersecurity self-assessment, to discover the company's level of maturity in cybersecurity.

By performing these tests, the company obtains a roadmap with steps to be taken, as well as specific information on each area of digitization.

To access this service, prior registration is required.

The Digital Kit Program

Among the actions of Red.es and the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence to promote the transformation of SMEs and the self-employed is also the launch of the Digital Kit, a program of financial aid that provides access to a large catalog of digital solutions. It consists of a digital voucher, which users can redeem to choose between different services offered by a series of digitalizing agents. These services are as follows:

Those who want to access the digital bonus, must first register in Acelera pyme and complete the digital diagnostic test. Once this step has been completed, and the digital solutions to be implemented have been chosen, the application must be made through the electronic headquarters of Red.es. The complete information is included in the Regulatory Bases for the granting of aid for digitization.

Digital transformation involves not only an optimization of processes, by incorporating technologies that boost efficiency or informed decision-making, but can also bring new opportunities and business models, many of them related to the world of data. The aim of these actions is to boost the competitive capacity of SMEs, boosting the Spanish economy, entrepreneurship and innovation.