Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Recruiting Agencies for 'SME Smart Service Support Project'

[Asia Economy Reporter Junhyung Lee] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 20th that it is recruiting implementing agencies to conduct on-site evaluations and inspections for the '2021 SME Smart Service Support Project.'

This project supports innovation in the service sector of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) facing difficulties due to COVID-19 and other challenges. It was newly established last year to support the utilization of advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) such as big data and artificial intelligence (AI).

Last year, the Ministry supported 151 companies in building solutions for business innovation both internally and externally, including transitioning to non-face-to-face and online methods, solving public issues, automating tasks, and improving logistics and customer management efficiency. This year, similarly, 150 companies will be selected and supported with up to 60 million KRW per company, covering up to 50% of the total project cost.

Additionally, the Ministry plans to proactively discover and support innovative tasks that can respond to the increased need for non-face-to-face and digital transformation of SMEs due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, outstanding cases will be identified and an 'Innovation Case Performance Presentation' will be held, with awards given to companies demonstrating excellent results.

Public institutions or private organizations with project implementation capabilities, infrastructure, and expertise can apply for this project. The application period is from the 21st of this month to the 17th of next month.