The Innovation and Technology Commission today (May 1) announced that the Distance Business Programme under the Anti-epidemic Fund of the Government will accept applications from information technology (IT) service providers to enrol for the IT Service Providers Reference List from 9am on Monday (May 4).
"To support enterprises to continue their business and services during the epidemic, the Programme provides funding support through fast-track processing for enterprises to adopt IT solutions for developing distance business. We believe various sectors in Hong Kong will benefit from the Programme," a spokesman for the Commission said.
Under the Programme, for each IT solution and the relevant training expenses for the employees, the funding ceiling is $100,000. Each enterprise may receive total funding of up to $300,000 to undertake a project to be completed within six months.
The Programme covers 12 IT categories relating to distance business as follows:
- Online business;
- Online order taking and delivery, and smart self-service systems;
- Online customer services and engagement;
- Digital customer experience enhancement;
- Digital payment/mobile point of sale;
- Online/cloud-based financial management systems;
- Online/cloud-based human resources management systems;
- Remote document management, cloud storage and remote access services;
- Virtual meeting and conference tools;
- Virtual team management and communications;
- Cybersecurity solutions; and
- Other online/custom-built/cloud-based business support systems.
The Programme will provide an IT Service Providers Reference List to offer relevant market information for enterprises' reference. To enrol for the Reference List, a service provider should possess a valid Business Registration Certificate and technical capability and experience relating to the IT solution categories above. The Reference List with the first batch of service providers will be available on May 15 on the Programme website and will be updated regularly thereafter. The Programme will be open to enterprises for funding applications on May 18.
The Government has established the Distance Business Programme Vetting Committee to oversee the implementation of the Programme. The Committee is chaired by the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, with members from the technology sector, the professional services sector, academia and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer.
The Hong Kong Productivity Council is the Secretariat of the Programme. Details and the application form of the Programme are available on the Programme website (u.hkpc.org/dbiz). Interested service providers can submit applications online. For enquiries, please contact the Hong Kong Productivity Council by phone on 2788 5070 during business hours (9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except public holidays)) or via email at dbiz@hkpc.org.
Follow this news feed: East Asia