The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar has today announced the successful applicants approved for funding through the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme which is administered by Enterprise Ireland. 

Today 183 retailers have been approved for €6.5m in funding as part of the scheme, which is targeted at online retailers to strengthen their online offering and enable them to reach a wider customer base.
 
Almost three quarters of the successful applicants are located outside Dublin with 130 retailers from these regions approved for funding. The value of the scheme, which received 373 applications, was increased from €2m to €6.5m due to the high level of demand amongst retailers and the high quality of the proposals received.

The Scheme helps Irish-owned retailers to strategically enhance their online sales capabilities, so they can be more competitive, sustain jobs and subsequently scale their businesses in international markets.

Under this Covid-19 competitive call, the successful applicants will receive funding ranging from €16,000 to €40,000 to strengthen their online offering. The average grant value is €35,500. Enterprise Ireland will be opening a 2nd Call under the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme in the coming weeks.
 
The 183 retailers awarded funding, operate across a broad spectrum of sectors including healthcare, jewellery, fashion, sports, homeware and furniture, electrical goods and equipment.
 
Commenting the initiative, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar said, "This €6.5m fund will enable 183 Irish retailers to boost their online capability and grow their business offering. Competition is no longer local. If our businesses want to be competitive today and in the longer term, we need to see more Irish retailers fully embrace the digital opportunity. That is why I am pleased to announce that Enterprise Ireland will open a 2nd Call under the Covid-19 Online Retail Scheme in the coming weeks."
 
Source: www.businessworld.ie