Using a digital format, adapted to meet current health realities, over 100 people took part in the online seminar on digitalisation and subsidies, aimed at small and medium businesses, as part of the ‘Smart Eco’ project on Tuesday, March 23rd in Adeje. Organised by the Adeje Council the three hour and a half hour event used 8 contributions focussing on two principal ideas – the new opportunities inherent in digitalisation, and the economic help available for small and medium enterprises.
Councillors for ecological transition and for local economic development, Manuel Luis Méndez and Raquel Rodríguez welcomed delegates, and outlined the projects and activities that are part of the Smart-Eco project. And Adeje mayor José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga closed the event, saying that “the co-operation between different administrations and businesses is essential if we want to be successful at all levels. Above all, in this time of crisis, we will only recover if we work together and along the same lines. We have to take advantage of those models that work, generating synergy and proper working practises. We have to help our small and medium enterprises to adapt to the new realities and markets.”
During the event, participants discussed how the current pandemic had “accelerated the transformation of many companies and pushed the need to find digital resources and professionals to meet new demands”, as emphasised by Liza Peter during her workshop. Marivi Gracia, from Tenerife Job Training analysed educative tourism as a model that is growing in importance, and generates sustainability and new benefits for tourism boroughs as educational hubs too.
Luis Maram from SeoLife talked about Google positioning as hugely important these days and the relevance of being in the top three when online searches were relevant. Francis Ortiz, CEO of Crea Solutions, shared his Geo-localisation experiences.
Ermitas Moreira, island director of the Cabildo’s socioeconomic development agency, addressed economic assistance available to offset the problems caused to businesses by Covid 19, and Antonio López Gulías spoke from a regional point of view, outlining assistance programmes already in place to create quality employment in the private sector.
There was also contributions from the private sector, including Dolores Hernández Arencibia, from PROEXCA, a body offering specialised assessment and finance for companies interested in expanding beyond the Canarian boundaries.”
A project with a vision for the future
SMART-ECO contemplates the improvement of the digital competitiveness of companies and entrepreneurs in the MAC zone, supporting their growth in regional, national and international markets and in innovation.
This workshop is one of 67 projects as part of INTERREG MAC 2014-2020, with 85% funding from the European Social Fund.
The INTERREG VA Spain-Portugal MAC (Madeira-Azores-Canarias) 2014-2020 Cooperation Program, was approved by the European Commission on June 3, 2015 and aims to contribute to the development of the EU strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and the achievement of economic, social and territorial cohesion of the outermost regions of Madeira, Azores and the Canary Islands, as well as the geographically closest countries: Cape Verde, Senegal and Mauritania.
