Microsoft has joined forces with a number of other companies and organisations to launch a service that will open up access for Irish business to €100 billion in EU grants.
The US-based multinational yesterday launched a European Union grants administration scheme for small and medium-sized businesses. The scheme is designed to aid Irish companies seeking access to grant support from Brussels for research, development and innovation.
The EU has made €100 billion available in grant aid under the Lisbon Agenda (designed to boost innovation and productivity in Europe) but, according to the Microsoft programme's director, Neil Tanner, most small businesses have problems getting the cash.
"Our research has shown that only 46 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe are aware of it in the first place, and only 4 per cent have applied," he told The Irish Times yesterday.
He added that only one in every 100 European small companies actually succeeded in getting aid, because Brussels has made the application process so complex. The multinational has successfully launched similar schemes in other EU jurisdictions.
Microsoft and its partners - Chambers Ireland, the Small Firms Association, HP, Intel, Eircom and Bank of Ireland - have established a portal for companies that want aid. This will match them with a grant consultant, who will then take them through the process.
