What is the OPTIMISE eCommerce fund?
The IE Domain Registry (IEDR), the managed registry for Ireland’s official Internet address .ie, launched OPTIMISE, a new OPTIMISE eCommerce fund for Irish SMEs worth €100,000. The OPTIMISE fund is one of a number of initiatives to mark the tenth anniversary of the organisation which manages the .ie domain in the interests of the Irish Internet community.
The OPTIMISE fund will enable ten Irish small and medium business owners to begin the process of transforming their existing online presence into a fully featured, transactional website custom-designed for their business’ needs. The ten recipients will each receive €10,000 worth of professional technical and marketing support with which to plan and carry out a major e-commerce website upgrade. The upgrade will enable the ten successful SMEs to sell goods and services 24/7 to a global marketplace online.
The Fund works with business owners to plan, develop and implement significant web enhancements and e-commerce capabilities to their existing websites. Now, in its fifth year, the Fund has thus far provided technical and marketing consultancy, training and web development services to over 60 Irish companies.
IEDR, alongside its Fund Ambassador, Francis Brennan, is calling on all SMEs and Micro-Enterprises to apply to the 2015 fund, valued at €150,000, to enhance their existing web offering and benefit from e-commerce functionality.
From a sector organisation perspective, OPTIMISE supported SMEs to:
- Assist members to grow their businesses and protect their futures by ensuring they are digitally capable and confident
- Promote digital excellence within a sector and facilitate digital transformation
- Ensure members can compete online in the global marketplace.
