To ensure that digitization does not degenerate into a mere buzzword, companies must find a way to adapt their business models to the world of the Internet. From the point of view of the state, the small-scale economy in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania needs help.
Schwerin (dpa/mv) - In order for the economy in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to succeed in digitizing its business models, additional funding is necessary from the point of view of the state government. The Ministry of the Interior, which is responsible for digitization, argues that individual newly founded or small companies in particular would only be able to quickly convert their processes with the help of the funding.
850 funding applications and 566 grant notifications for the so-called Digitrans funding from small and medium-sized companies have been counted since 2018. The state paid out 2.5 million euros to micro-enterprises, 5.7 million euros to small companies and 830,000 euros to medium-sized companies. In view of the constantly high number of applications, the ministry also sees a need from companies.
The six digital innovation centers located at the university locations in Rostock, Greifswald, Wismar, Stralsund, Neubrandenburg and Schwerin should also help. "The digital innovation centers, in cooperation with the Coworks, have the task of networking business, science and administration as a regional guide and providing information on current digital topics at the regional level," it said. Founders in particular are to be promoted in this way.
The Chambers of Industry and Commerce (IHK) in the state see potential for improvements: The IHK in the state capital particularly emphasizes broadband expansion and access to qualified specialists. Industry representatives warn against cuts in federal funding for broadband expansion.
In Rostock, on the other hand, one would like the state to go ahead and make analogous administrative procedures and printouts unnecessary. Approval processes can therefore best be integrated directly into the company software. The IHK in the Hanseatic city is also appealing to politicians not to rely on in-house developments: "You don't have to keep developing a new governance standard, even though there are already solutions for it on the market."
It is well known that the country is lagging behind when it comes to digitizing its own processes. Instead of making all services available via the state-owned MV service portal at the end of 2022, only 224 of the 4,000 processes in the state and municipalities have been implemented so far. The Northeast thus broke the deadline of the end of 2022 that the federal government had set.
