Available funding in Denmark
Background information
Funding opportunities for upskilling and reskilling to support the digital competences of individuals and organizations are available in form of loans, grants and financial instruments. For the period 2021 – 2026 most of the activities in digital transformation are financed through Recovery and Resilience facility but also as activities in Horizon, Erasmus+, ESIF and EEA grant schemes. You may find more on the page of Danish National Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition.
Recovery and resilience facility
Project Fostering digitalisation and trade of Danish Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is part of the Danish Recovery and Resilience Plan. Through the new digital strategy, the SME digital support scheme is anticipated to help small and medium-sized businesses surmount barriers to investing in and utilising new and advanced technologies and e-commerce solutions. With a budget of € 8.7 million, the measure will support at least 550 small and medium-sized enterprises by the end of 2023 in an effort to scale up a successful programme.
The objective of the Bredbåndspuljen (Broadband Pool) investment is to prolong an existing scheme, which shall roll out very high-speed internet access (minimum 100 Mbps) in rural areas of Denmark where existing coverage is poor due to lack of sufficient market incentives. The scheme is a yearly applicant-based funding scheme for households and businesses, focusing on different issues and areas every year. The Recovery and Resilience Facility supports this investment with EUR 13 million (approximately DKK 97 million).
Purpose of the Europæisk digitaliserings- og innovationsknudepunkt project is to establish a European digitization and innovation hub in the Danish regions. The mission of the hub is to strengthen the digital transformation of businesses and the widespread adoption of digital technologies by providing customised services within specified technology and industry domains. The hubs are part of a European network that provides businesses access to other EU ecosystems and markets. The centre is comprised of partnerships between corporations, clusters, the Global Trade System, knowledge and research institutions, etc.
National Funding
Denmark has taken several specific vocational digital skills initiatives targeted at SMEs. Amongst these is a graduate program and a trainee program, which focuses on mitigating the challenges met by graduates in entering the labour market. An example is a project with project funds from the Danish Agency for Labour Market and Recruitment called Job in Games.
SMV:Digital is an offer for small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), which are faced with having to start or upgrade their efforts in digitization. SME:Digital continuously opens offers where SMEs can apply for grants for private advice, investment in IT and technology or get help to develop owner's or employees' digital skills. It can be within e-commerce, automation, digital security - or something else entirely that enables company to boost growth and development.
Ministry of Education and Research is offering grants for research and innovation supported by Danish, EU and international grant programmes. Currently open calls are published on the dedicated Ministry's webpage Tilskud til forskning og innovation.
The state's adult education grant (SVU) is an educational grant that allows you to continue or advance your education while working. It includes different subjects on primary or secondary school level, as well as higher education programme. Among others it covers education at a higher level, which is offered in accordance with the Open Education Act.
Entrepreneur Denmark (Iværksætterdanmark) is aimed at the broad target group of entrepreneurs, which covers potential entrepreneurs and new entrepreneurs. Entrepreneur Denmark is aimed at entrepreneurs who have an ambition to establish a healthy and viable business raising their professional competences and industry specific skills.
Different funding options are also available on the Digital Skills and Jobs platform, you may find a listing for Denmark on this link.
