The £1.5 million of funding is considered a critical lifeline for helping many businesses to overcome the exceptional challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now in its fifth year, DigitalBoost is a national digital business skills programme which provides businesses with free support to help them take advantage of technologies, improve productivity, increase resilience, and create new market opportunities.

DigitalBoost has received annual funding since being established and this year’s twofold increase underlines the importance of the programme and its role in contributing to the country’s economic recovery.

The funding will run until 5 April 2021 with hopes that it will continue further beyond that.

Fiona Hyslop MSP, economy secretary, commented: “We are focussed on taking immediate action to support our economy as we look to rebuild after COVID-19 and by investing in jobs and digital technology we will create the foundations of a strong recovery for Scotland.

“There is no denying the challenge that lies ahead, but the pandemic has also provided us with an opportunity to rebuild better. COVID-19 has underlined the economic importance of digital capacity and capability - the businesses that have coped best are those who have been digitally capable. By almost trebling funding for the DigitalBoost programme for this financial year, more of Scotland’s SMEs will be able to improve their productivity and reach, while increasing their resilience.”

Welcoming the additional funding, Councillor Steven Heddle, COSLA spokesperson for environment and economy, added: “During this pandemic, Business Gateway’s DigitalBoost programme has repositioned itself to help businesses adapt and survive the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Businesses are vital to Scottish local economies and as outlined in the Government’s Economic Recovery Implementation Plan, digital upskilling and maximising the use of technology will be a powerful tool in helping to bring the country out of this financial crisis. The additional funds for DigitalBoost will allow Business Gateway to add both more and broader digital support to what is already a fantastic service.”

DigitalBoost provides local workshops, 1:1 support from a digital expert, online tutorials, and practical guides on topics including social media, cyber resilience, data analytics, digital marketing strategy and e-commerce. Another key component of the DigitalBoost service is a five-minute online health check business can take to assess their digital strengths and weaknesses.