To enable digitalisation to make a sustainable contribution to a strong economy and society, on the one hand digital cheques promote new technologies and efficient processes, while on the other helping to expand the digital expertise of employees at all qualification levels. By this means, innovation and growth can be achieved on the basis of human know-how and technological progress.

Who is promoted?

Eligible companies are SMEs domiciled in Liechtenstein with a business license. They need to have existed for at least five years at the time of the submission of the application or need to have acquired the business at least five years ago.

What is promoted?

The promotion is based on three pillars, as shown in the following table:

Nature of the digital cheque

Digital CONCEPT

Concepts, strategies, planning

Digital INVEST

Investment

Digital TRAINING


Training, building up qualifications and expertise

Objectives

Situation analysis, concept development and detailed planning, change management

Reducing entrance barriers for investment in state-of-the-art plant and equipment

Building up digital expertise, in particular including for employees with low qualifications, use of the latest didactic methods

What is promoted

Internal and external personnel costs in conjunction with the planning and development of a detailed implementation plan for digitalisation processes

Investment in plants that are liable to wear and tear and are directly associated with digital transformation (software and hardware, network technology, AR/VR, control technology)

Internal and external personnel costs associated with training and further education, development and implementation of the latest learning and teaching methods (AR/VR, gamification)

Level of the promotion

up to 50% of the promotable costs;
max. CHF 15,000

 

up to 20% of the promotable costs;
max. CHF 30,000

up to 30% of the promotable costs;
max. CHF 15,000

What are the preconditions?

The prerequisites for support are above all that the degree, scope and quality of digitalisation in the company increase materially and that the effect of digitalisation on sales, costs and quality is evident. In addition, the technical suitability, specialist know-how and organisational implementation need to be demonstrable. Details will be set out in a support agreement between the applicant enterprise and the Office of Economic Affairs.

Depending on the level of development of the applicant enterprise in the field of digitalisation, the following project types may for example be eligible for support.

  • Unchanged business model or business process, although introduction of new logic (digitalisation of business model or business processes);
  • Digitalisation of company-wide processes in the sense of involving upstream and downstream units (suppliers, customers), inter alia in the fields of procurement, distribution and/or networking;
  • The development of new, digital business models and business processes.

Pure rationalisation measures, the automation of processes without further overall concepts or leasing finance are not eligible for support. Similarly excluded are projects in the field of research and development. Promoted projects must be implemented within Liechtenstein.

The duration of the programme is limited. The first programme phase extends from March 2019 to the end of 2020. Support is provided in the form of grants of up to a total of CHF 60,000 for all 3 cheques per individual enterprise.

Submission of the application

Applications must be submitted to the Office of Economic Affairs before the start of the promotion project. Only complete applications may be considered for approval. The application process is handled exclusively via the digital submission system of the Office of Economic Affairs.

Digital cheques at a glance

  • Support is provided in the form of grants, irrespective of the sector in which the enterprise operates
  • For SMEs domiciled in Liechtenstein for at least 5 years with business licences
  • Promotion of: Concepts, strategies, planning (maximum CHF 15,000), Investment (maximum CHF 30,000), Training, building up qualifications and expertise (maximum CHF 15,000)
  • Maximum sum of CHF 60,000 for all 3 cheques per project and enterprise
  • The following are not eligible for support: Purely rationalisation measures; Automation of processes without further overall concepts; Leasing finance; Projects in the field of research and development (see innovation cheques)
  • Promoted projects must be implemented within Liechtenstein.
  • Total value of all digital cheques: CHF 300,000

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Economic Affairs
Mr. Frank Heeb
T +423 236 67 45
digitalscheck(at)llv.li
llv.li/digitalscheck