From 13th to 14th December 2021, the activities of the DigiBEST project online Peer Review continue – experts met online and some – in person in order to review Austria. Event is organized by Austria Wirtschaftsservice Gesellschaft mbH (Aws).

Experts from Portugal and Norway, stakeholders of Austria and representatives of the DigiBEST project advisory partner University of Latvia participate in the Peer Review in order to find out about the current situation and policy documents in the field of digital transformation of SMEs in Austria.

During the Peer Review event experts discuss problems identified in the Austrian Regional Study with the representatives of the Austrian Stakeholder group, giving an overview to Austrian challenges and objectives. The main focus is on discussing possible new funding programs Aws might implement to work on the following issues:

• How to integrate safety and cybersecurity issues into business support initiatives
Safety and cybersecurity become more important for companies to take care of. Aws is interested in extending an already existing a funding program supporting companies in digital topics to successfully also addressing the issues of safety and cybersecurity in their company.

• How to support new/digital ways of work (hybrid working, dislocated working etc.)
New, digital ways of working seem to become more important of companies to apply and offer, especially since the COVID-19 crisis. Aws is interested in starting a funding program supporting companies in successfully implementing new/digital ways of working in their company.

• How to use digitalization to support inclusion and gender topics
Austria is performing particularly bad in gender inclusion. Aws is interested in either starting a funding program supporting companies in gender inclusion or in adding such supporting measures in already existing funding programs.

• “Food 2.0”: how to support food waste reduction and sustainability through digitalization
Aws is interested in learning more about implementing a funding program supporting companies in finding ways to reduce food waste and enhancing their sustainability through digital tools.