Government to support 5,500 small business owners by introducing "Smart Store" technologies

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups(MSS) announced that it will announce a "smart store technology distribution project" that distributes smart technologies to workplaces to innovate management and services of small business stores and receive applications from cooperatives and organizations by March 18.

The "Smart Store Technology distribution Project" supports the introduction of smart technology to workplaces so that small business owners can respond to changes in the market environment, such as the spread of online and non-face-to-face consumption.

This year, the government plans to promote the digital transformation of small business owners by focusing on smart technologies such as ordering (kiosk), production (robot fryer), service (smart mirror, serving robot), and management (sales analysis AI).

First, the government plans to recruit small business owners to shopping districts and cooperatives and organizations by industry, and in March applications will be applied to individual small business owners who do not belong to any shopping districts, cooperatives and organizations.

The selected small business owners, shopping districts and cooperative organizations will receive up to 5 million won (70% government expenditure), while leading smart stores that introduce more than 2 to 3 smart technologies will receive up to 15 million won (30 locations, 70% state expenditure).

The MSS also plans to provide rental and lease support on a trial basis if the store wants to introduce expensive equipment such as serving robots.

Shin Jae-kyung, head of the Smart Small Business Development Division at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, said, "We hope that the spread of smart technology will help small business owners suffering from COVID-19," adding, "We will promote the project as quickly as possible."

Reported by Smart City Today