The ‘Acelerar o Norte’ (Accelerate the North) project, aimed at accelerating the digital transition of companies in this region of Portugal, has trained more than 5,000 traders, entrepreneurs and employees and 8,000 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, the organisers announced on Tuesday.
The project’s promoters, supported by the Confederation of Trade and Services of Portugal (CCP), the Portuguese Business Association (AEP), the Portuguese Hotel, Restaurant and Similar Services Association (AHRESP) and the Digital Economy Association (ACEPI), completed the initiative. The initiative held 54 awareness-raising actions and 180 training sessions, totalling 500 hours of practical and specialised training in areas such as digital tools, e-commerce and digital marketing.
Budgeted at €19 million and financed by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), the initiative covered the eight sub-regions of Northern Portugal (Alto Minho, Cávado, Ave, Alto Tâmega, Porto Metropolitan Area, Tâmega and Sousa, Douro and Terras de Trás-os-Montes) through a network of 16 digital commerce accelerators, with a team of 40 professionals in the field.
‘These hubs act as support and transformation centres, ensuring direct contact with entrepreneurs and the adaptation of solutions to local realities,’ explain the promoters in a statement summarising 20 months of project activity.
On the ground, the “Acelerar o Norte” operation kicked off in March 2024 with the first “Roadshow for the Digitalisation of the North” in Braga, and has since covered around 10,000 kilometres.
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