The project leaders Carli Kleijnen and Mark de Graaf speak
Competing against large platforms is increasingly difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) today. Parties such as Amazon and Uber Eats are calling the shots and charging high commissions for the mediation between companies and sales to customers. The smaller entrepreneur therefore has a hard time. This has to change, so MindLabs, Fontys Hogeschool ICT, ROC Tilburg, Binnenstad Management Tilburg and Appsemble decided. For this purpose the DRIVE SME-project was founded.
DRIVE stands for Sustainable Regional Innovative & Resilient Ecosystem. The goal of this project is to support local SMEs, focusing on hospitality and retail. By offering help in the digital transformation of a company and by providing the necessary knowledge that this change entails. A 'low code platform' is created where SMEs can join. On this platform, data is shared about, for example, which days and times are the busiest in terms of customers. It allows entrepreneurs to adjust their staffing and purchasing accordingly.
In addition, the platform also functions as a network. Entrepreneurs join forces and become much more resilient. This makes them less dependent on a large intermediary party.
Drive MKB was made possible in part by a contribution from the European Regional Development Fund under OP-Zuid.
