Groningen has started a fund of of €250,000 to finance innovative entrepreneurial COVID-19 related initiatives, the Corona Innovation Fund. Ideas are themed around multi-partner SME support, fast implementation and retention of employment, and approval happens within one week.
The first awardee is Warenhuis Groningen (Department Store Groningen), a digital platform that makes the physical product lines of local shops available online. Customers can order like they are used to, and the products are then delivered to their homes by bike transport. The City of Groningen pays for the delivery. Already over 120 local physical shops are participating. Furthermore, to boost the revenues, the city board has given its own employees a voucher for € 10 to spend in this online but nevertheless local shopping street. See the winning site (in Dutch) here.
Contact: Thorsten Klein