SME Bank joins hands with NSTDA to develop innovative SMEs for Industry 4.0

SME Bank joins hands with NSTDA to develop innovative SMEs for Industry 4.0, using the SME Gateway platform to connect Thailand i4.0 Index. Mr. Sittikorn Direksunthon, Director and General Manager of the Small Industry Credit Guarantee Corporation (TCG), together with Dr. Somboon Sahasitthiwat, Deputy Director of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), signed a memorandum of understanding to upgrade SME entrepreneurs to Industry 4.0 through the platform for assessing readiness in innovation, science and technology and the TCG SMEs Gateway platform for checking financial health and assessing business opportunities for accessing credit via LINE OA: @tcgfirst Mr. Sittikorn Direksunthon, Director and General Manager of the Small Industry Credit Guarantee Corporation (TCG), said that this collaboration is a significant advancement between TCG and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA). NSTDA will use the strength of the platform to analyze and evaluate SME entrepre neurs who are about to enter Industry 4.0 by themselves, Thailand i4.0 Index, while TCG will act as a medium to connect sources of funds and provide financial advice to SMEs through the Digital SMEs Gateway platform, jointly assess the readiness of entrepreneurs before accessing loans, and provide advice on preparing before applying for loans. The analysis of SME loan guarantees with potential in technology and innovation, in which entrepreneurs can check the status of loan guarantee consideration at TCG via Line OA: @tcgfirst 24 hours a day. 'This is an excellent time for both agencies to help elevate SMEs who are sustainably elevating themselves to Industry 4.0 through the SME Sustainable Loan Guarantee Program (PGS 11) of 50 billion baht in collaboration with 18 financial institutions, with a maximum loan guarantee of 40 million baht per person for Green businesses, with no guarantee fee for the first 4 years,' said Mr. Sitthikorn. It is expected that within 3 years (2024-2026), TCG will be able to help more than 600 SMEs preparing to upgrade to Industry 4.0 and in the green business group, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a credit guarantee of more than 3 billion baht (an average of 5 million baht per case), resulting in more than 3.6 billion baht in loans in the system, creating more than 14 billion baht in added economic value. Dr. Somboon Sahasitthiwat, Deputy Director of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), said that to help entrepreneurs adapt to Industry 4.0 sustainably, NSTDA has developed a readiness index called the Thailand i4.0 Index to measure readiness status by themselves using the Thailand i4.0 Checkup online assessment system and use the results to plan investments or apply for various benefits before deciding to use the assessment service, including application in organizations, knowing the level of readiness, strengths and weaknesses, and as a guideline for setting strategies for developing organizations into Industry 4.0. The factor that helps entrepreneurs to quickly improve their organizations to Industry 4.0 is capital. NSTDA will cooperate with the Small Industry Credit Guarantee Corporation (TCG) to use the assessment results as part of the tools used to assess the financial potential of SME entrepreneurs who want to guarantee loans and access capital sources, including the development of a joint platform to increase skills and change knowledge in technology and related finance to support SME entrepreneurs who will use the service in the future. Source : Thai News Agency