The successful program for stimulating digitization in small and medium-sized businesses in the Leiden and Katwijk region is getting a sequel. Key Region Leiden, in cooperation with the province of South Holland, the participating regional municipalities and the regional entrepreneurs’ associations, will again offer the project under the name Digitaliseringwerkt.nl. Entrepreneurs can count on practical support, inspiration and concrete help over the next three years to make their business digitally future-proof. From first steps in online visibility and cyber resilience to applying data, online working and artificial intelligence (AI).
Concrete steps
Since 2021, more than 1,800 entrepreneurs have already been helped with workshops, vouchers and customized advice. Demand continues to grow; meetings are often full and vouchers are quickly sold out. In the next phase, the offering will be expanded to include additional focus on digital marketing, strategy and security as well as in-depth sessions for entrepreneurs who want to get started with advanced technology.
‘Entrepreneurs do not want thick reports but concrete steps that have an effect tomorrow,’ says Willem-Jan Zirkzee, board member of Key Region Leiden and chairman of Ondernemend Leiden. ‘With this offer we really make digitization work for SMEs. The previous project period proved that.’
Angela Beresford (pictured wearing Phoebeees T-shirt) started Phoebeees as a creative business at the kitchen table, with a passion for workshops and children’s parties. But like many small business owners, she found that online visibility and attracting customers was a challenge. The webshop was up and running, but how do you make sure people find you and keep coming back? For this she used a voucher of Key Region Leiden, which was presented to her by alderman Romeijn.
With a voucher to digital growth
With the help of a voucher from this program from Key Region Leiden, Angela was able to bring in expertise. Together with marketing agency Danielle Social Marketing from Leiderdorp, she worked on her goals to improve her web shop, use social media strategically and attract more customers in order to increase sales and increase her brand awareness.
That approach quickly paid off: the Phoebeees.com webshop is now visited much more frequently, her social media channels are attracting more followers and interaction, and she is being asked more often for workshops and children’s parties.
Angela says: “Because of the advice, I started tinkering with my webshop and socials more professionally. I have become more visible and especially better known in the area. Right now I’m even working on putting my YouTube channel live – something that was really out of my comfort zone. “
Growth enterprise and local economy
Alderman Herman Romeijn emphasizes that digitization is an important growth opportunity for local entrepreneurs: “By making smart use of digital resources, small businesses can expand their reach and grow their sales. This strengthens not only the entrepreneur himself, but also the local economy. Phoebeees is a great example of how digitization and social media can make a business more well-known regionally. With the right guidance and use of digital tools, the step to growth is closer than ever.”
About Making digitization work for you
Let Digitization Work for You offers entrepreneurs in the region support in cashing in on the opportunities offered by digitization. Entrepreneurs can participate in free workshops, take advantage of free coaching or vouchers of up to €5,000 for projects such as website improvement, cybersecurity and digital customer interaction.
Digitalization offers entrepreneurs in Voorschoten enormous opportunities to work smarter and more efficiently. An inspiring example is Firma Freek van Os, an installation company that took an innovative step with the help of a digitization voucher, presented by Alderman Paul de Bruijn.
Innovation in the installation world
Freek van Os specializes in water, gas, roofs, sewers, ventilation and sustainable measures. The company works with InSmart, an advanced monitoring system that remotely reads relevant values from central heating boilers via a module near the boiler. This system provides maintenance, warning, fault and advisory notifications, allowing maintenance to be scheduled more efficiently and preventing boiler failure.
The power of coupling: InSmart and ERP
With the help of the voucher, Firma Freek van Os has taken an important step: a link between InSmart and its own ERP system. Thanks to this link, the company automatically receives notifications about boilers and heat pumps that need maintenance in the near future. Normally, maintenance is carried out every 20 months, unless InSmart signals earlier. The ERP system then automatically generates a work order, which can be scheduled immediately.
Harm van Os says: “Maintenance is planned more efficiently, boiler failures are prevented and customers receive targeted energy advice. That delivers a huge efficiency gain for us as a company.”
Why is this important?
This digitization not only saves time and money, but also increases customer satisfaction. By preventing breakdowns and providing proactive advice, Firma Freek van Os contributes to more sustainable and reliable energy management.
Support from the municipality
The municipality of Voorschoten welcomes such initiatives. Alderman Paul de Bruijn emphasizes, “Digitization is an important driver for innovation and sustainability. Companies like Firma Freek van Os show how technology can contribute to better service and future-proof business operations.”
With this approach, Firma Freek van Os is an inspiring example for other entrepreneurs in Voorschoten: digitization works!
Leiderdorp’s Winkelhof has gained a Toko, and what a Toko! In addition to daily fresh Oriental meals, Toko Winkelhof offers a variety of Oriental ingredients and products. Owners Prins Sandhu and Gumukh Dhaliwal have digitalized their Oriental supermarket as much as possible. That will save a lot of work later. Our voucher from “Make digitization work for you” came in handy.
Everything renewed
The past few months have been hard work to get Toko Winkelhof open on time says Sandhu (38). Just about everything has been renewed in the storefront in the covered Leiderdorp shopping center. A nice fresh Oriental supermarket with a fresh food counter is the result. Fresh rice tables and other Indonesian dishes are on sale every day. There is also a small assortment of Surinamese dishes. And for those who want to cook for themselves, there is an extensive assortment of Japanese, Thai and Indian ingredients displayed beyond the fresh food counter.
Digital shelf cards and order kiosks
Scanning in all these products was an immense task, Sandhu says, “But it pays off, we think, to set it up right from day one.” Sandhu is no layman when it comes to digitization. As an interim manager, he improves ICT processes at government agencies. And his brother-in-law Dhaliwal also has a strong focus on improving processes. So when they decided to open a shop in the Winkelhof, digital shelf cards linked to stock and financial accounting could not be missed. They also chose two ordering kiosks for takeout. “Older people will still like to order at the cash register but the younger generation finds such a kiosk on which they can scroll past all the dishes much nicer.”
The digital linking of inventory, sales, and financial administration is going to save a lot of time, Sandhu expects. “And it will provide us with good analyses quickly. With those insights and the time savings, we think we’ll recoup our investments.”
The two entrepreneurs’ time is precious. In addition to the new toko, they also run a wholesale Seafood business. And as if that were not enough, Dhaliwal is also a dentist and Sandhu an interim manager. “We come from true entrepreneurial families. Hard and a lot of work is part of it for us. Seizing opportunities, improving things. We love that.”
In the coming period, the entrepreneurs will be in the Winkelhof a lot. “We first want to experience for ourselves how everything works, and get all the teething problems out of the system ourselves. Only when everything is running well will we hand over tasks to our staff.” A next digitization step will involve marketing. “You have to be present on socials these days. So who knows, we might apply for a voucher for that in the future.”
Connecting on time
Sandhu happened to see the vouchers from “Make digitization work for you. “Through LinkedIn I think. I applied for one right away because we invest a multiple of the voucher in our IT.” The application was very simple and arranged in no time. “I can recommend it to everyone.”
He thinks it makes sense for the government to encourage SMEs to digitize. “The government is demanding more and more from entrepreneurs in terms of data exchange. So there is a shared responsibility there. I find it logical that entrepreneurs are then helped with that.”
He doubts that digitization is a high priority in SMEs. “When I look at our wholesale customers, I notice that they are not working on it. While it is important that SMEs become future-proof. So I understand the government’s focus on this issue. Entrepreneurs need to connect in time. Otherwise the distance to the modern possibilities becomes too great and you don’t take advantage of the opportunities.”
Do you also want to seize the opportunities of digitization? Then explore your opportunities together with our SME coaches. It’s free and will give you many insights. Go to www.digitaliseringwerkt.nl to make an (online) appointment. Would you first like to identify your opportunities yourself? Then fill in the Digi-scan. After 10 to 15 minutes you will know which profile suits your company and which next step you can take. With your personal score in your pocket, we would like to help you on your way with digitization!
Let digitization work for you is a program of Key Region and the participating municipalities of Katwijk, Leiden, Leiderdorp, Voorschoten and Zoeterwoude. The program may get a sequel in 2026. Don’t miss that info by signing up for our newsletter or follow us on Linkedin.
You have to move with the times, but with the current (too low) rates for physical therapy, it’s hard to invest, knows Anne Kluivers of Voorschoten-based physical therapy practice Paulides + Partners. “So when you can get a subsidy for much-needed digitization and cybersecurity, that’s incredibly nice.” With the voucher from Let digitalization work for you, Paulides + Partners expanded its services with a clear app in which patients can find their exercises, among other things.
20 years of experience
Anne Kluivers has been in the Paulides + Partners partnership for three years. But she has been working at the Voorschoten physiotherapy practice for almost 20 years. Together with 17 colleagues, she ensures that Voorschoten residents can come to Paulides for just about any physiotherapy complaint.
For their patient data and administration, Paulides + Partners has been using a healthcare-proven software package for years. This package needs expansion and innovation to keep up with the times.
“Innovating is quite an investment,” Anne explains. “And in healthcare the money is not there for the taking. Especially not now that the rates for physical therapy have hardly increased for years. So the voucher from Let digitization work for you was really a godsend for us.”
Exception
Anne heard about this low-threshold grant opportunity at a meeting of Voorschoten’s business association. “I raised this great opportunity with my fellow partnership members and they also responded positively. We applied for the voucher through the Key Region Leiden (formerly Economie071) website and received an approval. In doing so, an exception was made for us to the rule that the voucher must be tendered to a company in this region. Our practice has been working with this vendor for more than 43 years. And within healthcare, it is incredibly important that we work to high safety standards.”
With the expansion of the software, Paulides + Partners can send its clients a questionnaire even before the intake interview. “That saves us administrative pressure and it makes the intake process go faster,” says Paulides + Partners. It also gives patients the ability to download a care app that lists appointments, physical therapy exercises being given and other information and tips.
The colleagues at Paulides + Partners with Anne in the middle of the bottom row.
Home Visits
The new software also allows physical therapists to access the system via their cell phones. That allows them to access patient records and schedule appointments during home visits. “It’s very nice to be able to access records securely via our mobile. It saves a lot of scribbles and notes on paper that have to be sorted out or entered later.”
The next digitization step is to automate part of all administrative operations using AI. Anne is very much looking forward to that.
“Like the rest of healthcare, we are weighed down by the administrative burden. All the data we have to enter takes up a lot of our time. If AI can take over some of that, it will be a godsend for the sector. But when that will be is still a question mark for me, too. I am a physical therapist, not an ICT or AI specialist. And as healthcare people, we prefer to deal with people, because that’s where our heart lies.
”
Wondering what digitization could mean for your business? Check out our project site, complete the digiscan, schedule a coaching call and attend one of the workshops below.
November 11 (Leiden or Leiderdorp): LinkedIn Branding using AI (for advanced students).
November 18 (Voorschoten): AI: Opportunity or Crisis? What does AI mean for your business?
Nov. 25 (Leiden) – Personal Brand on LinkedIn with AI (basics)
UPDATE 9 oktober: Het maximaal aantal van 60 aanvragen is bereikt. De mogelijkheid tot aanvragen van een voucher is daarom gesloten.
Vandaag, 6 oktober om 12.00 uur, kunnen ondernemers via onze projectsite een voucher aanvragen voor digitalisering binnen hun bedrijf. De regeling is bedoeld voor ondernemers uit de gemeente Katwijk, Leiden, Leiderdorp, Voorschoten en Zoeterwoude.
Uitdagingen en kansen
De urgentie om met MKB-vraagstukken rondom digitalisering aan de slag te gaan is groot. Wat nu gewone handelingen zijn, zoals online boodschappen doen, met je telefoon betalen, verschillende slimme apparaten met elkaar verbinden en op grote schaal digitaal vergaderen, was enkele jaren geleden nog aanzienlijk minder ingeburgerd. In hoog tempo landen deze ontwikkelingen in alle sectoren en maatschappelijke domeinen waardoor het impact heeft op iedereen. En dus ook op ondernemers in het mkb. Daar zien we dat digitalisering nieuwe kansen biedt, maar mkb-ondernemers tegelijkertijd ook voor nieuwe uitdagingen stelt om deze kansen goed te benutten. Kennis en tijd ontbreek vaak bij hen om goed aan de slag te gaan. Het initiatief ‘Laat digitalisering voor je werken’ helpt daarbij met coaching, workshops en een voucherregeling.
Het is een samenwerking van vijf gemeenten, de ondernemersverenigingen en de onderwijs- en kennisinstellingen uit de 071-regio. De vijf gemeenten die actief bijdragen aan dit project zijn: Katwijk, Leiden, Leiderdorp, Voorschoten en Zoeterwoude. Het project wordt mede mogelijk gemaakt door de Provincie Zuid-Holland.
Lees op de projectsite voorbeelden van ondernemers die al een voucher hebben benut, zoals Palfinger uit Zoeterwoude.
A company website is the company’s online business card. Therefore, it is crucial to keep it up-to-date so that potential customers can immediately see what the company stands for. Using a digitization voucher from Key Region Leiden, Wouter van den Aarsen of Palfinger invested in a new website that not only increases visibility, but also improves security levels and is ready for AI integration.
Increased online visibility and ease of use
“Our new website is a big step forward,” says Van den Aarsen. “We operate in an innovative and technical sector, and our old website did not do justice to that. Thanks to the voucher, we now have a modern, user-friendly site that reflects our identity much better and is also ready for future digital applications such as AI.”
Municipality supports digital growth
The voucher was presented to Palfinger by Alderman Paul Olthof of the municipality of Zoeterwoude. “It is great to see that Palfinger is investing in digital visibility and security. The new website is therefore a valuable step towards a future-proof company,” Olthof said.
Digitization offers opportunities
“Investing in digitalization is essential for the success of entrepreneurs,” Olthof says. “As a region, we are happy to contribute to this. With initiatives such as the digitization voucher, we make companies and our municipality stronger and future-oriented.”
Entrepreneurs who want to work on digitizing their business can apply for a voucher or participate in workshops organized together with business associations. These associations, like the municipality of Zoeterwoude, are project partners in this initiative.
Apply for a voucher yourself?
Do you also want to work on digitizing your business? Apply for a voucher from Let digitalization work for you, an initiative of Key Region Leiden. “In October, the new voucher round will open. Schedule a coaching session now via the website to prepare your application,” says project leader Dwayne van der Klugt. “And be quick in October, because gone is gone!”
Digitalization allows entrepreneurs to generate more sales, but you have to invest in it. Cees van Duijn, owner of Duijn Bouw from Katwijk, decided to do just that and used a voucher from Key Region Leiden to professionalize the appearance of his website. On Friday, September 26, he received the voucher from Katwijk Alderman Jacco Knape.
“Our previous website was now about eight years old and no longer matched who we are as a company and what we do today,” says Cees van Duijn. “Because we had and have enough work, this simply wasn’t a priority. Still, we felt it was important to have a professional image towards partners, clients and other parties we work with. Especially now that we are also active with development and new construction projects, our old website gave a wrong image of Duijn Bouw. When we took the step towards a new website, we came across the voucher scheme. Thanks to this voucher we were able to make the site even more professional. The result is a digital business card that we are proud of and that really shows who we are and what we stand for.”
Alderman supports digitization
Alderman Knape handed over the voucher: “It is important that entrepreneurs continue to invest in themselves and their business. With this voucher scheme we want to encourage entrepreneurs in Katwijk to take the step towards digitalization. Nice to see that Cees van Duijn is so actively involved in this.”
Digitization offers opportunities
“Whether it’s improving your website, opening a web shop, or optimizing your digital security – digitization is an ongoing process,” said the alderman. “It requires constant attention as well as investment. That is why we are pleased that we can support entrepreneurs in Katwijk with these vouchers.”
Apply for a voucher yourself?
Do you also want to work on digitizing your business? Then apply for a voucher from the project Let digitization work for you. “On October 6, the new, and for now last, voucher round starts. Schedule an interview now via the website to prepare your application,” says project leader Dwayne van der Klugt. “Be quick, because gone is gone!”
Let digitization work for you opens a new voucher round on Monday, October 6 at noon. This scheme is specially designed to support SMEs in the municipalities of Katwijk, Leiden, Leiderdorp, Voorschoten and Zoeterwoude in their digitization efforts. Entrepreneurs can receive up to €5,000 back from their investment. The application requires a quote from a supplier. So take action now.
‘The voucher scheme has been a great success for a number of years, which is why we are very pleased to be able to issue a good number of vouchers again this fall so that entrepreneurs can cash in on the opportunities digitalization offers,’ said Dwayne van der Klugt, who is supervising the project from the participating municipalities.
The voucher scheme is a financial incentive that helps companies digitize their operations. The voucher can be used for a wide range of digitization projects. From digital marketing, think about improving a website or webshop, to cyber security. Depending on the size of the company, an entrepreneur can receive € 1,000, € 2,500 or € 5,000. A minimum of 25% of the costs is always borne by the entrepreneur. The remaining costs are borne by the participating municipalities, supplemented by a subsidy from the province of South Holland.
Starting Monday, Oct. 6, the voucher can be easily applied for through the digitaliseringwerkt.nl website. The application requires a quote from a supplier. So request this on time. More information can also be found on the aforementioned website.
Let digitalization work for you started as a project of Key Region Leiden, the economic cooperation in the Leiden region. This cooperation has been scaled up and operates from July 2025 under the name Key Region Leiden. Strengthening entrepreneurship is still an important pillar in this. A continuation of the vouchers in 2026 is therefore being considered. However, this is not yet certain. Therefore, take advantage of this opportunity before it is too late.
More information about the voucher scheme and the application form can be found at digitaliseringwerkt.nl.
On days when Holiday Park Koningshof is fully booked, the Rijnsburg family business receives as many as 1,100 guests a day. Crazy, then, for the people behind the reception desk. Fortunately, they got help answering simple questions. A chatbot tells guests, among other things, what kind of coffee makers are in the rental properties and what time to check out. Courtesy of digitization vouchers from Make Digitization Work for You.
Pim Kromhout (36) who runs the vacation park with his sister Penny, finds the chatbot a godsend. But more importantly, the receptionists are happy with it. And they are. It takes a lot of work off their hands now that the answers to simple questions can all be found online.
Pim and his sister took over the business from their parents six years ago. They are the third generation in the business, he says proudly. “It’s nice when you get to continue the business of your parents and grandparents. That you build on their work is special.” The informal atmosphere and personal attention characteristic of family businesses is very important to Pim. “We maintain that as best we can. It’s an important part of our hospitality.”
A chatbot fits well into that ambition. “People increasingly arrange their affairs online. But calling, we find, is still faster. So especially for quick questions, we still get a lot of calls. Then you don’t want to be on hold for a long time to find out if there is a tea towel in the accommodation.”
1400 phone calls
The answer to all such questions is now much easier to find on the website. A comprehensive frequently asked questions section supplemented by a chatbot gives guests quick answers. “Last season, the chatbot was accessed an average of 8 times a day. It saved our front office 1,400 phone calls and emails. That’s really nice because in high season it’s super busy here. Moreover, this way you serve your guests very quickly. That is also very much appreciated.”
The frequently asked questions section and chatbot were created by the company that maintains Koningshof’s website. “They did the technical part. We did the content part. Together with the receptionists, we came up with the main and sub-questions. That was very fun and instructive to do because together we thought again very carefully about the guest experience.”
Second voucher
For Koningshof, this was the second time they received a voucher. Previously, they used one for digitization. “Then we modernized our reservation module. Since that modification, you get to see alternatives if the preferred period or accommodation, is full.”
Some government grants require a lot of work, Pim knows. “But these vouchers didn’t. It’s really very easy to apply. And if you have questions, you get quick answers. That’s nice, too. So when it turned out that we could apply a second time, we brought forward our investments in a chatbot – because you always pay part of it yourself, too. So as far as we are concerned, the incentive policy to make digitalization steps works!”
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