Amazon’s Small Business Accelerator has hit a landmark figure of helping thousands of Scottish SMEs to build digital skills during Covid-19.

Working alongside the UK’s small business support network, Enterprise Nation, Amazon is providing bootcamp events to around 200k small UK firms, with 12,000 based in Scotland.

The programme was set up in July 2020 in response to the impact of the pandemic on the startup and SME community. Amazon said said it would continue to provide this support through the rest of 2021.

A recent survey of 500 UK SMEs showed that Scotland firms are closing in on London growth, with 42% now categorising themselves as “being in a growth phase” compared with a similar 43% in London

Data suggested that more than half (55%) of Scottish SMEs have plans to increase investment in digital infrastructure over the next year, up from less than half over the past year (43%), with 80% saying they are “upbeat” for the year ahead.

Around 81% of SMEs across the UK said they invested in digital skills over the past year, while 78% say they would value free training and skills to support their growth.

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East Ayrshire-based Nudie Snacks is one such firm that has benefited from the programme.

The company, which sells plant-based snacks and food boxes to UK offices, was in a positive position before the pandemic.

However, sales “fell off a cliff” once Covid hit, with the closure of offices and other workplaces.

Over the past year, Nudie Snacks has switched its focus to selling on Amazon Marketplace and has seen its revenue begin to grow again.

Company founder Tracey Hogarth commented: “The pandemic made us sit up and reassess how we were going to adapt and survive. Our sales fell by 95% after lockdown began, and we knew we needed to find a solution.

“Amazon Marketplace has been a blessing and has allowed us to continue selling throughout the pandemic and put our products in front of a huge audience.

“We’re still learning how to make the most out of selling online, but we’re confident that Amazon will allow us to grow during these unprecedented times.”

Commenting on the support for UK firms, John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager at Amazon, said: “A year on from launching the Amazon Small Business Accelerator it is heartening to look back on the resilience, adaptability and innovation that continues to power the UK’s community of startups and small businesses.

“Having surpassed our initial goal of supporting more than 200k businesses, we’re still seeing a steady stream of entrepreneurs armed with new ideas, ready to tap into the training, tools and resources that we provide to all small businesses for free through the Amazon Small Business Accelerator.”

Boumphrey continued: “The past year has shown that building digital skills can lead to better business resilience, and we are proud to play some part in helping UK small business owners and entrepreneurs unlock opportunities at home and abroad.”