Cisco to provide small businesses with COVID-19 “recovery kits” through new contest

Cisco Small Business Recovery Kit

Cisco has launched a new contest offering entrepreneurs a chance to win a Small Business Recovery Kit, which includes IT tools aimed to help businesses remain resilient amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The recovery kit is aimed to help businesses overcome three IT challenges faced during the pandemic.

The Small Business Recovery Kit contest, available to businesses in Canada and the United States with fewer than 500 employees, will offer tools that are aimed to help businesses solve three IT challenges Cisco has identified during the crisis: remote work, cybercrime protection, and improving productivity and security in new physical workspaces.

“Small businesses make up 98 percent of all businesses in the US and Canada. They form the backbone of our communities. However, the current business environment has left many vulnerable,” Cisco wrote in a recent blog post.

“Small businesses have adapted how they work, sell goods and services, and more, practically overnight,” the organization added. “Now, more than ever, having the right networking infrastructure, collaboration tools, and security products has proven critical to keeping businesses running safely and securely.”

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In order to enter, businesses must complete an online survey with basic information about their business and three questions about how they use technology. If a business is selected as a finalist, Cisco will set up an interview to discuss how it can support that business. Contest winners will then have their business stories developed and their business promoted by Cisco. The prize kits, valued at $3,000, include:

  • Cisco 500 noise isolation headsets
  • Security routers to provide firewall protection
  • A one-year license to use Webex, a video conferencing service, for up to five people.
  • A Cisco Meraki MS switch or a Cisco SG350 Switch.
  • A Cisco Meraki Access Point or a Cisco Business Access Point
  • A three-year licence to use Cisco Meraki for software and licencing
  • A Cisco Meraki MX device for cloud-managed security appliance

According to Cisco, the contents of each prize kit may vary. The deadline to enter is August 2. Interviews will begin in August, and winners will be announced by October.

The Small Business Recovery Kit contest is one of several initiatives Cisco has undertaken in an effort to support businesses during the pandemic. The organization has also created a resiliency guide on how businesses can remain strong during the pandemic and is providing financing options and support to eligible businesses.

Image source Unsplash. Photo by Corinne Kutz.

Isabelle Kirkwood

Isabelle Kirkwood

Isabelle is a Vancouver-based writer with 5+ years of experience in communications and journalism and a lifelong passion for telling stories. For over two years, she has reported on all sides of the Canadian startup ecosystem, from landmark venture deals to public policy, telling the stories of the founders putting Canadian tech on the map.

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