Sustaining SMEs in Transition to Digital: Sharing Experiences and Best Practices in Connecting and Engaging With SMEs

Sustaining SMEs in Transition to Digital:
Sharing Experiences and Best Practices in Connecting and Engaging With SMEs

Why is this conversation important?

Through recovery and towards global leadership, the way to Europeā€™s future is powered by digitalization. Between the recession caused by COVID-19 and the upcoming energy crisis, for many European Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) survival is challenging enough that planning for an increasingly uncertain future is out of the question. Improved operational efficiency, an expanded customer base, higher revenues and lower costs, as well as a competitive advantage ā€“ all undisputed benefits of digitalization ā€“ cannot be a priority when the focus is on survival and daily business.

In such a fractured economic landscape, how can we reach out and successfully engage entrepreneurs and SME owners in order to jumpstart their digital transformation and support them throughout it?

Both on the national and the European level, policy makers need to foster the right environment through targeted action packages and funding opportunities for SMEs to invest in their future. It is clear, however, that a ā€œone-size-fits-allā€ approach will not work, due to to the incredible diversity of the SMEs.

The upcoming summit will bring together stakeholders from the institutions, trade associations, the private sector as well as SME representatives to share experiences and best practices in connecting and engaging SMEs. Only by cultivating cooperation across all sectors, we can create and strengthen public-private partnerships to make digitalization accessible to all.

ā€ƒ

Meet our interlocutors

Eva Maydell (TBC) Member of the European Parliament
Pilar del CASTILLO VERA (TBC) Member of the European Parliament
Maria Garbriel (TBC) Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
Petr Očko (TBC) Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, in charge of the Digitalisation and Innovation Section, Czech Republic
KATARƍNA KAKALƍKOVƁ (TBC) Director Public Policy for Central Europe, Mastercard Europe
ANNA KLISSOURAS (TBC) Principal EU Public Policy - SME and new markets, Amazon
PETER KOFLER (TBC) CEO of Danish Entrepreneurs
Horst Heitz Chair of the Steering Committee with SME Connect
TBA Impact Foundation CEE
SME REPRESENTATIVE
SME REPRESENTATIVE
SME REPRESENTATIVE

Agenda

  • HORST HEITZ Chair of the Steering Committee of SME Connect
  • EVA MAYDELL MEP (TBC) ITRE, AIDA & ECON Committees; EPP Group rapporteur for the DSA and DMA in the ECON Committee; Shadow Rapporteur on European Strategy for Data, Vice President of SME Europe
    PILAR DEL CASTILLO VERA MEP (TBC) ITRE & IMCO Committees;
    Steering Committee Chair of the European Internet Forum
  • MARIYA GABRIEL (TBC) European Commissione for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
  • JOURNALIST (TBA) (From a Member State)
  • (TBA) Impact Foundation CEE
  • Peter Kofler (TBC) CEO of the Danish Entrepreneurs
    KATARƍNA KAKALƍKOVƁ (TBC) Director Public Policy for Central Europe, Mastercard Europe
    ANNA KLISSOURAS (TBC) Principal EU Public Policy - SME and new markets, Amazon
  • SME (TBA)
    SME (TBA)
    SME (TBA)
  • MARIYA GABRIEL (TBC) European Commissione for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth
    Petr Očko (TBC) Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, in charge of the Digitalisation and Innovation Section, Czech Republic
    PILAR DEL CASTILLO VERA MEP (TBC) ITRE & IMCO Committees;
    Steering Committee Chair of the European Internet Forum
    EVA MAYDELL MEP (TBC) ITRE, AIDA & ECON Committees; EPP Group rapporteur for the DSA and DMA in the ECON Committee; Shadow Rapporteur on European Strategy for Data, Vice President of SME Europe
  • HORST HEITZ Chair of the Steering Committee of SME Connect