“The SME Factor in Europe’s Sovereignty”
Date, hour and room to be defined
Session Chair:
- Colin Willcock (6G-IA, )
European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the continent’s economy, representing 99% of the businesses in the EU and providing 65% of the employment. They are at the forefront of the digital and green transitions, driving innovation, bridging critical gaps in the ecosystem and creating value. SMEs are therefore critical for Europe’s resilience and sovereignty.
The instability of the current geopolitical scenario calls for a strong domestic industrial and entrepreneurial base. SMEs are strategic in safeguarding Europe’s industrial capacity, maintaining critical know-how and contributing to smaller and more flexible supply chains. In turn, they prevent excessive dependence on a smaller number of large corporations and foreign actors.
SMEs are embedded in the local communities, supporting a balanced regional development and strengthening social cohesion. Moreover, they are essential to ensure an ethical and sustainable technology. Yet, significant constrains (financial, regulatory, bureaucratic, unfair competition) remain that prevent a level playing field for SMEs.
The aim of this session is to highlight the strategic role of SMEs in strengthening European sovereignty and resilience in the advent of 6G. Members of the NetworldEurope SME Working Group will present concrete contributions demonstrating how SMEs drive innovation, technological independence, and ecosystem competitiveness. The workshop will also provide a forum to address the key challenges SMEs currently face, explore solutions to enhance their impact, and discuss ways to increase their visibility and integration within the broader 6G ecosystem.
Programme
The session will be structured as follows:
- Welcome (5 min)
- Overview of the role of SMEs in Europe’s sovereignty and resilience from a political, technological and industrial perspective (25 min)
- Presentation of SMEs contributions to Europe’s sovereignty and resilience (30 min)
- Panel discussion “Think Small First” (25 min)
- Conclusions and next steps (5 min)
Speakers will include representatives from DG CONNECT (tbc) and 6G-IA (Kostas Trichias, Head of 6G Research & Innovation Coordination) who will provide an overview of the role of SMEs from a political and industrial standpoint.
Telefónica (Javier García Rodrigo, R&D projects, Innovation Management) will present how large corporations collaborate closely with SMEs, illustrating concrete models of partnership and innovation integration within the 6G ecosystem.
The NetworldEurope SME WG members Ubiwhere (Portugal), Four Dot Infinity (Greece) and Cumucore (Finland) will showcase their specific contributions to European sovereignty and resilience. In addition to industry stakeholders, the panel discussion will involve a representative from research.
