Empowering SMEs for their digital transformation

The application for this project, derives from the need to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are struggling to keep up with the changes in the business world. Nowadays, there's a...

The primary goal of implementing the project was to facilitate the digitalization of self-employed individuals, micro, and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the European Union, with a focus on inclusive growth. Defining the requirements of SMEs through focus group discussions & extant research through literature review was our first step to understand their needs. Then, the consortium tried to achieve its main aim through the development of an online platform, offering cross-sectoral roadmaps for support, a digital readiness self-assessment questionnaire, a digital awareness e- course and a more personalised support through a mentoring process with digital consultants. In general, the #SMESGoDigital project strategically envisions the establishment of a tech hub, serving as a comprehensive resource and a one-stop destination for stakeholders. This hub aims to provide awareness, orientation, and digital competence to guide the target groups, including micro and SMEs manpower, and self-employed individuals through their digital transformation journey, thereby alleviating barriers and constraints faced by SMEs in growing digitally and optimizing their capacity for skills and resources in digital enablement

Based on our 4 project results, the following activities were implemented: PR1: Design of the #SMESGoDigital online platform -Definition of requirements with focus group discussions and extant best practices research identified through literature review: -Development of the blueprint of the online portal functionalities answering the stakeholders’ needs as mapped -Design of the supportive orientation programme: -Definition of three-level roadmap towards digital transformation (basic, standard, and advanced) with incremental stepwise benchmarks -Definition of digital transformation mapping criteria and design of digital readiness self-assessment questionnaire -Design of incremental stepwise micro-learning experiences -Multiplier event: Workshop with micro and small SME’s manpower and self-employed to validate the requirements and the blueprint process PR2: -Development of the #SMESGoDigital online platform -Development of the self-assessment questionnaire and the three-level roadmaps (basic-standard and advanced) -Development of the digital awareness e-course:At the completion of the task, the final result has been the creation of the “SMEsGoDigital online competence-based course”, structured in 18 modules with a micro-learning approach and structured on a 3 level basis (basic, standard and advanced), which refers to the 3 Roadmaps designed and developed. -Set criteria for digital consultants to provide support to SMEs through mentoring -Translation of all the content in the online platform. -Multiplier event: Workshop with micro & SMEs and self-employed professionals and stakeholders for feedback on the PR2 deliverables PR3: Piloting of the #SMESGoDigital tool -Pilot planning -Pilot testing of the #SMEsGoDigital online portal Pilot testing of the supportinve orientation programme Pilot testing of the digital skills and awareness e-course Report on conclusion and recommendations for potential amendments after the pilot testing PR4: Sustainability & exploitation plan framed with policy recommendations; the actions taken are the following: - Definition of the sustainability framework - Development of the sustainability questionnaire for the collection of inputs from each partner organisation regarding the ongoing and future exploitation of the project tangible and intangible results. -Development of the Policy Recommendations Paper -Multiplier event: Workshop with micro & SMEs and self-employed professionals and stakeholders for launching the -#SMESGoDigital tool (final conference) Last but not least, dissemination activities were undertaken, such as the development of the communication and dissemination plan. Finally, in the framework of the project management activities, a Quality Assurance and Risk Management guide was developed.

During the implementation of the project, the following outputs have been developed: P.R.1: Design of #SMESGoDigital tool P.R.2: Development of the #SMESGoDigital tool P.R.3: Piloting of the #SMESGoDigital tool P.R.4: Sustainability plan 1st #SMEsGoDigital Thematic Workshop report 2nd #SMEsGoDigital Thematic Worhkshop report 3rd #SMEsGoDigital Thematic Workshop report Final conference report Kick-off meeting minutes 2nd transnational project meeting minutes 3rd transnational project meeting minutes 4th transnational project meeting minutes 5th transnational project meeting minutes Communication & dissemination plan Quality assurance and risk management guide Final Dissemination Report