Tuesday, December 10th, the second edition of the Digital SME Summit reunited over 600 participants to debate on how to transform Europe into a continent of digital leaders.
High-level experts representing the political, business, academic and civil society environments of more than 40 EU countries have discussed the role of SMEs as enablers of digital innovation, outlining actions for European digital leadership and initiatives to help SMEs thrive in the Digital Single Market.
Setting the priorities for the new EU mandate
Achieving technological sovereignty and building a tech stack made in Europe have been foregrounded as 2 key current and future objectives of the European Commission’s department for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy. According to Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, €750 million will be invested in seven supercomputers to advance the AI capacity of the European industry.
Policymakers, innovators and industry leaders have called attention to the utmost role of Digital SMEs in advocating for an inclusive economical transformation, with European values laid at the foundation of it. Throughout the 1-day event, panelists have addressed the following topics:
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- Towards a European Digital New Deal
- Strengthening Europe’s Standardisation Expertise through Education (SBS ICT Forum)
- Successful EU-African joint ventures in the digital sector: Opportunities or collaboration and transfer of knowhow
- Towards a European Digital Public Infrastructure
- Mastering the path to the Green and Digital Transition
- Fostering Digital Resilience in the Era of Economic Security
Andrei Kelemen – a new Vice President mandate for the Alliance in Romania
On the occasion of the Summit’s 2025 edition, Andrei Kelemen, CEO of Cluj IT Cluster, has been invited to share personal perspectives on pioneering emerging technologies for Europe’s Digital Sovereignty, stating that:
The Digital SME Summit is becoming a brand in the very packed conference landscape of Brussels and has the chance to position itself as the most representative event for European SMEs. I am convinced that we can contribute to this in the upcoming years. I was happy and honored to be part of the closing panel of this year’s edition of the Summit and to be able to present our vision on how we can advance the economy and the European Single Market, with the help of locally established technologies
Further sharing the exciting news, Cluj IT is proudly announcing that Mr. Kelemen has been re-elected Vice President for Romania within the Digital SME Alliance for a mandate spanning over two years – title renewed during the General Assembly following the conference day.
The 2025 Digital SME Alliance Awards
In a celebration of European SMEs’ achievements, the organizers have publicly awarded their efforts in 3 key areas: green, society and skills. According to the team, “these pioneering SMEs are setting an inspiring precedent for the broader industry, by demonstrating the power of innovation to solve pressing challenges while upholding European values.”
The tech SMEs in these categories have shown particular eagerness to embrace environmental responsibility, achieve social well-being and inclusiveness, as well as to promote the digital skills for education, through the upskilling and reskilling of the workforce.
Looking forward
As the second edition of this annual summit came to an end, leading pioneers in the digital and innovation field have reaffirmed their commitment to accelerate Europe’s digital leadership. Better shaped directions have been set for the EU’s new mandate, aligning these actions to the continent’s values. The Digital SME Alliance will continue to empower SMEs to shape their standards and interoperability, supporting digitalisation and sustainability and Cluj IT will be supporting these initiatives as they unfold.
