4 December 2025 | 09:00 – 18:30
Brussels, Belgium
In-person Event
Join us on 4 December 2025 in Brussels for the European DIGITAL SME summit 2025, the flagship annual gathering of Europe’s SME-driven tech ecosystem. Organised by SHIFT-HUB partner European DIGITAL SME Alliance, the Summit convenes innovators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and experts to shape a sovereign, competitive, and resilient digital future for Europe. In-person participation is free and open to all stakeholders.
The summit also welcomes the SHIFT-HUB community, offering its members the opportunity to engage directly with Europe’s digital transformation agenda and connect with leading actors across health, data, AI, cybersecurity, cloud, and standardisation.
What to Expect?
The Summit offers a full day of strategic debates, business-focused sessions, solution showcases, and high-level interventions. Participants will gain insights from EU and national policymakers, explore concrete digital solutions across key strategic areas, and connect with partners shaping Europe’s technological sovereignty.
SMEs and SHIFT-HUB community members will find inspiration, practical guidance, and opportunities to plug into Europe’s wider digital and data ecosystem — from AI and cloud infrastructure to standardisation, cybersecurity, access to finance, and digital skills.
High-Level Speakers
The 2025 edition will gather some of Europe’s most influential digital leaders, including Henna Virkkunen (EVP for Tech Sovereignty, Security & Democracy, European Commission), Ekaterina Zaharieva (Commissioner for Start-ups, Research & Innovation), Caroline Stage Olsen (Minister for Digitalisation, Denmark), Eléonore Simonet (Belgian Minister for SMEs) and Members of the European Parliament, national digital ministers, and leading SME innovators
Key Themes
This year’s Summit will explore the building blocks of Europe’s technological sovereignty, including funding strategies for digital SMEs, the development of a resilient European tech stack, and instruments to scale innovation.
Sessions will address the critical role of ICT standardisation, including interoperability, SME participation, and the practical implementation of the AI Act and Cyber Resilience Act. The SBS Forum on ICT Standardisation will spotlight how Europe can strengthen SME engagement in global SDOs and ensure that standards remain open, competitive, and innovation friendly.
Other discussions will delve into Europe’s path toward an SME-led AI ecosystem, the positioning of European cloud and edge providers, and the increasing need for cyber resilience and responsible data governance. Talent development and digital skills for the future workforce will also feature prominently.
Networking & Opportunities
The Summit is designed as a powerful platform for collaboration and growth — for SMEs and for the full wider community. Participants will be able to connect with tech leaders, EU funding bodies, investors, corporates, and fellow innovators exploring digital opportunities across Europe.
SHIFT-HUB members joining the Summit will have the chance to meet the broader DIGITAL SME network, exchange with experts working on health data, AI, digitalisation and interoperability, and connect with peers from the SHIFT-HUB Focus Group on e-Health.
Highlights include:
- Matchmaking Sessions; Connect with potential partners, clients, investors, and representatives of EU initiatives
- DIGITAL SME Awards 2025: Celebrating outstanding SMEs in the categories of Green, Society, and Skills
Join Us in Brussels
The DIGITAL SME Summit 2025 is the premier event for anyone committed to building a sovereign, competitive, and innovation-driven digital Europe — and a key opportunity for the SHIFT-HUB community to engage with the wider tech ecosystem.
Be part of the conversations, partnerships, and ideas shaping Europe’s digital frontiers.
For more details, please refer to the agenda.
