October 16, 2025

Across Europe, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in traditional industries are under increasing pressure to adapt to the digital era. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced data analytics, and IoT-enabled platforms are transforming production processes, business models, and supply chains. Yet, many SMEs continue to face challenges: identifying the right technologies, investing in workforce training, and acquiring the necessary expertise to remain competitive.

Sectors such as personal protective equipment (PPE), textile care, and medical devices illustrate these dynamics particularly well. Highly regulated and built on long-standing processes, they are increasingly confronted with demands for traceability, regulatory compliance, automation, and sustainability.

This workshop, organised by Small Business Standards (SBS) in collaboration with DIGITAL SME, SME Safety and the German Textile Cleaning Association (DTV), provided a platform for SME representatives, technology and standards experts, and policymakers to exchange perspectives on the skills and technologies driving digital transformation.

Highlights:

• Keynote address from the European Commission on European policy priorities for SME digitalisation
• Expert presentations on key technology trends including AI, cybersecurity, smart textiles, and digitalisation
• A panel discussion on technology, standards, and the Digital Product Passport
• Case studies from SMEs sharing their digitalisation journeys
• Overview of resources and initiatives supporting digital skills and workforce development

Agenda

10:00-10:10 Opening & Introduction

• Andrea Raffaelli – Senior Policy Adviser and Experts Coordinator at Small Business Standards

10:10 – 10:30 Keynote Presentation – The EU’s Strategy for supporting the digitalisation of the European Industry

• Joachim Schwerin – Principal Economist, DG GROW, European Commission

10:30 – 11:20 Expert presentations on key technology trends

Digitalisation of the Healthcare sector and European Data Spaces

• Alena Bubeck – Project Manager at Steinbeis Europa Zentrum and SHIFT-HUB Coordinator
• Evdokimos Konstantinidis – Postdoctoral Research Associate at Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Lab, School of Medicine Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Identification and Labelling:

• Jörg Koopmann – CEO at KooBra Software Entwicklungs GmbH

Smart Textiles

• Christoph Riethmueller – Head of Technology Center Smart Living Textiles at DITF

EU Cybersecurity and regulatory requirements:

• Patricia Shields – CEO and Co-Founder at Cyber Cert Labs

Artificial Intelligence

• Alexander Paulheim – Process engineer at Cleaning Technology Institute e.V.

11:20 – 11:25 Short Q&A Session

11:25 – 11:55 Panel Discussion: Technology, Standards and next steps for the Digital Product Passport

Panel Keynote Presentation

• Thomas Knothe – Chair of CEN-CENELEC JTC 24 Digital Product Passport Framework and System, Fraunhofer

Panellists:

• Belen Suarez Lopez – CEO of Go to Innovation, CEN-CENELEC TC 389 and TC 307
• Pirkka Frosti – Founder and CEO of IOXIO
• David Dolhomut – Head of Partnerships & Business Development at Traced Systems

11:55 – 12:00 Short Q&A Session

12:00 – 12:20 SME Journeys in Digitalisation

Case study (SME): Digital innovation in medical devices or textile care:

• Sven Schöppe – Standardization expert and Managing Director of LEO System GmbH

12:20 – 12:45 Building Digital Skills and Ecosystem Support

European Digital Skills & Jobs Platform:

• Sabrina Vorbau – Project Manager at EUN

European Skills Partnership for Textile, clothing, leather and footwear industries:

• Pedro Gonçalves – Policy and Project Officer at EURATEX

European Digital Large-Scale Partnership:

• Caterina Bortolaso – Project Manager at European DIGITAL SME Alliance

12:45 – 12:55 Q&A Session, Open Discussion & Exchange

12:55 – 13:00 Closing Remarks