The landscape around businesses is continually shifting, demanding a fresh approach to how models are built and sustained. Embracing digitization goes beyond simply adopting advanced technology, moving past cloud storage, document digitization, or ERP purchases. It represents a cultural shift—a change in the rules of the game—an ongoing evolution that weaves new technologies into every process. When done well, this integration drives efficiency across the organization and boosts competitiveness in a global marketplace.
The Generation Digital SMEs program is an EU-supported initiative funded through NextGenerationEU and administered by the EOI Foundation. This foundation operates under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism via the General Secretariat for Industry and SMEs.
Designed for SME leaders managing companies with 10 to 249 employees, the program sets a limit of two participants per company to ensure focused outcomes.
Four institutions collaborate to deliver a transformative project tailored to SME needs. Each partner contributes a distinct strength: UCAM offers experience, accreditation, and rigor; Verne Academy and Tecon provide practical technological know-how aligned with actual business needs; and Aquora brings expertise in executive education.
The core objective is to equip highly qualified professionals within participating organizations—at no cost—with the knowledge and competencies required to drive their company’s digital transformation projects. The program aims to boost productivity, unlock growth opportunities, and support internationalization, while also narrowing the digital gap for the digital sector. A special emphasis is placed on encouraging more women to engage with the SME digital landscape.
The improvement plan for SME leaders focuses on turning knowledge into action through practical transfer methodologies. Participants will develop and implement a Digital Transformation Plan built from their real-world challenges, ensuring the program delivers tangible results for each business.
This initiative aspires to catalyze change by presenting a model that delivers competitive advantages, not solely through technology but by empowering the participating companies to perform at higher levels across their operations.
Beyond the itinerary outlined in the EOI proposal, the partner institutions have added enhancements to amplify the project’s impact. These include a psychometric assessment, an initial diagnostic, and strategic reflection to identify performance indicators. The process highlights the potential attributes of participants with greater credibility. Additional elements such as Change Management, Learnability, and Employee Experience are incorporated into the training plan to complete the program. Throughout, participants receive individualized mentoring to maximize outcomes.
The result is a smoother integration of culture and talent projects, aligned with the broader brand experience and the digitalization initiatives each company starts to pursue.
“The alliance strengthens SME commitment and approaches this transformation with a measurable, reality-based, and tailored perspective,” affirm the participating organizations.