Europe’s Digital Decade and the future of SMEs

It’s 2025. We tap to pay, place orders through apps, and stream films in seconds—yet digital transformation in many European companies is stalling. Not because technology is missing, but because the bridge between ambitious business visions and reliable execution remains fragile.

Let’s be honest:

• Projects that never go live despite months of planning.
• Outdated ERP systems that only one employee truly understands.
• Sprawling spreadsheets hiding the company’s most critical data—maintained by a “shadow IT” that no one ever officially approved.

…and teams that start with motivation, only to give up in frustration. Because tools don’t integrate, processes aren’t thought through, and accountability dissolves in the fog of the project.

The EU’s benchmark

With its “Digital Decade,” the European Commission has set a clear bar:

• Digital skills: By 2030, 80% of the population should have basic digital competencies.
• Business digitalization: Over 90% of SMEs should reach at least a basic digital level (today: 58%).
• Infrastructure: Gigabit connectivity for all, nationwide 5G.
• Digital public services: 100% of key government services available online—user-friendly and secure.

This isn’t just a vision—it’s a commitment. Anyone who wants to stay competitive in 2030 must act now. The gap is wide: in some areas, the distance between where we are and where the EU targets demand we be amounts to decades of technological catch-up.

The challenge is solvable. But not alone

Digitalization isn’t an IT project you can simply outsource to the tech department.

It’s a business transformation. It requires strategic foresight, technological expertise, and execution that doesn’t fall apart across departments or vendors. Many companies don’t fail on the “why” of digitalization—that part is obvious—but on the “how.”

• How do I translate my business idea into a viable, modern technical solution?
• How do I build capabilities internally so that know-how stays within the company?
• How do I deliver quick results without sacrificing flexibility?

A true partner

That’s the difference between yet another failed project and a genuine digital leap forward.

It takes partners who don’t just advise but co-create. Who see business strategy and technology as equals. Who empower teams to continue independently after the project ends—without costly dependencies.

Europe’s digital decade is not a distant horizon. It’s a deadline. And every month that digital challenges go unaddressed is a month in which the gap to the frontrunners grows.

Our question: Are you on track for 2030?

If not, the time to act is now.