How can policy makers support the digitalization for European SMEs?

BLOCKCHERS Project and the European Parliament will celebrate next Thursday 28^th of January at 11:30- 13:00 a Working Breakfast on “How policy makers can support the digitalization for European SMEs?”.

The event will be hosted by Adriana Maldonado López, MEP member of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and, substitute on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) and on the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age (AIDA).

During the breakfast, attendees will have the opportunity to listen first-hand three relevant acceleration programs supported by the European Comission, who will explain in detail their use cases and business ideas, as real examples of application and success regarding the implementation of blockchain technologies in Europe.

To complete this session, the attendees will have the chance to know the main challenges that SMEs have towards their digitisation, explained by representatives of ALASTRIA. Moreover, some challenges and policy recommendation related to the future implementation of Distributed Ledged Technologies in Europe (DLT’s) will be proposed and the vision of the future of DLTs in Europe will be explained by DG Connect and EASME representatives.

In the organization of this event are joining two other acceleration programmes selected by the European Commission with a relevant role fostering the adoption of Blockchain and DLTs by the SMEs in Europe:

BLOCKSTART is a 3-stage partnership programme. Each DLT/ blockchain startup receives a grant (equity-free) of up to €20,000, tailored tech and business mentoring. This accelerator is focused on fintech, ICT, and retail.
BLOCKPOOL project is already ongoing and has selected for funding 25 SMEs to develop and test DLT in more than 11 different DLTs and directly affecting 8 different economic sectors.

Agenda and registration

Find here the full programme of the event.

11:30 – 11:35 Introduction

Ms. Adriana MALDONADO -MEP – Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection.

11:35 – 11:45 Vision of the future of DLTs in Europe. Initiatives at EU level.

Mr. Daniel GASSMAN – Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, EASME.

Mr. Rapolas LAKAVICIUS – Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology. European Commission.

11:45 – 11:50 Challenges of digital SMEs in the EU.

Ms. Almudena de la MATA – Alastria.

11:50 – 12:05 Preliminary political recommendations based in the project experience.

Ms. Denise DUVE and Mr. Stefan SCHMITT – Frankfurt School Blockchain Center.

12:05 -12:20 Examples of real projects and use cases directed to the spreading of the

DLTs in SMEs. Acceleration programmes.

Mr. Néstor ETXALEKU – Blockchers.
Mr. Robert RICHTER – Blockpool.
Mr. Joao FERNANDES –Blockstart.

12:20 – 12:50 Presentation of 3 innovative DLT application uses cases.

Mr. Luis CARBAJO / Ms. Marta VALLES – Representatives of VOTTUN.
Mr. José Manuel AVELINO – Representative of VESTIGIA.
Mr. Philipp ROTHE / Ms. Rebecca JOHNSON – Representatives of Datarella.

12:50 – 13:00 Q&A.

13:00 Summary of conclusions by MEP Adriana MALDONADO