Why Standards Matter for SMEs
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) represent 99% of all EU businesses, yet their participation in ICT standardisation remains limited. Standards are not just technical specifications, they are strategic tools that foster interoperability, trust, and market access. By engaging in standardisation, SMEs can strengthen their competitiveness, anticipate regulatory changes, and position themselves at the forefront of Europe’s digital transformation.
However, lack of time, awareness, or resources often prevents smaller companies from taking part. StandICT.eu 2029 bridges this gap by offering training material, mentorship, funding, and visibility opportunities designed to make ICT standardisation more accessible and impactful for SMEs.
Building SME Capacity in ICT Standardisation
StandICT.eu 2029 is actively working to build the capacity of SMEs to participate in ICT standardisation. This means providing the knowledge, resources, and connections that smaller companies need to understand, apply, and contribute to international standards.
A central part of this effort is the development of dedicated guidebooks for SMEs, which will explain how to adopt and use key ICT standards. These publications will help SMEs navigate complex topics such as Artificial Intelligence and the AI Act, quantum computing, and other emerging areas identified in the EU Annual Union Work Programme on Standardisation.
To make learning and engagement easier, SMEs can also access the EUOS Standards Academy, an online space offering free modules and resources on ICT standardisation — and the European Observatory for ICT Standardisation (EUOS), which monitors standards and provides a clear view of ongoing activities, working groups, and expert communities. Together, these tools allow SMEs to stay up to date with the latest developments and understand where they can contribute.
StandICT.eu also collaborates with international Standards Developing Organisations (SDOs) to ensure that European SMEs can connect with worldwide standardisation efforts. An international event, organised in cooperation with leading SDOs, will be organised to discuss the barriers SMEs face in standardisation and opportunities available to strengthen their participation.
StandICT Mentorship Programme: Guiding SMEs into the ICT Standardisation Ecosystem
The StandICT.eu Mentorship Programme connects SME newcomers with experienced European ICT standardisation experts. Through this guidance, SMEs learn how to engage with Standards Developing Organisations (SDOs), understand working group procedures, and align their innovation with emerging standards.
Mentors, often returning StandICT Fellows or consolidated experts, will share their experience and networks to support new SME voices and young professionals in shaping international standards. This also gives the possibility to experienced standardisers to diffuse their knowledge to a new generation of European experts and enable the European Union to keep a strong standardisation knowledge base for the years ahead.
Funding Opportunities for SMEs
Through its regular Open Calls, StandICT.eu provides financial support to European ICT experts, including those from SMEs, contributing to both European and international standardisation efforts across all areas of the EU ICT Rolling Plan for Standardisation, such as AI, cybersecurity, data, blockchain, and quantum technologies.
To date, more than 400 European experts have already benefited from this funding to become StandICT fellows and contributed to shaping European and international standards following the European values and strategic priorities.
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