From the very first session, the conversation focused on how Europe’s small and medium-sized enterprises can thrive in an era of transformation, one that demands resilience, creativity, and collaboration.
The morning began with an official opening from the European Commission, Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, and Danish Minister for Industry Morten Bødskov at the Forum in Frederiksberg, better known for concerts than conferences. Alive with the sound of ideas and ambition, the events built on last night’s Schumpeter ‘Innovation in Enterprise’ Lecture by Professor Friederike Welter (watch the highlights here), which reminded participants that “creativity and innovation lie at the heart of entrepreneurship,”
The “Competitive Enterprise” panel set the tone with cautious optimism. Emilie Prouzet, President of the INT section at the European Economic and Social Committee, reflected that Europe’s small businesses stand at a crossroads: “We have to decide now whether Europe’s SMEs merely survive or truly strive over the next four years. I’m optimistic, but only if we tackle the fundamentals.”
Discussions on innovation, investment and skills framed the challenge ahead, ensuring that every SME has the means to grow smarter, greener, and stronger.
At the SME Performance and Competitiveness Review, Giacomo Fersini (European Economic and Social Committee) offered a realistic but hopeful outlook:
“Expectations are less negative compared to 2025, and this comes after very challenging years for companies where policy conditions were particularly challenging and not very favorable for SMEs.”
His analysis underscored that while Europe’s small businesses have faced headwinds, renewed policy focus and a more stable environment are laying the groundwork for growth.
In the session on Preparedness and Resilience, panels discussed how SMEs can shift from reactive crisis management to proactive, value-chain-based resilience. Opening Mariia Alipatova’s (founder of Tova Industries, Youth Start-up Competition 2023 winner) story, shared via a video filmed in Kyiv, Mariia reflected on the challenges of running a small business particularly during wartime. Jakob Ellemann-Jensen of the Danish Chamber of Commerce captured the spirit of learning and partnership, noting, “We are not as aware, we are not as prepared — but we have a lot to learn from you.”
The Stories of Success session added a deeply human dimension to the day. Christopher Hutchinson (founder of Prosfit) shared his journey as an entrepreneur and amputee, inspiring the room with his call for more inclusive business ecosystems: “I believe that’s something that we also would like to infect some of the rest of the economic system with as well — that we can move from a consumer to a producer, an entrepreneurial doer economy.”
