Enterprise Europe Network Annual Conference 2023, Bilbao, Spain

Every year, the Annual Conference gathers leading business experts from across the Network and beyond to discuss the best strategies to support the evolving needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This year’s edition promised to be a milestone event leading all the partners in the incredible panels and workshops.

From 15 to 17 November, the Network’s Annual Conference 2023 took place at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre in Spain and virtually. With the theme ‘The EEN at 15: showing the way forward for SMEs’, the event brought together Network partners, EU officials, and private sector representatives. Together, we’ve celebrated the Network’s 15th anniversary and explored strategies to support SMEs on their path to international success. High-level EU and national officials joined the opening session on 15 November.

The conference covered key topics, spanning internationalisation, innovation, start-up support, access to finance, the European industrial transition and more.

The event had 3 main objectives:

• explore how the Network can bolster the European industrial transition, steering it toward a green, digital, and resilient economy
• exchange best practices to enhance the quality and visibility of the Network’s business support services; and
• encourage collaboration across the Network to build a robust support system for SMEs

Gabriela Kostovska Bogoeska, the Executive Director, and Emilija Andonova, the Programme Manager, represented the Foundation for Management and Industrial Research during the event. At the Annual Conference, were acknowledged exceptional SMEs that have thrived with the Network’s support, particularly in areas like sustainability, energy efficiency, and digitalisation. A high-level jury evaluated submissions based on outstanding service quality, tangible results, and market impact. Additionally, a special ‘resilience recognition’ was offered to Network members who demonstrated exceptional resilience during crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Find out more for the winners: Inspiring client journey: Meet the finalists of the Enterprise Europe Network awards | Enterprise Europe Network (europa.eu)