Digitalization for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Gain clarity. Set priorities. Start implementation.

A two‑day workshop for small and medium-sized enterprises that want to take a strategic and practical approach to digitalization.

Digitalization is already shaping everyday business life for many SMEs – but often without a clear structure.


At the same time, it becomes increasingly apparent that the SME sector is caught in a digitalization dilemma:

  • The German SME sector invests around €31.9 billion each year in digitalization initiatives. However, many of these investments are still made without a clear plan or prioritization, as recent analyses by KfW Research in the “Digitalization Report SME” show.
  • According to evaluations from Mittelstand Digital (BMWK), particularly the study “Digitalization of SMEs,” many digitalization measures continue to emerge as isolated individual projects, which significantly weakens their overall impact.

Typical situations:

  • The importance of digitalization is evident, but the concrete path remains unclear
  • Many isolated measures, but no overall picture
  • Limited time, limited budgets, unclear priorities
  • Employees feel uncertain or skeptical toward change
  • External solutions seem complex or disconnected from practical needs.

The result: Uncertainty, delays, and investments without measurable benefit.

 

Where to start – and which measures truly create value?


This is exactly where our workshop comes in: It helps companies gain clarity, set priorities, and implement digitalization in a structured way.

Our two‑day workshop provides clarity, orientation and decision-making foundations.

Together, we analyze your current situation, identify relevant fields of action, and develop a realistic, implementable digitalization roadmap – tailored to your company, your resources, and your strategic goals.

Overview of the Workshop: "Digitalization for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises"

Format In-person workshop in Berlin
Duration 2 days
Group size 3-8
Language German 
(English upon request)
Venue

Fraunhofer FOKUS
Kaiserin Augusta Alle 31, 10589 Berlin

Workshop Fee 3800 € (VAT exempt according to §4 No. 22 letter a German VAT Act)

Contact us to schedule a workshop appointment.

Do you need individual consulting or further information? Feel free to contact us.

Contents

Day 1 – Understand & Analyze

  • Analysis of your current digital maturity level
  • Identification of key problems and bottlenecks
  • Review of technology, processes, organization, and people
  • Detection of potential and quick wins

Result: A clear, shared understanding of your starting point.

 

Day 2 – Goals & Implementation

  • Definition of concrete, measurable digitalization goals
  • Prioritization of relevant action fields
  • Development of an actionable roadmap
  • Clarification of responsibilities and next steps

Result: A structured plan for your digital transformation journey.

Traget Groups

The workshop is designed for:

  • Owners and managing directors of SMEs
  • Heads of departments and business units
  • People responsible for IT, processes, innovation, or organizational development

Industry-independent – wherever digitalization needs to be approached in a structured and meaningful way.

Your Benefits at a Glance
  • A clear overview of your digital status quo
  • Objective assessment through an external perspective
  • Concrete, prioritized measures instead of theoretical concepts
  • Understandable digitalization – even without IT expertise
  • High acceptance through involvement of relevant stakeholders
  • Immediately actionable next steps
FAQ

Frequently ask questions

Who is the workshop suitable for?

The workshop is designed for small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly for managing directors, owners, and professionals or leaders working in organization, processes, IT, or innovation. No industry knowledge or digital expertise is required.

 

Do we need specific IT or digitalization skills?

No. The workshop is structured in a clear, accessible way and intentionally designed so that no technical knowledge is necessary. The focus is on value, priorities, and practical feasibility – not on tools or technical jargon.

 

What prerequisites should we bring?

Most importantly, a willingness to take an honest look at your current situation and prepare for decision-making. Ideally, several relevant roles from within the company should participate.

 

How is the workshop structured?

The workshop takes place over two consecutive days:

Day 1: Analysis and assessment of your current digital maturity
Day 2: Goal setting, prioritization, and development of a practical, actionable roadmap

The process is interactive, structured, and strongly aligned with your real-world business context.

 

What is the concrete outcome of the workshop?

By the end, you will have:

  • a shared understanding of your digital starting point
  • clearly prioritized fields of action
  • concrete goals and a realistic implementation logic
  • a structured roadmap as a foundation for decisions and next steps

 

Does the workshop focus on specific technologies or software solutions?

No. The workshop is vendor‑ and tool‑neutral. It is not about pushing technology but about identifying where digitalization is meaningful for your company – and where it is not.

 

How many people should participate?

A group of 4–8 participants has proven effective, ideally representing different perspectives within the company and bringing decision-making authority.

 

Is the workshop held on-site or online?

The workshop can be conducted on-site at your company or in suitable external facilities. Alternative formats can be arranged upon request.

 

Do we need to prepare for the workshop?

Preparation effort is minimal. You will receive a short briefing in advance to tailor the workshop precisely to your company’s needs.

 

What happens after the workshop?

The workshop provides a clear decision-making basis. If desired, we can support the subsequent implementation or offer targeted follow-up support – entirely at your discretion.

Kontakt

Für weitere Informationen oder Fragen zur Weiterbildung kontaktieren Sie uns bitte unter akademie@fokus.fraunhofer.de.

Contact Press / Media

Anne Halbich

Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems
Kaiserin-Augusta-Allee 31
10589 Berlin, Germany

Phone +493034637346

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