5 Business Insights from Digital Transformation Day: What Matters for Business
IT ClusterDigital transformation for small and medium-sized businesses has long ceased to be something complex and distant. It is a necessity for those who want to grow and remain competitive. But where to start? Which tools to begin with? And how not to lose focus among the multitude of offers and opportunities?
We share insights voiced at Digital Transformation Day — the final offline event of the digitalization marathon for SMEs, organized by Kharkiv IT Cluster within the EEN project.
1. Digitalization starts with business needs
Before looking for IT solutions, ask yourself: what specific problem do I want to solve? Excessive manual work? Slow team communication? Lack of analytics? Technology is just a tool. Successful transformation starts with a clearly formulated request.
2. Digital culture means changing habits
No CRM or task manager will work if the team continues communicating in chats and doesn’t record tasks. Digitalization is mostly about changing approaches. Sometimes the hardest part is not buying new software, but establishing new discipline within the team.
3. It’s worth automating not everything, but what eats up time
One of the most frequent requests is “let’s automate everything.” But in practice, only what saves time and eases the team’s workload works effectively: regular tasks, repetitive actions, routine checks. Start small and scale up.
4. Legal safety and cybersecurity are a must
With the move online, risks increase. Cybersecurity, electronic contracts, and personal data protection are mandatory elements of the strategy. Otherwise, one mistake can cost the company its reputation, clients, and money.
5. Accessibility is no longer a barrier
Digital solutions have become accessible for businesses of any scale. Today, many tools offer free or budget-friendly packages, require no complex technical setup, and are easy to implement even in small teams. Often, basic solutions are enough to optimize operations, improve record-keeping, or enhance communication quality.
In addition, entrepreneurs can take advantage of support within the EEN project. It offers practical opportunities for digital development: free consultations on business model transformation, participation in international events for experience exchange and finding technological partners, as well as support in attending key events of the digital ecosystem abroad. This is an additional resource for those who aim to scale digital solutions and enter new markets.
These and other topics became the focus of the digitalization marathon for SMEs, which we held over several months within the EEN project. In a series of online meetings and the final Digital Transformation Day event, we spoke simply about complex things, shared practical solutions, and helped Ukrainian businesses take the first (or next) steps toward digital maturity.
As a result 👇
- 7 events — including the offline finale in Kharkiv
- 290 participants from different regions
- 200+ SMEs that gained new skills and answers to their requests
- 400+ views of the recordings on YouTube
🎥 Recordings of all events are available at the link — choose the topics closest to you and implement digital changes at your own pace
The digitalization marathon became possible thanks to the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) — the largest European network that helps small and medium-sized businesses grow, enter new markets, and implement innovations.
We thank EEN for the partnership, trust, and shared commitment to supporting Ukrainian business in its transformation.
Kharkiv IT Cluster is the only organization in Ukraine that has an official partnership with EEN. This allows us to open access to international opportunities, knowledge, and solutions for Ukrainian business.
Do you want to receive support for growth, enter new markets, and collaborate with leading tech companies in Ukraine and Europe?
