Kharkiv IT Cluster in the European Digital SME Alliance Working Groups: A New Level of Engagement...

April 27, 2026

Kharkiv IT Cluster has joined three working groups of the European Digital SME Alliance — expert teams where business and industry representatives collaborate to discuss and shape approaches to technology development across the EU. In addition, we contributed to the development of the strategic guideline “From User to Owner – A Digital Sovereignty Roadmap for SMEs” within the digitalisation track.

We are entering the space where approaches to AI regulation, cybersecurity, and business digital transformation are being shaped across the European Union.

What is the European Digital SME Alliance?

The European Digital SME Alliance is a pan-European network that brings together digital associations and technology clusters from various EU countries. Its key role is to represent the voice of small and medium-sized IT businesses in dialogue with European institutions.

Through working groups and focus groups, the Alliance helps shape the position of the European digital sector on:

• AI regulation and responsible use of technologies
• cybersecurity standards and data protection
• digital sovereignty of businesses in a globally competitive environment
• practical policies for SMEs entering the EU market

Working Groups: Kharkiv IT Cluster Within European Digital Solutions

Through the working groups of the European Digital SME Alliance, Kharkiv IT Cluster represents the Ukrainian IT sector and contributes to discussions on how EU regulations for AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation should be designed.

For us, this is an opportunity to stay closer to the processes where future regulations are developed and to understand upcoming changes before they become mandatory for the market.

Working Group Digitalisation

The Working Group Digitalisation (WG DG) is an expert environment within DIGITAL SME that brings together professionals with hands-on experience in business and industry digital transformation.

The group focuses on real technologies and implementation scenarios, including:

• industrial digitalisation development
• European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs)
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Building Information Modeling (BIM)
• big data
• cloud solutions
• blockchain
• smart city technologies

Working Group Cybersecurity and Data Protection

The DIGITAL SME Working Group on Cybersecurity and Data Protection is a community of experts and practitioners working to make digital Europe safer and more resilient to cyber threats.

The group brings together cybersecurity solution providers, clusters, and expert organisations representing the interests of SMEs across Europe.

Its focus areas include:

• developing joint guidelines and tools used at the European level
• shaping positions on new cybersecurity laws and standards
• sharing best practices for data protection and cyber risk response for businesses
• collaborating with European regulators and expert bodies (including ENISA and the European Commission)
• contributing to the development of cybersecurity standards and certifications

Focus Group Artificial Intelligence

Today, AI is a highly regulation-sensitive domain. This focus group was launched in partnership with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and its AI community as a space where AI companies and startups can:

• exchange practical experience and best practices
• discover new business opportunities and partnerships
• contribute to discussions and policy-shaping around AI regulation in Europe

This is a group where the AI industry directly influences how artificial intelligence will evolve and be regulated in the EU.

“From User to Owner – A Digital Sovereignty Roadmap for SMEs”: Digital Sovereignty for SMEs

Kharkiv IT Cluster contributed to the development of a guideline by the European DIGITAL SME Alliance designed to help small and medium-sized companies navigate digital transformation.

The guideline is being developed as a practical business tool that combines real-life case studies, practical approaches to technology decision-making and analysis of common trade-offs companies face during digitalisation

For almost a year, Kharkiv IT Cluster has been coordinating Eastern Ukraine EDIH — a hub supporting SMEs, communities, and manufacturing companies in adopting technologies efficiently and with minimized risks and costs.

We bring hands-on experience and practical cases that can be valuable to the European ecosystem, and we are ready to share them.

What Does Participation in Working Groups Mean for Kharkiv IT Cluster?

By joining European expert platforms, we are becoming part of the ecosystem where practical approaches to the EU digital economy are being defined.

For us, this means:

• being present where EU digital regulatory approaches are shaped
• influencing rules that will determine business competitiveness for years ahead
• integrating Ukrainian expertise into European digital policy

What Does This Mean for Kharkiv IT Cluster Members?

Kharkiv IT Cluster’s participation in the European Digital SME Alliance gives members access to:

• understanding future EU requirements before their implementation
• insider navigation of AI and cybersecurity regulations
• the ability to prepare products in line with current EU market standards
• access to European expertise and professional communities
• stronger competitiveness in international markets

Our goal is to reduce uncertainty for businesses scaling to Europe.

Kharkiv IT Cluster is a community that opens access to the European digital ecosystem and enables Ukrainian companies to stay ahead of change. Want your business to be among those shaping the future standards of European business?

Join Kharkiv IT Cluster