Digitization has been taking place for 30 years. However, it is progressing faster and faster. Businesses that do not join will be relegated. The Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft and its partners in the SME 4.0 project (“KMU 4.0” in German) want the opposite: Companies should be prepared for the future with the right digitization strategy. On 17 May, the project partners invited to the kick-off event of the project.

“The media whirlwind around ‘4.0’ unsettles many entrepreneurs”, notes Markus Lassnig from Salzburg Research. The subject of digitization stands like a mountain in front of them. Which technological path should they take? What should be considered in terms of data protection? Where do you find IT-competent staff? The project SME 4.0 should help with these and other questions.

Excursions, Workshops and Exchange of Experience

Markus Lassnig explains: “The SME 4.0 project aims to take away the companies’ fear and highlight the opportunities offered by digitization.” The project partners – in addition to Salzburg Research, the universities of Rosenheim, Salzburg, Landshut, ITG Salzburg and the Berchtesgadener Land Wirtschaftsservice – support small and medium-sized enterprises in setting up their own individualized digitization strategy and picking them up where they stand. Comprehensive competencies are provided, for example in digitalized maintenance or in process engineering and robotics. At the heart of SME 4.0 are free workshops, excursions and exchanges of experiences in which entrepreneurs receive ideas and initial ideas. Afterwards, they can request individual support from the partners.

Taking Employees to the Digital World

Some of the entrepreneurs noticed that the digitized world is unsettling employees. This is well known by both Salzburg Research and the project partners. Important is a good employee communication. The SME 4.0 project therefore offers further training for employees in addition to the technical events.

All further information about the project SME 4.0 can be found on the project page.