{"id":3578,"date":"2025-03-20T10:38:23","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T09:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edihcassovium.sk\/odbornici-sa-zhodli-ze-na-slovensku-sme-v-oblasti-digitalnej-vykonnosti-vyrazne-pozadu\/"},"modified":"2025-05-30T16:40:29","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T14:40:29","slug":"slovakia-digital-performance-lagging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edihcassovium.sk\/en\/slovakia-digital-performance-lagging\/","title":{"rendered":"Experts agreed that Slovakia is significantly lagging behind in terms of digital performance."},"content":{"rendered":"

Small and medium-sized entrepreneurs are being forced to face a growing number of ongoing technological challenges. The question of how technological trends are transforming business, not only in Eastern Slovakia, was the central topic of the conference Innovation Within Reach \u2013 The Digital (R)evolution<\/em>, organized by EDIH Cassovium on Tuesday, March 18, at the Kas\u00e1rne Kulturpark venue in Ko\u0161ice.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to realize that everything is changing rapidly. Each year brings a major innovation that transforms the market, technologies, and expectations placed on employees. This is especially demanding for small and medium-sized enterprises. Yet these very SMEs significantly contribute to the development of the European Union, while at the same time being the most affected by technological innovations. On top of that, the world has globalized \u2013 and in such a large market, if you\u2019re not innovating, you\u2019re falling behind,\u201d stated Associate Professor Miroslav Michalko, General Manager of the EDIH Cassovium consortium and Director of UVP Technicom.<\/p>\n

Professor of Public Health and Head of the Department of Infectology and Travel Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of UPJ\u0160 in Ko\u0161ice, Pavol Jar\u010du\u0161ka, emphasized the importance of identifying the real needs of small and medium-sized enterprises: \u201cThey are often radically different from what we assume in the academic world. Slovakia is significantly lagging behind in the cooperation between universities and SMEs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miriama Hu\u010dkov\u00e1, Executive Director of Ko\u0161ice IT Valley, pointed out that the IT sector is thriving in Eastern Slovakia. However, she noted a strong need to strengthen the pillar of small and medium-sized businesses. \u201cThey are the most vulnerable group, but thanks to the EDIH Cassovium consortium, we are able to help them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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EDIH Cassovium offers entrepreneurs not only consulting and support in the field of digital technologies and access to the latest trends and solutions, but also opportunities for testing, pilot projects, networking, and collaboration with experts. More than 170 services are available, and clients do not pay for the services provided. Conference participants also heard real-life stories, with representatives of IPC Refractories and Dog Moments Art presenting their projects supported by EDIH Cassovium.<\/p>\n

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Slovakia is significantly lagging in digital performance<\/strong><\/p>\n

During the panel discussion, experts concluded that Slovakia is significantly behind in terms of digital performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not just a feeling \u2013 it\u2019s a fact. If nothing changes, we will cease to be economically relevant as a country. We\u2019ll begin to lose our place in the market. Yet it is precisely small and medium-sized enterprises that form the backbone of the European Union,\u201d said Samuel Arbe, co-founder of the Center for Innovative Healthcare, consultant for the World Bank, and program director of ITAPA.<\/p>\n

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Michalko expressed concern that the overall trend in this area is negative. \u201cIt\u2019s our own fault. We can\u2019t say we didn\u2019t have the right conditions for innovation development. On the contrary, we had ideal conditions, but we didn\u2019t make use of them. We underestimated education, and the outlook isn\u2019t very good. We lack sufficient funding for innovation. It\u2019s also a result of the atmosphere in society, where people working in this field are often criticized.\u201d<\/p>\n

Martin Morh\u00e1\u010d, representative of the European Digital Innovation Hub EDIH Expandi, emphasized that innovation must be seen as a balanced ecosystem. Financial resources alone are not enough \u2013 proper conditions must be in place, and there must also be demand.<\/p>\n

Cybersecurity Still Underestimated<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to experts, small and medium-sized enterprises in Slovakia still see spending on cybersecurity as unnecessary. That\u2019s why there is a critical need to change how businesses think about innovation. However, the issue often comes down to funding.<\/p>\n

\u201cSMEs in this area are also dependent on subsidies, but subsidy schemes are scarce. There are many European calls, but they are often hard to access for small and medium-sized businesses,\u201d pointed out M. Michalko. This is why EDIH Cassovium is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs \u2013 for example, to gain a competitive edge through data analysis.<\/p>\n

\u201cData analysis is a major issue in the European Union. At EDIH Cassovium, we analyze your current situation and help you understand how to use your data to move forward,\u201d explained Gabriel Semani\u0161in from UPJ\u0160.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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