Blog

After 18 years of supporting SMEs across Europe and beyond, how has the Enterprise Europe Network evolved and what comes next? We sat down with Muriel de Grande, Head of Sector for Enterprise Europe Network and EEN Partnerships at EISMEA, to reflect on the Network’s evolution, the shift towards more personalised and long-term support, and the role of collaboration in helping SMEs grow. This conversation takes a closer look at the changing needs of SMEs that have shaped the Network over the years and what must remain at the heart of its future.

As SMEs face growing pressure to modernise, digitalise, adapt to the green transition and bring their innovative products to international markets, the Enterprise Europe Network, FINNO and UNIDO jointly support SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups. 

SustainableSolutionsMatch 2026 (SSM2026) highlights how international matchmaking can help SMEs and startups find partners, investors, and new business opportunities in the sustainability sector. Organised by the Enterprise Europe Network’s group of experts focused on sustainability, the event brought together over 1,600 participants from 62 countries, facilitating targeted B2B meetings, pitching sessions, and international collaboration. The event offered benefits for both companies seeking to grow internationally and the Network’s colleagues supporting SMEs through high-quality matchmaking and business development services. 

For SMEs from island regions, scaling abroad often starts with a different set of realities. Distance, connectivity, language, visibility and market access can all shape how international opportunities are found, built and sustained.

Through the experience of Enterprise Europe Network advisers working with companies from La Réunion, this article explores five daily realities of growing across borders from an island region, and what other SMEs can learn from them.

Scaling is widely seen as the natural next step for growing businesses. Entering new markets, finding partners, and expanding operations are common priorities. But for many SMEs, the real challenge comes earlier. Before growth can happen, the business itself needs to be clearly defined, structured, and ready to scale.

Across different sectors, companies supported by the Enterprise Europe Network show that stepping back can be a critical turning point. Whether it is refining a business model, addressing internal bottlenecks, or turning an idea into a viable solution, this phase helps determine long-term success. These experiences highlight the importance of building the right foundations before moving forward.

Ten years can change the shape of a career, but some decisions continue to influence how that journey unfolds long after they are made. In 2015, Susan Hayes Culleton, ‘The Positive Economist’ and experienced international professional,  took her first steps into international markets with the support of the Enterprise Europe Network. Today, exporting remains a core pillar of her business.

Le Terre di Zoè, a family-run business in the agri-food sector, has transformed seasonal agricultural waste into an opportunity for sustainable innovation through a project that brings together art, technology, and agriculture.

What does a hydrogen retrofit company in Spain have in common with a deeptech health startup in Portugal? At first glance, not much. Yet EVARM and PONS both turned ambitious ideas into impact thanks to the combined support of the Enterprise Europe Network and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

Their stories reveal five key lessons for startups everywhere: from leveraging networks early and securing funding with mentorship, to building cross-border partnerships, keeping users at the centre, and staying resilient.

Rising energy costs have pushed many small businesses across Europe to a tipping point, especially those in energy-intensive sectors. While larger companies often have the means to adapt, SMEs are frequently left searching for solutions with limited resources. That’s where EENergy comes in.

Once the beating heart of European towns and cities, covered markets have long been more than just venues to shop. They’re spaces of daily life where locals meet, stories are exchanged, and traditions are quietly passed on.