The annual Enterprise Europe Network conference, which will take place this year from November 26–28, 2025, in Aalborg, Denmark, will bring together 800 participants from across Europe and the international community. The main theme will be promoting innovation, decarbonization, and security for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Purpose and main topics
The event is a focal point for EEN network partners, policymakers, experts, and business representatives. The conference is organized by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) and the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), with support from the North Denmark EU-Office.
The goal is to examine how the EEN network can contribute to industrial transition, innovation, and support for SMEs in a changing environment.
The main topics of the conference include:
Innovation and start-ups: fostering the competitiveness and growth of SMEs through new solutions, protection of intellectual property, and overcoming innovation gaps within Europe.
Industrial transition and decarbonization: sustainability, digitalization, and resilience in sectors, including decarbonization, bio-economic solutions, circular energy, and green competitiveness.
Single market and global reach: improving SME access to the EU single market and global markets, including technology transfer, open innovation, and support for international trade.
Quality and impact: increasing the quality of EEN services, improving the visibility of the network, incorporating digital tools and artificial intelligence, and promoting women’s entrepreneurship.
Event format
The conference offers a combination of plenary sessions, workshops, exhibition spaces, and interactive meetings, as well as online matchmaking interactions.
Opening and closing sessions will be livestreamed, allowing for wider participation for those who cannot be physically present.
Key speakers include representatives of the European Commission, such as Anna Athanasopoulou (DG GROW), Stéphane Ouaki (EISMEA), as well as local representatives such as the Mayor of Aalborg.
Why is the conference important for Slovenia / the Slovenian EEN consortium
For the Slovenian EEN consortium, the Annual Conference 2025 is an opportunity to:
monitor the latest EU trends and policies in the field of innovation, transition, and sustainability;
establish contacts with colleagues from other countries and institutions within the EEN network;
seek new opportunities for the cooperation of Slovenian SMEs in European projects;
participate in the development of best practices for supporting innovation, decarbonization, and digital transformation.
Together for a more innovative, green, and resilient Europe
The EEN Annual Conference 2025 will once again prove that the Enterprise Europe Network is a key partner for European companies in the transition to a more innovative, sustainable, and competitive future.
Follow the events on social media too on LinkedIn, X and Facebook using the hashtag #EEN2025, and do not miss the opening and closing sessions, which will be broadcast live on the event website.
