DATA4GROWTH intends to support the sustainable growth of the European small businesses, by making them informed and equipped with innovative competencies to execute the full digital transformation. According to a recent NewVantage Partners survey, 53% of companies stated that they are not treating data as a business asset, while 52% admitted that they are not competing on data and analytics. Last but not the least, 93% identified people and skill issues as the main obstacles rather than technology: lack of alignment and cultural resistance are the leading factors contributing to data management failures. The above translates into poor performances and low competitiveness compared to big companies or any other business ready for meeting the industry 4.0 paradigm. DATA4GROWTH should be funded to provide concrete, innovative and extremely practical support to European small businesses, key players in the EU Market, so that they can: finally implement the full digital transition, in order to switch to a more performing data–driven management model; better plan, manage and organize all business functions and related decision making processes; grow in a sustainable way; reach their full potential and be competitive in themarketplace; contribute to address a complex and Europe–wide market challenge.

DATA4GROWTH will offer innovative and research–driven, field–tested and fully reusable tools and training material for the benefit of EU small businesses and the wide audience of key players operating in support of them. Also, the project will deliver a very precise transnational and multisectoral understanding on what is going on within the small businesses, with special focus on their actual capacity to deal with digital transformation and implement any data–driven business development strategies.

DATA4GROWTH’s goals are as folows : deliver a deep analysis of the small companies’ actual capacity to deal with data management and mining in all the main business areas (management e decision making, administrative issues, production, human resources, outsourcing, marketing and communication and more); creating and testing an extremely innovative training program to support and speed up the full digital transition of the European small businesses, in order for them to be more competitive on the single and global market; providing the European VET providers, mentors, coaches, etc. with the necessary information and support to integrate to adopt the project results; making the training program permanent and fully accessible by any small business of interested players for free