SME Programme

At ITU Telecom World, we understand that SME and start-up success is key to ICT industry growth and socio-economic development throughout the world. That’s why we’re working to help tech SMEs and start-ups scale up their business activities and global impact – as a key part of our international platform of ICT public and private sector leaders.

Our platform provides support, visibility, investment and networking potential to tech SMEs and start-ups from around the world looking to take their solutions or products to the next level.

• High-growth SMEs and start-ups with solutions in the market and ready to expand
• ICT-specific products or services; or ICT-dependent business model
• Solutions or products with real social impact
• Focus on enablers such as broadband connectivity, IoT, AI, 5G
• Vertical sectors including smart cities, ehealth, digital finance, connectivity solutions, edtech, sustainability and smart solutions in energy, transport, planning, food management and commerce.

One of the greatest challenges in launching a new company, or scaling-up an SME, is achieving the perfect product to market fit. This is as true in the connectivity domain as in any other industry sector.  What aspects of new space, IoT, AI/ML, 5G, DLT and the numerous other emerging technologies can be blended to achieve the perfect solutions for demanding market needs? Will the solution be technically and economically scalable? Will the product IP be defensible from the competition which success inevitably attracts? Will investors see the business as a compelling investment opportunity? These and other product-market fit questions will be discussed by the expert members of this SME Masterclass panel.

Start-ups and SMEs have much to gain from working with corporate partners, including funding, access to markets and valuable skills transfer. Corporates also stand to win from collaborating with innovative small companies with bright ideas, fresh talent, in-depth local market knowledge and quick turnaround times. How can SMEs leverage partnership and support from larger companies seeking to engage with start-ups? What are the challenges and potential pitfalls? And how can start-ups reconcile a commitment to sustainability with the need to be profitable? This masterclass will feature real life cases and examples, including the story of how eco-friendly data cooling start-up Immersion4 successfully won corporate partners such as HPE, and will be rounded off by an open question and answer session from the online audience. 

Government procurement - when government bodies purchase goods and services to meet public service responsibilities - is of considerable economic significance. It accounts for 15 - 20% of GDP on average across most economies, and offers important business opportunities for SMEs in the tech sector. This masterclass will feature international expert guests reviewing opportunities and challenges faced by SMEs in winning foreign government contracts. Discussions will include the legal framework and best practices for policies designed to promote SME participation in government procurement, practical advice and tips.

Special thanks to Reto Malacrida, Counsellor (Head of the Government Procurement and Competition Policy Group), WTO Secretariat for facilitating the discussion as the moderator.

The premier global organization known for excellence in customer service is the Disney Company. Dr Jim Poisant has created and run well-received seminars on the Disney Approach to Quality Service and the Disney Approach to People Management, analysing how the company has achieved this excellence. Drawing on this experience, and on his current role as Secretary General of the World Information Technology & Services Alliance, Dr Poisant explores the key role of innovation and excellent customer service in building success - and presents eight different ways to innovate.

Join us for an informal network session directly after the masterclass at https://app.joinglimpse.com/room?key=166E4D3

Global tech leader HPE outlines its approach to co-innovation and cooperation with promising start-ups and scale-ups around the world, focusing on its Business Innovation Strategy in Switzerland and its Swiss Start-up Program. HPE partners with NGOs, companies and start-ups across the industry spectrum, including financial services, smart cities, Industry 4.0 and smart retail. This session presents HPE’s work in e-health and healthtech through two leading programmes: the Dengue Fever Project and the Solar Aid Project. It will explore how to achieve outcomes and create value based on concrete use cases, the key role of partnership, and how to succeed by being better together. HPE will also highlight how start-ups benefit from applying for the “Partnering for Good” part of the Swiss Start-up Program

Join us for an informal network session directly after the masterclass at https://app.joinglimpse.com/room?key=5AB84B4

Companies which embrace inclusive designed products and services with diverse users in mind reach a more significant number of the intended audience - and outperform their peers. Globally, more than one billion people, or 15% of the world population, experience some forms of disability, representing a significant portion of untapped resources due to design exclusion. This training session explores why businesses should invest in accessibility and the potential return on having an inclusive design in mind, as well as providing practical advice on how and where to start the journey of inclusive design.

One of the main challenges encountered by tech start-up founders is the lack of funding - whether at the ideation stage to develop a minimum viable product, or at the point when they are ready to scale and grow abroad. This 90-minute training session explores the various sources of funding founders can try to tap into, including grants, loans, business angels, venture capital, crowdfunding and more. Participants will receive practical advice on how to prepare and apply for different sources of funding and the mistakes to avoid, alongside concrete examples of good practice.