SMEs need to become more agile with AI developed specifically for the sector

On Friday 26 June, representatives of MKB-Nederland, tech companies, investors and policymakers convened at press centre Nieuwspoort in The Hague to discuss what AI technology can mean for small and medium-sized enterprises. The message was clear: SMEs can work more productively and innovatively if AI applications are available that address the specific needs of smaller businesses.

No concrete plans or joint initiatives were presented during the event. The gathering served primarily as an agenda-setting occasion: demonstrating that the topic enjoys broad support, from state secretary to venture capitalist.

SMEs represent 99 percent of all Dutch businesses and account for approximately 60 percent of the value added in the Dutch economy. More than 70 percent of employment is linked to them. They comprise well over one and a half million companies, ranging from manufacturers and installation firms to accountants, wholesalers and retailers.

Who was at the table

Among those present were Willemijn Aerdts, State Secretary for the Digital Economy, and Constantijn van Oranje, who has long been committed to the European tech ecosystem. KPN CEO Joost Farwerck attended on behalf of large tech companies. Jelle Prins, co-author of the Nationaal AI Deltaplan, represented the policy side of the debate.

Also notably present was Ben Verwaayen, former CEO of KPN and now affiliated with Keen Venture Partners. That fund intends to invest at scale in early-stage AI companies. Financial institutions ABN AMRO and ING were also represented. Marijke Vuik, who becomes the new chair of MKB-Nederland on 1 July, was likewise in attendance.

AI for day-to-day business operations

One of the companies that received attention during the event is Nance. The Dutch company develops AI that largely takes over the daily financial work of SME entrepreneurs, such as processing invoices, checking payments and tracking outstanding items. Nance recently raised €1 million in a first investment round.

Nance is an example of the direction several speakers at the event emphasised: AI that is not abstract or generic, but directly usable in the everyday practice of an entrepreneur with a small team and little time for technology.

The challenge lies in accessibility

SMEs have traditionally lagged behind large companies when it comes to technology adoption. Large enterprises have dedicated IT departments and budgets for digital transformation; an installation company with ten employees typically does not. That makes the demand for low-threshold, affordable and immediately deployable AI tools all the more relevant.

The gathering at Nieuwspoort feeds into a broader discussion that is also taking place at the European level: how to ensure that the benefits of AI do not accrue only to large players, but also reach the vast number of smaller businesses that form the backbone of the economy.

What this means for the ecosystem

The composition of the room at Nieuwspoort is telling in terms of where the Dutch AI scene is directing its focus. Alongside attention to large-scale models and infrastructure, interest is growing in application-oriented companies that serve specific sectors or target groups. SMEs represent a large but hitherto underserved market in that regard.

For founders building AI products, that market offers scale: one and a half million potential customers with comparable needs around administration, workforce planning, customer contact or procurement. For investors such as Keen Venture Partners, this presents a case for getting in early with companies that place this target group at the centre of their proposition. And for policymakers, the event underlines that deploying AI for economic productivity is not solely the concern of the top tier of the business world.