Partners’ Meeting of Interreg Europe PROACTsme in Barcelona

On 11–12 February, partners of the European project PROACTsme (Applied Data-Science and AI for Proactive SME Service) met in Barcelona for a working meeting dedicated to reviewing progress and shaping the next steps of the project.

The project aims to improve policy instruments that strengthen e-governance capacities by promoting the digital transformation of public administrations using big data, automated administrative procedures and Artificial Intelligence (AI), enabling the delivery of smarter, more personalised and proactive public services. The meeting marked an important milestone for assessing achievements so far and defining the roadmap for the follow-up phase.

ANATOLIKI S.A. participates in the project, with the Region of Central Macedonia (RCM) acting as its Associated Policy Authority. The meeting was attended by Dr. Naya Tselepi, Project Manager at ANATOLIKI, and Ms. Evdokia Mangou, representative of the Directorate for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support of the Region of Central Macedonia.

The first day opened with institutional welcomes from representatives of the Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya). A round table discussion followed on ‘Future Perspectives in Proactive Services’, moderated by Cristina Pruñonosa, Head of the Office of Business Management (OGE). The University of Limerick, project partner, presented the Joint Study and the report titled ‘Regional Public Administration and Capacities for SME-Centred AI and Digital Transformation’, highlighting the role of regional administrations in supporting AI-driven services for SMEs.

The day continued with a partners round table focusing on expectations and priorities for the upcoming follow-up phase. During this session, Dr. Naya Tselepi presented the progress achieved so far in designing and integrating the new SME support model within the Region of Central Macedonia. The day concluded with final remarks and a joint working dinner.

The second day included a Steering Committee meeting among partners, focusing on the overall progress of the project and the next steps towards its final phase. The Lead Partner (Office of Business Management, OGE) summarised key achievements, challenges and communication activities. This was followed by a joint reflection session, where partners assessed their respective actions and exchanged views and questions regarding the final implementation stage. The meeting concluded with closing remarks and a shared commitment to strengthening interregional cooperation.

The corporate structure of the project consists of the following organizations: