2 November 2026, 13:30 – 17:00, Kuntatalo Toinen linja 14, 00530 Helsinki, Finland
12:00 - 13:30 I Lunch Buffet
Moderator: HORST HEITZ, Secretary-General of SME Europe
13:30 – 13:50 | OPENING REMARKS
SARI RAUTIO President of the EPP-CoR Group
JÖRGEN WARBORN MEP, President of SME Europe
13:50 – 14:00 | SETTING
MINNA KARHUNEN CEO Kuntaliitto, Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities
14:00 – 15:15 | ROUND TABLE 1
AI SME Transformation: Building Regional Capacity through European Cooperation
Speakers:
ALBERTO CIRIO President of the Piedmont Region and Chair of the ECON Commission
TIINA HANIKE Location Finland, European Digital Innovation Hub (TBC)
TUULI KASKINEN Climate Leadership Coalition Group CEO
Questions & answers – interaction with the audience
15:15 – 15:30 | COFFEE AND COMFORT BREAK
15:30 – 16:45 | ROUND TABLE 2
AI Innovation for SMEs: Turning Local Strength into Global Opportunity
Speakers:
TEPPO RANTANEN Chairperson of the Board Business Finland, Executive Director, City of Tampere (TBC)
PEHR GRANFALK EPPCoR ECON Political Coordinator, Rapporteur on European Competitiveness Fund
JAKUB BINKOWSKI VICE PRESIDENT ZPP, Poland (TBC)
MARIA MIALA, YEPP Vice-President and Helsinki Deputy City Councillor
Questions & answers – interaction with the audience
16:45 – 17:00 | CLOSING REMARKS
MERVI KATAINEN Chairperson of the Espoo City Board