The National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics – ICI Bucharest participated on Tuesday, 27 January 2026, in the official launch event of the IMM DIGITAL INDEX, the first national tool for monitoring the digital performance of small and medium-sized enterprises in Romania, developed by the National Council of Small and Medium-Sized Private Enterprises in Romania (CNIPMMR).
The event brought together decision-makers from public administration, the business environment, the innovation ecosystem, and academia, highlighting the essential role of digitalization in boosting economic competitiveness, institutional efficiency, and social inclusion.
The IMM DIGITAL INDEX is designed as a complementary tool to DESI, adapted to Romania's economic and institutional context, and provides a detailed overview of the level of digitalization of SMEs in Romania. The index analyzes indicators such as online presence and social media use, e-commerce adoption, IT infrastructure, the use of digital solutions in internal processes (finance, compliance, marketing, management, reporting), the digital skills of human resources, and digital interaction with public institutions.
During the event, Adrian Victor Vevera, General Director of ICI Bucharest, emphasized the importance of building robust digital ecosystems through close cooperation between public institutions, the business sector, and academia: “RO AI Factory is a project developed within a complex consortium coordinated by ICI Bucharest, bringing together relevant stakeholders from academia, research, and the innovation ecosystem, including POLITEHNICA University of Bucharest, the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, the National Institute for Research and Development in Biological Sciences, the Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the Transilvania IT Association, the Romanian Digital Innovation Hubs Association, alongside CNIPMMR. The involvement of the National Council of Small and Medium-Sized Private Enterprises in Romania is essential for anchoring the initiative in the realities and needs of SMEs, ensuring a direct connection with the business environment, while ICI Bucharest, as the hosting entity, provides the technological, institutional, and coordination framework necessary for the development and responsible use of emerging technologies.”
At the same time, the General Director of ICI Bucharest highlighted the institute’s role in developing sustainable, market-oriented solutions through self-financing and active participation in European and international projects, including initiatives carried out in partnership with NATO in the field of dual-use technologies.
A central point of the intervention was the importance of cybersecurity in the digital transformation process: “Online presence involves real risks. Any vulnerability can lead to data exfiltration, ransomware, or other forms of cyberattacks. For this reason, ICI Bucharest places particular emphasis on cybersecurity, providing services such as SOC as a Service, as well as professional training programs ranging from basic digital skills to ethical hacking.”
Through its expertise in research and development, digital infrastructure, and cybersecurity, ICI Bucharest continues to support initiatives that increase the level of digitalization of SMEs and strengthen a functional, secure digital economy in Romania.
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