ITVZH Meetup & Share Session: Strengthening Collaboration for Digitalisation SMEs

On 30 October 2025, the first IT Verband Zuid-Holland (ITVZH) Meetup & Share Session took place at the HSD Campus in The Hague. The event brought together 30 professionals of the ITVZH-programme partners (We-IT, Dutch Innovation Factory, Security Delta and IT Campus Rotterdam) with the aim to exchange insights and strengthen collaboration to work collectively on tackling the IT and cybersecurity talent shortage affecting SMEs in South Holland.

The session was opened by Joris den Bruinen, who highlighted HSD’s mission and explained the goal of the new Meetup & Share Sessions as part of the second phase of the ITVZH initiative. He emphasised the importance of synergy and cooperation within the public-private partnerships (PPS) and gave insights into HSD's lessons learned concerning public-private collaboration and community building.

HSD’s Role within ITVZH

Following, Mark Ruijsendaal outlined HSD’s role within ITVZH and highlighted HSD programmes & initiatives that supports SMEs in their (secure) digitalisation journey and the skills required. He discussed current trends and developments in the IT and cybersecurity talent landscape and shared insights from recent research into competence needs, in-demand profiles & roles, and the gaps between workforce skills and education offerings.

New ‘Competence Needs Test’ Introduced

Yanic Hoch introduced a new tool developed by HSD: the Competence Needs Test for SMEs. This tool helps business owners identify their specific digitalisation challenges and determine which skills and training their teams need to develop. Yanic explained how the test works, highlighting that it places the entrepreneur’s real-world challenges at the centre. By mapping required competencies and connecting them to suitable educational programmes, SMEs gain tailored support for their digital growth. A live demo of the test was later provided during the breakout sessions.

Cyber Resilience for SMEs

Anne Visser introduced the two Cyber Resilience Centres, initiated by HSD in collaboration with many partners, with the aim to help entrepreneurs enhance their cybersecurity. She introduced basic cybersecurity principles and tools SMEs can adopt to protect their digital operations, drawing on lessons from the Cyber Resilience Centres. 

Interactive Breakout Sessions & Networking

Following the presentations, participants joined interactive breakout sessions focused on different themes. These sessions encouraged in-depth discussions, knowledge exchange, and collaboration on how to align efforts across education, business, and government. The event concluded with a summary of key insights by moderator Lieve Lubbe, followed by an informal network reception.

More info:

- flyer HSD initiatives for SMEs

- flyer Cyber resilience tips for SMEs

The IT Verband Zuid-Holland programme aims to tackle the growing talent shortage for SMEs in South Holland and is a collective effort of WE-IT Zuid-Holland, Dutch Innovation Factory, Security Delta and IT Campus Rotterdam.