Data balance for SMEs

The company Business Transaction (main implementation partner) specializes in corporate transactions and succession planning in the SME sector and is currently developing a software tool to standardize and simplify company valuations. This is where the planned research project "Data Balance Sheet for SMEs" comes in and extends this tool to include the integration and valuation of company-related data. This is because the systematic economic evaluation and targeted management of data represent uncharted territory for SMEs.
Data is very diverse and can relate on the one hand to customers, suppliers or products, and on the other hand to the production, marketing and services associated with the products. As a source of information and knowledge, it represents an important entrepreneurial resource. Exploiting the value of this data will be the central lever for building competitive advantages in the future. On the one hand, data is an asset, but it is difficult to value because it is an intangible asset in accounting terms. At the same time, data represents a risk for companies, be it through data loss, misuse or targeted damage.
The goal of the project is to develop a simple, practical tool for the economic valuation of data as an asset and as a risk factor. On the one hand, the "Data Balance Sheet for SMEs" represents an innovative service offering for Business 8/44 Transaction, which can be used to acquire new customers within and outside the M&A sector. On the other hand, the data balance enables the development and implementation of a new business model with which Business Transaction can market and scale the data valuation tool as a product to third parties.