Digitization is one of the most important drivers for Swedish companies to continue growing and staying competitive. At the same time, several reports show that smaller businesses are falling behind. With Atea Now, small and medium-sized enterprises gain access to a modern solution that can narrow the digital gap and offer them the same opportunities as large corporations. Lack of skilled personnel, limited resources, high workloads and increasing demands on data security cause many companies to remain stuck in outdated routines and delay the modernization of their operations.
Today, agencies such as Tillväxtverket and Konkurrensverket point out that small and medium-sized companies risk losing momentum in the digital shift. Many lack internal IT expertise and several operations are more vulnerable to cyberattacks due to resource constraints. In addition, regulatory requirements, documentation demands and stricter handling of customer data raise the bar for compliance. The result is that the digital gap between large and small companies in Sweden continues to widen.
Why the digital gap keeps growing
One of the biggest obstacles is the shortage of skills. Smaller companies rarely have the budget to hire specialists in IT, data security, AI or automation. As a result, many businesses lack the technical foundation needed to adopt modern tools. At the same time, demands from customers and authorities increase, making technology transitions even harder to manage.
Other challenges include lack of time, tight budgets and a heavy reliance on manual routines in many small companies, which consume energy and increase the risk of errors. This leads to development projects being postponed or never started.
Atea Now brings ServiceNow to smaller companies
To counter this trend, Atea Now has been launched: a cloud-based service built on the global ServiceNow platform. ServiceNow is one of the world’s most used SaaS tools for process management, workflow automation and digital business development. Historically geared toward large enterprises, the technology is now made accessible to smaller organizations through Atea Now, with configurations and service levels tailored to their resources and needs.
Atea Now is designed to lower the barrier for companies that want to digitize but lack the capacity to manage extensive IT environments. Atea’s specialist team handles operations, updates, configuration and security so that organizations can use the platform without overburdening their internal staff.
Automation and AI features that free up time
Through Atea Now, companies gain access to tools that automate workflows across customer service, HR, finance, IT support, procurement and internal processes. The platform’s built-in AI capabilities can analyze data, offer recommendations and perform tasks that would otherwise require significant manual effort.
This reduces administrative burden and lets teams focus on strategic work. The aim is for smaller companies to have the same opportunities as larger players to innovate and develop new business models.
Data security and EU-based storage in focus
Smaller businesses are often more exposed to cyber threats because their IT environments tend to be simpler and less protected. For that reason, Atea has built Atea Now to meet modern security requirements.
Each customer receives an isolated data environment so that no one can view or affect another customer’s information. All data is stored within the EU, which supports compliance with data protection rules, industry regulations and customer trust. This strengthens data sovereignty and reduces risk during audits and inspections.
Atea also guarantees that every customer always owns their data and can export it at any time. That ensures continuity and reduces risk if a company’s needs change in the future.
Short ramp-up time for fast impact
A major advantage of Atea Now is rapid deployment. Atea estimates that new customers can be up and running within ten to twelve weeks, delivering quick return on investment and reducing the risk of long, complex IT projects that otherwise delay digitization.
For many small companies this is crucial. A clear and simple rollout enables organizations to start using features quickly and see results in the form of lower costs, improved workflows and higher productivity.
A step forward for Sweden’s digital competitiveness
Sweden is a highly innovative country, but much of that innovation takes place in small and medium-sized enterprises. If these companies do not get the right digital tools, Sweden’s competitive edge could weaken. Atea Now is therefore more than a technical service — it is an initiative aimed at broadening digitization and ensuring that more companies can use AI, automation and modern work processes.
Atea hopes the service will help more companies reduce manual tasks, increase security and devote more energy to innovation and growth. With comprehensive digital support, small businesses can move into a modern and efficient working environment without large investments or unnecessary risk.