Toward Design Principles for Data Trustee-Supported SME Onboarding in Data Spaces

Data-driven business models are transforming industries, yet small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often lack the resources to participate in emerging data sharing initiatives. Data spaces provide a federated infrastructure for sovereign data sharing, but SME participation remains limited due to complex onboarding processes involving technical, organizational, legal, and economic barriers. Data trustees have been proposed as intermediaries to facilitate data sharing, but their specific role in supporting SME onboarding has not been systematically explored. Here we present a reference process for SME data space onboarding and derive four design principles, structured along the TELO framework, describing how data trustees can address these barriers. Our findings reveal that SMEs require comprehensive support throughout the onboarding journey, with particular emphasis on business case development. The results offer actionable guidance for data space operators and policymakers seeking to broaden ecosystem participation as the European Union advances its data strategy.