Madeiran company wins the SME Europe Award
January 28, 2026
COSO, a Madeira-based company founded in 2017 and operating under the Connecting Software brand, was honored this Wednesday in Brussels with the prestigious SME Europe 2025 Award in the “Innovation and Future Readiness” category.
According to a company statement, “this award recognizes the innovative solution ‘Truth Enforcer’, a tool that guarantees the authenticity and integrity of digital documents based on blockchain technology, simplifying compliance with regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and protecting companies against information manipulation in increasingly complex digital environments.”
The award ceremony took place at the European Parliament in Brussels, attended by COSO founder and CEO Thomas Berndorfer.
The nomination for this award was proposed by Portuguese Members of the European Parliament from the PSD party, Paulo Cunha and Paulo do Nascimento Cabral, in recognition of the contribution of a Madeiran company to European innovation in digital security and compliance.
The SME Europe Award aims to distinguish European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that excel in various categories, promoting innovation and access to global markets. This year, companies from 11 countries were selected, with COSO being the only Portuguese company.
The award highlights projects that prepare companies for future challenges, such as digital sustainability and combating fake news, areas in which Truth Enforcer is positioned as a leading solution, integratable with platforms such as SharePoint and Salesforce to automate verification processes.
According to Thomas Berndorfer, mentioned in the press release, “This award recognizes how a team from Madeira can create solutions to global problems, preparing companies for a future in which digital veracity is increasingly questioned. We are grateful to the Portuguese Members of the European Parliament for the nomination and motivated to continue innovating from Madeira, contributing to the local and European economy.”