The EU SME definition
The European Commission draws company-size boundaries via Recommendation 2003/361/EC. Three figures matter: headcount, annual turnover and balance-sheet total.
| Category | Employees | Annual turnover | Balance-sheet total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro enterprise | < 10 | ≤ €2M | ≤ €2M |
| Small enterprise | < 50 | ≤ €10M | ≤ €10M |
| Medium enterprise | < 250 | ≤ €50M | ≤ €43M |
How to read it: the headcount ceiling is mandatory; in addition, either the turnover or the balance-sheet threshold must be met. SME covers micro, small and medium enterprises — up to 249 employees. Anything above counts as a large enterprise.
Why the boundary matters
SME status drives eligibility for funding, reporting obligations and how you approach prospects in sales. That is exactly why we are often asked how we determine size.
How Implisense determines company size
Implisense derives size from headcount and turnover. Where figures are not directly available, a model-based estimate with an openly documented methodology is used. The size classes can be used for segmentation and target-account targeting, and are available via the API and as company data.
Related: Industry classification (WZ 2008 & NACE).