The System Economy · Summary

SME Barometer Europe

Executive summary · Q2 2025

59
EU
72
US #1
+13
Gap
73%
FR unsellable
59586072UEFRBEUS
Summary · Editorialp. 2

Editorial

Three barometers, two continents: France reads survival, Belgium modernization, the US scale and exit. TSE unifies via the System Index.

France asks if the firm holds. Belgium if it modernizes. The US if it scales and sells.

— Bruno Ghezali
🇫🇷 FR●—○——🇧🇪 BE—●—○—🇧🇪 BE-WAL—●—○—🇩🇪 DE○——●—🇩🇪 DE●—○○—🇺🇸 US○—●——🇬🇧 UK●—○——TSE●●●●●EconomicDigitalCapitalProcessSell.— not measured · ○ partial · ● strong · TSE only on sellability
The System Economy · System Index T2 2025

Eight institutional sources cross-read in the full report — publishers, public KPIs, URLs.

Part IX — Consolidated barometers (p. 16–27).

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 2 / 12
Summary · Barometersp. 3

National barometers

Cross-read vs System Index

National barometers System Index TSE Cash / moraleYes (FR, UK)Cloud / AIYes (BE, WAL)Capital optimismYes (US)SellabilityNoSystem Index58 FR · 60 BESellability32% FRBE Fit 4 pillarsYesSellabilityYes (TSE)
The System Economy · System Index T2 2025
Economic stressBE digitalUS capitalNo sellabilityAll barometers confirm economic or cost pressure (FR, UK, partial DE).
The System Economy · System Index T2 2025
  • All barometers confirm economic or cost pressure (FR, UK, partial DE).
  • Digitalisation advances in Belgium and Wallonia — without an explicit link to transferability.
  • No national barometer publishes a sellability indicator comparable to TSE.
Cash deteriorating36%Short-term credit stress22%Morale falling42%Investment rising28%
France — public KPI

Country detail: Full Part IX.

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 3 / 12
Summary · FR × BEp. 4
France Belgium United States
DimensionFranceBelgiumUnited States
What is measuredÉtat psychologique & économiqueMaturité numérique du tissuCapacité scale, exit & autonomie
HorizonCourt terme · cash-flowMoyen terme · modernisationLong terme · valorisation
Market logicDouleur — souffrir moinsOptimisation — améliorer le systèmeAccélération — scaler et sortir
Crisis lensSurvivons-nous ?Où est notre maturité ?Qui gagne le marché ?
System Index58/10060/10072/100
Sellability32%~36%42%
Owner moralePessimistePragmatiqueOptimiste
Tech investmentFaible (survie d'abord)Moyen (outils)Élevé
M&A cultureFaibleÉmergenteNormalisée
Buying messageSoulagement · ROI immédiatStructuration · maturitéGrowth · exit · scale

90-day plan: One BE Fit pillar, one owner, one weekly KPI at committee — operational translation of this page.

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 4 / 12
Summary · Francep. 5

France

FranceVisionOrganizationProcessesPilotage
The System Economy · System Index T2 2025

73% unsellable · 250,000 SMEs seeking buyers

Implication: On systemisation, the buyer runs a 14-day test without the founder on margin-critical processes — proof expected in the data room.

90-day plan: One BE Fit pillar, one owner, one weekly KPI at committee — operational translation of this page.

Committee: Target data room date + exit scenario (FR, EU or US) before the next capex budget.

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 5 / 12
Summary · Belgiump. 6

Belgium / Wallonia

Cloud65Outils collaboratifs50Logiciels projet24IA déclarée26
The System Economy · System Index T2 2025

Fiber Wallonia 17% · Surface vs depth paradox

90-day plan: One BE Fit pillar, one owner, one weekly KPI at committee — operational translation of this page.

Committee: Target data room date + exit scenario (FR, EU or US) before the next capex budget.

Implication: On systemisation, the buyer runs a 14-day test without the founder on margin-critical processes — proof expected in the data room.

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 6 / 12
Summary · Europe × USp. 7
System Index (gap)13EU sellability36US sellability42
The System Economy · System Index T2 2025
DimensionEuropeUnited States
Market visionDéfensive, fragmentée, prudenteOffensive, scale, exit culture
SME budgetsContraints, priorité cashInvestisseur, outils & R&D
Exit taxation30-60% selon pays~20% fédéral

Committee: Target data room date + exit scenario (FR, EU or US) before the next capex budget.

Implication: On systemisation, the buyer runs a 14-day test without the founder on margin-critical processes — proof expected in the data room.

90-day plan: One BE Fit pillar, one owner, one weekly KPI at committee — operational translation of this page.

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 7 / 12
Summary · Sectorsp. 8

Sectors

Tech & SaaS354052Santé & medtech303648Industrie manufacturière283442Services B2B253245Transport & logistique243344FranceBelgiumUS
The System Economy · System Index T2 2025

Flop : Conseil & cabinets, BTP & construction · US more structured across sectors

90-day plan: One BE Fit pillar, one owner, one weekly KPI at committee — operational translation of this page.

Committee: Target data room date + exit scenario (FR, EU or US) before the next capex budget.

Implication: On systemisation, the buyer runs a 14-day test without the founder on margin-critical processes — proof expected in the data room.

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 8 / 12
Summary · France actionsp. 9

France actions

  • Reduce operational pain
  • Simplify and delegate
  • Visible ROI within 6 months
  • Secure cash
  • Prepare transfer without panic

The buyer narrative in France remains operational relief: visible ROI, secured cash, proof the firm runs without the founder day to day.

Committee: Target data room date + exit scenario (FR, EU or US) before the next capex budget.

Implication: On systemisation, the buyer runs a 14-day test without the founder on margin-critical processes — proof expected in the data room.

90-day plan: One BE Fit pillar, one owner, one weekly KPI at committee — operational translation of this page.

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 9 / 12
Summary · Belgium actionsp. 10

Belgium actions

  • Structure processes
  • Accelerate digital maturity
  • Data governance
  • Integrate AI into processes
  • KPI-driven management

In Belgium, digital modernization (FPS, Wallonia) must be read with the System Index: cloud without documented process does not create sellability.

Implication: On systemisation, the buyer runs a 14-day test without the founder on margin-critical processes — proof expected in the data room.

90-day plan: One BE Fit pillar, one owner, one weekly KPI at committee — operational translation of this page.

Committee: Target data room date + exit scenario (FR, EU or US) before the next capex budget.

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 10 / 12
Summary · Investp. 11

Invest

  • Structural due diligence
  • Acquire FR at a discount
  • Systemise via BE Fit
  • Target US or EU exit
  • Operating PE over 18–24 months

US logic: structural due diligence, FR discount if founder-dependent, 18–24 month operating PE before EU or US exit.

Implication: On systemisation, the buyer runs a 14-day test without the founder on margin-critical processes — proof expected in the data room.

90-day plan: One BE Fit pillar, one owner, one weekly KPI at committee — operational translation of this page.

Committee: Target data room date + exit scenario (FR, EU or US) before the next capex budget.

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 11 / 12
Summary · Method & downloadp. 12

Triple lens: economic (FR) · digital (BE) · capital (US). System Index + BE Fit.

Next step: full report 132 pages · Part IX national barometers p. 16.

Full report — 132 pages

Download full version

thesystemeconomy.com · Bruno Ghezali

Committee: Target data room date + exit scenario (FR, EU or US) before the next capex budget.

Implication: On systemisation, the buyer runs a 14-day test without the founder on margin-critical processes — proof expected in the data room.

90-day plan: One BE Fit pillar, one owner, one weekly KPI at committee — operational translation of this page.

SME Barometer Europe · Summary Q2 2025 · p. 12 / 12