what MyPrintPod took from the EU Digital Markets Act workshops
MyPrintPod joined ACT | The App Association members in the Digital Markets Act discussion, highlighting why SME voices matter in digital regulation.
myprintpod was recently included in an ACT | The App Association Developer Community Spotlight on the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) workshops.
the article brought together five startup founders and SME developers to explain how the DMA is being experienced by the businesses that rely on digital platforms every day.
for myprintpod, the issue is practical. regulation that affects app stores, platform trust, cybersecurity and distribution does not only affect large software companies. it also affects small technology businesses that use digital tools to build, sell, support and scale their work.
why this matters to myprintpod
myprintpod sits at the intersection of physical manufacturing and digital systems.
our work involves:
- additive manufacturing
- rapid prototyping
- low-volume production
- per-part CO₂e tracking
- connected production systems
- software and data tools that support repeatable manufacturing
that means digital regulation matters to us, even when the subject appears to be app stores or platform competition.
small businesses depend on trusted digital infrastructure. if that infrastructure becomes fragmented, confusing or less secure, the cost lands heavily on SMEs.
the SME perspective is often missing
one of the strongest themes from the ACT spotlight was that startups and SMEs are often discussed in regulation but not always included in the conversation.
that is a problem.
small companies understand the operational detail because they live with it every day. they do not have large legal departments, regulatory teams or spare capacity to manage uncertainty.
when rules change, small businesses need to know:
- how customers will find them
- how trust will be maintained
- how payments will work
- how security risks will be managed
- how compliance costs will be absorbed
these questions are not abstract. they affect whether small businesses can compete at all.
myprintpod’s concern: fragmentation and trust
myprintpod’s contribution focused on the risk of fragmentation.
the current app-store model is not perfect, but it gives many users a clear and familiar route to trusted software. for small businesses, that trust matters.
if regulation pushes users towards multiple alternative stores, side-loaded applications and unclear distribution channels, the risks increase.
those risks include:
- customer confusion
- impersonation and copycat apps
- malware and man-in-the-middle attacks
- increased support burden for small developers
- lower confidence in legitimate software
large companies can absorb some of this complexity. small businesses often cannot.
for SMEs, trust is infrastructure.
regulation needs to solve the right problem
the DMA was designed to improve competition and fairness in digital markets.
that goal matters. small businesses do need fair access, predictable rules and the ability to innovate without being blocked by dominant platforms.
but regulation can miss its target if it focuses only on gatekeepers and not enough on the businesses that rely on those platforms.
the question should not only be: how do we constrain large platforms?
it should also be: how do we help small businesses build safely, reach customers and grow?
why SMEs need to show up
SMEs make up a major share of economic activity and employment across Europe.
their perspective should be central to digital regulation.
for myprintpod, participating through ACT matters because one small company on its own has limited reach. as a community, SMEs can explain where regulation helps, where it creates friction and where unintended consequences are likely.
that collective voice is important because poorly designed rules can harm the businesses they were meant to help.
what regulators should take away
myprintpod’s view is simple:
- competition policy should strengthen small businesses, not add risk
- platform changes must consider cybersecurity and user trust
- SMEs need clarity, not fragmentation
- regulation should be tested against real operating conditions
- small developers and technology SMEs need a meaningful seat in the room
digital regulation is not separate from manufacturing, sustainability or innovation. it shapes the systems that small businesses rely on to build and scale.
read the ACT spotlight
the full ACT | The App Association Developer Community Spotlight includes perspectives from Geoffroy Kretz, Mitchel Volkering, Sveatoslav Vizitiu, Clément Sauvage and Mike Griffin of myprintpod.
read the ACT Developer Community Spotlight
if you are building a product and need practical support with prototyping, additive manufacturing or low-volume production, myprintpod can help.