Smarda Wins SIA Leader Award
Austrian startup Smarda has been awarded the prestigious SIA Leader Award at the Summit International Awards (SIA) in Portland, Oregon—recognition that underscores the company’s role as a global pioneer in barrier-free, legally compliant e-commerce.
The accolade was given for Smarda’s natively accessible online shop system, a groundbreaking platform that is setting new global standards for digital inclusion. The system is the first in the world certified to automatically generate websites and online shops in full compliance with the WCAG 2.2 AA standard, the internationally recognized benchmark for web accessibility.
“This award demonstrates that accessibility in e-commerce is not a nice-to-have, but a must-have—technologically feasible, economically relevant, and socially necessary,” said Horst Schalk, co-founder and CEO of Smarda.
Why It Matters: Accessibility Is Now Mandatory in the EU
Digital accessibility is fast becoming a legal requirement across the globe. From June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act will mandate that many online shops and websites across the EU adhere to stringent accessibility standards. Non-compliant businesses could face fines of up to €80,000—and yet, according to recent data, more than 50% of online shops in Germany alone currently lack legal compliance.
Smarda’s platform addresses this head-on, offering automated, WCAG 2.2 AA-compliant solutions out of the box. Unlike traditional plug-ins, which often struggle to meet these guidelines, Smarda’s system builds accessibility natively into the fabric of every site or shop from the very beginning.
About Smarda: Merging Compliance, Technology and Inclusion
Founded with a mission to democratize access to the digital economy, Smarda specializes in AI-powered, legally secure website and e-commerce solutions. The company’s cloud-based platform not only ensures technical compliance with EU accessibility directives but also embeds privacy and data protection features that align with GDPR and other international standards.
A standout feature is the use of AI to automatically generate editorial content like:
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Alternative text for images
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Search guides and tooltips
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Content structure optimized for screen readers
These capabilities dramatically reduce the burden on developers, designers, and shop operators—enabling businesses to build inclusive experiences without additional effort or expertise.