Digital-enabled green transformation is an important path and inevitable choice to achieve high-quality development. Based on the data of Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share specialized and new “small giants” enterprises from 2013 to 2023, the impact of the digital transformation of specialized and sophisticated small and medium-sized enterprises on green technological innovation and the intrinsic mechanism of its effect were empirically examined. It is found that the digital transformation of specialized and sophisticated SMEs significantly promotes green technological innovation. This effect is more pronounced among firms in the eastern and central regions, high-level digital infrastructure firms, and high-tech firms. The mechanism analysis shows that digital transformation can promote green technology innovation by optimizing human capital structure and increasing analysts' attention. Finally, specific policy recommendations are put forward from the level of government and enterprises themselves to provide insights into the digital transformation of enterprises and the high-quality development of the economy.