Member State Board on Digital Entrepreneurship Strategic Policy Forum: A Roadmap for Digital Entrepreneurship 2 nd meeting of the Member State Board Brussels, 26 September 2014 John Higgins President, Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship Alessandro Cenderello EY
Agenda The Strategic Policy Forum: update on activities Overview on the actions of the Draft Roadmap Discussion on Roadmap actions per theme new suggestions Presentation by Member States of relevant policy initiatives
The Strategic Policy Forum: update on activities
Aim & Mandate Aim Support the EU s ambition to accelerate the digital transformation of its business landscape, targeting companies and start-ups from all sectors; Reinforce the dialogue among stakeholders and create a vision, a long & short term strategy and identify concrete actions; Advice the EC and promote the development of digital entrepreneurship policies in MS. Mandate The priority activities of the Strategic Policy Forum are: Identifying new business opportunities for jobs and growth; Removing the most significant barriers; Raising commitment and actions among the key stakeholders. The forum is expected to create a roadmap report that: Sets the state of play of digital entrepreneurship in the EU; Identifies the key challenges and stumbling blocks; Shapes an EU vision, strategy and roadmap with recommendations for concrete actions to be implemented by the European Commission.
REPORTS MEETINGS The journey of the Forum 2014 2015 1 st Forum 28 Feb 2014 2 nd Forum 2 Jul 2014 3 rd Forum 28 Oct 2014 4 th Forum Q2 2015 5 th Forum Q4 2015 Setting the scene, meeting participants, selecting Working Groups Discussing the most important themes and first identification of actions Presentation of Mid-term report Updating and further elaborating ideas from the Mid-term report Presentation of the Final report Working Group sessions Interactive sessions with Forum Members Interactive sessions with Forum Members Interactive sessions with Forum Members WG reports Intermediate reports Midterm report Intermediate reports Intermediate reports Final report Development of the Roadmap and Action Plan to boost Digital Entrepreneurship in Europe
Identification of Actions How were the actions identified? In close collaboration with the Strategic Policy Forum members the following activities were undertaken: Interactive sessions to filter the most important opportunities and barriers Identification of opportunities and barriers Validation of the themes with Forum members Creation of themes around the selected opportunities and barriers Identification of specific and concrete actions per theme Creation of themes to group the selected actions Interactive sessions to filter the most relevant actions on: Impact Innovativeness Concreteness Duplicability (focus is on new actions) Mid-Term Report
Next Steps Moving forward towards the mid-term report Incorporate feedback received from the Member States Board on the presented actions; Set up workshops with sector experts of four sectors (Manufacturing, Healthcare, Education, Creative Industries); Exhaustive research and interacting with subject matter experts on the selected actions.
Overview on the actions of the Draft Roadmap
Overview of the actions Roadmap and Action Plan to boost Digital Entrepreneurship in Europe Creating a successful digital ecosystem Skills to lead the digital transformation Regulating in the digital age Action 1 - Blueprint for the creation of successful digital ecosystems Action 5 - Integrating digital in business and management education Action 7- Training for regulators: a Digital Boot camp Action 2- A Call for Action for digital hubs Action 6 - Recognising digital leaders and boosting the figure of the Chief Digital Officer Action 8 - Observatory and crowdsourcing of ideas on regulatory obstacles to digital transformation Action 3- Supporting digital investments: combining financial instruments with mentoring and supporting services Action 9 The Digital Test : assessing the impact of regulation on digital business Action 4 - Promoting mobility and exposure of digital entrepreneurs to international markets, and creating opportunities for young digitally skilled people
Discussion on Roadmap actions per theme new suggestions
Creating a successful digital ecosystem Creating a successful digital ecosystem To enhance the competitiveness of European digital enterprises, by giving them access to networks, resources and research institutes across the EU. Ideas for action Action 1: Blueprint for the creation of successful digital ecosystems Action 2: A Call for Action for digital hubs Action 3: Supporting digital investments: combining financial instruments with mentoring and supporting services Action 4: Promoting mobility and exposure of digital entrepreneurs to international markets, and creating opportunities for young digitally skilled people
Creating a successful digital ecosystem - Ideas for Actions Action 1: Blueprint for the creation of successful digital ecosystems Objective: How: Integrate the local development strategies (e.g. Smart cities initiatives) with the objective of boosting business transformation and growth through digital technologies. Definition at EU level of a blueprint for a successful digital ecosystem : Building upon lessons learnt by successful European digital hubs ; Acting as a roadmap for policy makers and stakeholders. Encourage cities and regions to adopt overarching strategies and assume a coordinating role.
Creating a successful digital ecosystem - Ideas for Actions Action 2: A Call for Action for digital hubs Objective: Create world-class networks, sharing resources, knowledge and expertise and make them available across the borders for European SMEs. How: Creating a pan-european network of digital hubs (using resources under Horizon 2020 to support cooperation); Setting up incentivizing mechanisms (such as an EU wide competition among hubs). Expected result: Triggering a creative entrepreneurial fever at local level, empowered by the digital evolution.
Creating a successful digital ecosystem - Ideas for Actions Action 3: Supporting digital investments: combining financial instruments with mentoring and supporting services Objective: Enhance digital investments among SMEs through a coordinated and comprehensive approach, combining funding with support services. How: Strengthen access to funding, by: Prioritizing the theme in the EU regional development policies, and creating funding schemes addressed to support the digital transformation of existing companies; Helping entrepreneurs and businesses gain access to risk finance, loans and equity investments (e.g. by earmarking the EIB and the EIF to this objective). Promote access to other resources and support measures: smart support actions like mentoring, coaching, and support services.
Creating a successful digital ecosystem - Ideas for Actions Action 4: Promoting mobility of digital entrepreneurs and creating opportunities for young digitally skilled people Objective: Promoting access to international markets for digital entrepreneurs, and opportunities for digitally skilled people. How: Two work-streams: 1. Pan-European programme aimed at boosting the international mobility of digital entrepreneurs and supporting the scaling-up and internationalization of digital enterprises. 2. Matching the needs of companies looking for skills in the digital domain, with the needs of unemployed digital natives, through job placements, apprenticeships, traineeships. Possible synergies with the Youth Guarantee scheme, Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs.
Creating a successful digital ecosystem - Points for discussion Points for discussion: Are these actions bold enough and efficient? Which other proposal? Which the possible issues? Is the implementation of a Blueprint for an action to be taken at the national, local or regional level? Does your national strategy envisage that? Which instruments can be mobilised? How could MS support digital investments through regional policies and instruments? Do you already provide for supporting services (training, mentoring)? Which instruments could you use to support the cooperation among digital hubs? Can you mobilise existing instruments to favour these exchanges among entrepreneurs? Do you already implement actions in this field?
Creating a successful digital ecosystem - Relevant Initiatives Name: Latvia IT cluster Country: Latvia Description: The Latvian IT Cluster groups Latvian SMEs involved in the digital business. The aim is to increase the competitiveness and grow exports of IT services. The second aim is to bridge the digital gap through the promotion of collaboration between companies and with universities. Name: Bucharest Tech hub Country: Romania Description: TechHub creates spaces around the world for tech entrepreneurs to meet, work, learn and collaborate. TechHub provides physical and virtual spaces that enable technology startups. Name: Forum Virium Helsinki Country: Finland Description: Development of digital urban services that make travelling and living in the city easier. The services can be used with mobile devices and they are an integral part of their urban environment. Name: Innovation Hub - Smart city Country: Malta Description: The MITA Innovation Hub will serve as a venue where future web entrepreneurs and innovators will have a number of software and cloud technologies, and support programmes, to choose from for their projects.
Presentation by Member States of relevant policy initiatives: France: Gerard Emond Ireland: Stephen Brennan
Creating a successful digital ecosystem - Points for discussion Points for discussion: Are these actions bold enough and efficient? Which other proposal? Which the possible issues? Is the implementation of a Blueprint for an action to be taken at the national, local or regional level? Does your national strategy envisage that? Which instruments can be mobilised? How could MS support digital investments through regional policies and instruments? Do you already provide for supporting services (training, mentoring)? Which instruments could you use to support the cooperation among digital hubs? Can you mobilise existing instruments to favour these exchanges among entrepreneurs? Do you already implement actions in this field?
Skills to lead the digital transformation Skills to lead the digital transformation To enhance the ability to develop digital strategies and lead digital transformations, by developing education programmes which combine management, creative and digital competences, and developing new professional profiles, such as the Chief Digital Officer. Ideas for action Action 5: Integrating digital in business and management education Action 6: Recognizing digital leaders and boosting the figure of the Chief Digital Officer
Skills to lead the digital transformation - Ideas for Actions Action 5: Integrating digital in business and management education Objective: Combine digital knowledge with core business and management skills. How: Integrating digital as a key component of: Entrepreneurial training and business administration courses; Vocational training courses and lifelong learning programmes offered at the workplace; The curricula of the Public Administration Schools. The EC and MS representatives, Business schools, Universities, Public Administration schools, the Industry should all work together to develop harmonized education and training programmes across the EU MS.
Skills to lead the digital transformation - Ideas for Actions Action 6: Recognising digital leaders and boosting the figure of the Chief Digital Officer Objective: Development and empowerment of specific professional profiles, able to guide companies and organizations through the opportunities offered by digital technologies. How: Recognising and promoting the Chief Digital Officers (CDO) as the new key figures in enterprises. Steps to follow: Gaining a better understanding of the role and the development of the CDO professional figure; Designing a European wide training plan for the development of digital leaders.
Skills to lead the digital transformation - Relevant Initiatives Name: Update of curricula Country: Bulgaria Description: The goal of the activities under this project are to update curriculums in universities in order to correspond to the real market needs. Research and analysis of market needs and creating links between business and academia. Name: University Technology Enterprise Network (UTEN) Country: Portugal Description: The aim of the UTEN is to increase the competences in technology and commercialisation. The UTEN engages with scientific and academic institutions throughout Portugal to emphasise technology transfer and commercialisation on an international scale. Name: The e-competent teacher project Country: Slovenia Description: The e-competent teacher project aims to support teachers, school ICT administrators and heads of schools to improve their competences and set standards.
Skills to lead the digital transformation - Points for discussion Points for discussion: Are these actions bold enough and efficient? Which other proposal? Which the possible issues? Given the current education and training systems across the EU, which are expected to be the most relevant constraints for the adaptation of the education offer to the digital area? Do you have already experience regarding the profile of the Chief Digital Officer? How are SMEs coping with the needs for these skills?
Presentation by Member States of relevant policy initiatives Poland: Stanislaw Dyrda
Skills to lead the digital transformation - Points for discussion Points for discussion: Are these actions bold enough and efficient? Which other proposal? Which the possible issues? Given the current education and training systems across the EU, which are expected to be the most relevant constraints for the adaptation of the education offer to the digital area? Do you have already experience regarding the profile of the Chief Digital Officer? How are SMEs coping with the needs for these skills?
Regulating in the digital age Regulating in the digital age To bring legislation closer to the digital reality and its evolution, improve the digital awareness among regulatory and policy making bodies, and ensure that the impact on digital business is carefully considered when a new legislation is put forward. Ideas for action Action 7: Training for regulators: a Digital Boot camp Action 8: Observatory and crowdsourcing of ideas on regulatory obstacles to digital transformation Action 9: The Digital Test : assessing the impact of regulation on digital business
Regulating in the digital age - Ideas for Actions Action 7: Training for regulators: a Digital Boot camp Objective: How: Modernise the practices of the public sector and foster the digitisation of services. Upgrade digital skill-set in public administrations and promote a better understanding of digital business, through intensive training programmes, i.e. digital boot camps, aimed at: Providing digital knowledge and improved ability to use digital technologies; Increasing awareness on the trends which are re-shaping business operations and strategies.
Regulating in the digital age - Ideas for Actions Action 8: Observatory and crowdsourcing of ideas on regulatory obstacles to digital transformation Objective: Remove the obstacles that Regulation (at EU and MS level) can create for digital business and digital transformation processes. How: Creation of an EU Observatory on regulatory barriers for digital business with the following main characteristics: Gather authorities at EU and MS level and experts from the industry and academic domain; Work as a permanent task force. Establishment of an EU platform for the collection of input and feedback on digital transformation and regulation-related issues.
Regulating in the digital age - Ideas for Actions Action 9: The Digital Test : assessing the impact of regulation on digital business Objective: Assessing the impact of new measures (or regulatory revisions) on digital enterprises or digital transformation processes. How: Introduction of a Digital Test in the Impact Assessment analysis (similar to the SMEs test ), tools and methodologies (e.g. set of indicators for the assessment of impacts on digital business).
Regulating in the digital age Initiatives Name: Internet policy task force Country: US Description: Task force to conduct a comprehensive review of the nexus between privacy policy, copyright, global free flow of information, cybersecurity and innovation in the internet economy. Name: Slovenian internet forum Country: Slovenia Description: The Slovenian internet forum is appointed with the objective of promoting an open and inclusive dialogue between all groups interested in key policy topics. Name: Ministry of Administration and Digitization of Poland Country: Poland Description: A new ministry with the word digitisation was created in 2011. The focus of this ministry is on: developing broadband infrastructure, supporting the development of web content and services and promoting digital literacy among the citizens.
Regulating in the digital age Points for discussion Points for discussion: Are these actions bold enough and efficient? Which other proposal? Which the possible issues? In terms of regulatory barriers to digital business, which are the most critical areas to be addressed? How can regulatory process be adapted to better taken into account a fast changing business environment? Are consultations and instruments for the crowdsourcing of ideas valid options?
Points of discussion Themes for further discussion Single Market for Digital SMEs Promoting Interoperability between national e-tendering/e- Procurement portals e-procurement can encourage the digital transition among SMEs, by promoting the shift towards widespread digital transactions e-procurement can also represent a significant lever to boost the creation of a Single Market for Digital SMEs. Indirect and positive consequence: ability of European companies to do business across borders by leveraging on digital technologies. What have you done in your MS to ensure interoperability? To what extent e-procurement and interoperability can boost digital uptake and cross-border digital business? How the cross-border accessibility of e-procurement can be improved?
Points of discussion Themes for further discussion Competitive exploitation of big data Value creation is increasingly dependent on enormous amount of data collected, analysed and used for business operations. Big data platforms are crucial for enterprises to leverage on digital technologies and generate value Challenges: Shift of the control power from traditional industries to digital platforms; Need for clear measures and rules on ownership of data; Creation of possible de facto monopolies. Which actions should be taken to address the issues related to the access, use and ownership of industrial data? Are you considering specific measures to ensure a level playing field in your country? Is there scope for an EU action in this field?
Presentation by Member States of relevant policy initiatives Netherlands: Paula de Winter