accelerating the digital transformation of european industry and

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Accelerating the digital transformation of European industry and enterprises Key recommendations of the Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship March 2016 Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship A forum established by DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

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Accelerating thedigital transformationof European industryand enterprises

Key recommendations ofthe Strategic Policy Forumon Digital Entrepreneurship

March 2016

Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

A forum established byDG Internal Market, Industry,Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Overview of the recommendations

A B C D

Accelerating theuptake of big data andestablishingcompetitive digitalplatforms in Europe

Call for new generationsecurity and standardsolutions to build trustand reap the fullbenefits of the Internetof Things

Call for the deploymentof 5G networks

Call for guidelines ondata usage, rights andquality to make thebest of European data

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Define a pan-Europeanfinancial schemebetween the EuropeanSocial and RegionalFunds, the EuropeanCommission, theMembers States andIndustry

Create an industry andsocial partners-ledtoolbox with specificactionrecommendations

Foster company,sectoral, regional andmulti-stakeholderdigital academyinitiatives

Promote and supportentrepreneurship as anopportunity foracquiring digital skillsand career conversion

Leadership andcollaboration for asmart governance ofthe local digitalecosystem

Digital talent and techentrepreneurs toaccelerate the digitaltransformation process

Access to data andtechnologies forapplied solutions tolocal challenges

Key infrastructuresand investments fordigital launch pads

Digital trainings shouldbecome part of thecontinuousprofessionaldevelopment of alldecision makersinvolved in designing,consulting on, andsupporting policies andregulations

Demonstratedisruptivetechnologies, providean understanding oftheir economic, socialand regulatory impact,and identify areas foraction

Acceleratingthe digital

transformation

Reskilling theworkforce: digitalskills for industry

Cities and regions aslaunch pads fordigital transformation

Toolkit for decisionmakers to becomeambassadors fordigital transformation

inspire motivate

‘encouraging thegenuine generatorsof innovation andvalue in Europe’

mobilise partners

industry-led

facilitate

exchange

create value

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3

4

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2

3

4

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2

‘providing leadershipeducation with relevant

senior-level training andtalent development’

© wk1003mike/Shutterstock.com © LUCARELLI TEMISTOCLE/Shutterstock.com © GaudiLab/Shutterstock.com

© - 2016 – European Union. All rights reserved. Certain parts are licensed under conditions to the EU.This publication is funded under the COSME programme of the European Union.

3Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

IntroductionAdvanced technologies are currentlydriving what has been labelled as the"fourth industrial revolution", with thepotential of transforming EU industriesand a significant social, economic andenvironmental impact. This digitaltransformation of EU business andsociety presents an enormous growthpotential for Europe.

The biggest digital opportunity forEurope lies in the transformation ofexisting industry and enterprises.Europe has a leading position in manymanufacturing sectors from automotiveto pharmaceuticals, or mechanicalengineering, but also in many servicesectors such as the tourism and leisureindustries. Three quarters of the value ofthe digital economy will come fromtraditional businesses. It is thus essentialto support their transformation forEurope to keep its leading position.

Disruptive business models andimproved production processes,empowered by digital investments, willgenerate new international marketopportunities. Furthermore, companiesmaking use of newly available digitaltechnologies have proved to performbetter than their peers. Europe needs tofully exploit these opportunities tobecome more competitive and a betterplace to invest and do business.

Yet, EU businesses are lagging behindand missing out by not taking fulladvantage of digital technologies. SmallEuropean businesses are slow to changeand over 41% of EU companies have yetto adopt any of the new advanced digitaltechnologies including mobility andmobile apps, social media, cloud, big dataanalytics and the internet of things (IoT).

The objectives of the Strategic PolicyForum were thus to shape policyrecommendations with a view toprepare the business transformation.These recommendations are meant tohelp unlock the unprecedented and stillnot-fully exploited business opportu-nities, and allow European companies totake a leading place in the modern digitaleconomy.

The key recommendations and findingscontained in this report are the outcomeof the work of the Strategic Policy Forumsince the publication of its last report on

the Digital Transformation of EuropeanIndustry and Enterprises in March 2015.Over the past 12 months, the work of theforum has shifted towardsimplementation, but also on deepeningthe analysis in four areas:

• Cities and regions as launch padsfor digital transformation: Cities andregions are one of the major enablersof digital transformation in Europe.They bring together local resourcesand facilitate collaboration betweenacademia, industry and policy makers,fostering a modern, competitive,resource-efficient and sustainableeconomy. Cities and regions cantherefore be considered as ‘launchpads’ for the digital transformation ofSMEs, creating new businessopportunities and encouragingleadership.

• Digital platforms and big data:Digital platforms and big data areradically transforming industries, suchas automotive, or healthcare andpharmaceutical. The large volumes ofdata generated through equipmentand machines provide significantopportunities to develop new businessmodels, improve products andservices, as well as bring aboutconsiderable economic and socialbenefits.

• Reskilling the workforce: digitalskills for industry: The wideningdigital skills gap will have an impacton the ability of EU businesses andgovernments to benefit from theopportunities of digitalisation.. At thesame time, the advent of digitalisationis making many manual jobs obsolete,while creating demand for new typesof skills, thus calling for the need to re-skill and re-employ the redundantworkforce.

• Toolkit for decision makers tobecome ambassadors for digitaltransformation: Policy makers haveto understand the social and economicimplications of the digital age and howthey change the regulatory frameworkto plan their actions and take fulladvantage of new opportunities.

The key recommendations contained inthis summary report have beendeveloped as a holistic and pan-European response to the need of fullyembracing the fourth industrialrevolution and accelerating the digitaltransformation across industries andsectors with the endorsement of allstakeholders involved.

iAccelerating digital transformation

The rise of digital platforms

The need for EU entrepreneurs

Europe needs an additional

of executives sayplatform-basedbusiness modelswill be core to theirgrowth strategywithin three years

Digital platforms are approachinga total market value of

of companies ensurethat their training effortsare aligned with theiroverall digital strategy

The digital skills gap

of chief executivesin the automotive

and healthcare sectors identify dataanalytics as having high-valueprospects

1.3 millionemployees are workingdirectly for digitalplatforms

A growing investment gapwith other regions

To close the accumulatedgap with the US in ICTinvestments, the EUwould have to invest

EUR 335 billion

81%

90%

EUR 4 trillion

of European jobsare at risk ofcomputerizationdue to keytechnologicaladvances

54%

of companiesconsider missing

digital skills as the keyhurdle to their digitaltransformation

77%

4%

20 millionearly stage entrepreneursto close the gap with the US

4Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Accelerating the uptake of bigdata and establishing competitivedigital platforms in Europe

setting the right enabling conditions fortheir inception and by creating the rightframework conditions for their growth.

The shift of value creation towardsdigital platforms

Data-driven innovation is unlocking newopportunities for Europe to grow itseconomy and address pressing socialchallenges. Digital platforms havealready become an indispensable tool forthe use of data. Digital platformproviders are playing an increasinglycentral role in the value chain and invalue generation. Going forward, all EUindustries will have to focus on valuecreation through digital platforms.

For example, in the automotive industry,prospects are that in the near future, 30to 40 per cent of the value in theautomotive value chain may passthrough digital platforms⁴. Digitalplayers already have access to ‘driverdata’, produced by people using servicesoffered in connected cars (e.g. insurance,entertainment, social media, health andwell-being data). Car manufacturers anddigital players are partnering to usecontext data to offer new services, butare also competing for control of thisdata (see figure below).

In the healthcare industry data, sensorsallow the rise of new innovative businessmodels, which are re-designing healthmanagement. The pharmaceuticals valuechain is being heavily reshuffled to allowfor personalised monitoring andperformance-based drug production⁵.

• predictive analytics uses the past datato model future outcomes;

• prescriptive analytics advise on thebest outcomes considering severalscenarios.

Digital platforms provide the technolo-gical basis for delivering or aggregatingservices/content and mediate betweenservice/content providers and end-users³. They integrate the components ofindustrial value chains in a seamlesscommunication between interoperablebusiness processes (e.g. design, produc-tion, sales, logistics, maintenance).

Europe must encourage the developmentof competitive B2B digital platforms by

The boundaries between industrysectors are blurring. Digital technologycompanies are entering other sectors,with new value propositions. This meansthat value is being reshuffled amongbusiness partners, old and newcomers,across the value chains.

There are many opportunities to begrasped and challenges to be faced byboth new and traditional players acrossindustries as smart products andservices become the norm and thebenefits of data driven growth becomeincreasingly apparent. Accelerating theuptake of big data and developing digitalplatforms at EU level is therefore crucialfor all industry players, old and new, toincrease their competitiveness.

Defining big data and digitalplatforms

Big data has no single internationallyrecognised definition. Most definition arebased on the three ‘V’s¹:

• Volume (a reference to data stores ofpetabytes or above);

• Velocity (the requirement for real-timecollection/analysis of data); and

• Variety (generation of data in diverseformats from a variety of collectionmechanisms).

Big data analytics is complementary tobig data, as it is the process of examiningthe data sets through algorithms. It isdefined as the use of mathematics andstatistics to drive meaning from data inorder to make better decisions.

There are three kinds of analytics²:

• descriptive analytics tell whathappened in the past but not why ithappened or how it might change;

Penetration by digital platforms of the value creation of connected cars

CAR DATAManufacturers

CONTEXT DATAConsortiums

DRIVER DATADigital players

Socialmedia

Wellbeing

InsuranceEntertainment

Homeintegration

e-Call

Weatherconditions

Mobility

Traffic

Safety

v2v & v2i

Usage data

Qualitycontrol

Penetration by digitalplatforms

Frictionzone

low

high

low

highHealth

Maintenance and relatedservices

Strategic importance for carmanufacturers

A

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5Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Call for new generationsecurity and standardsolutions to build trustand reap the full benefitsof the Internet of Things

Internet of Things devices and networkarchitectures raise new securityconcerns. Digital innovations, such asconnected cars and autonomous driving,together with the increase of devices innetworks, now offer an even broaderscope for hackers and espionage.Security is becoming a real concern forautomotive and mechanical engineering,as these sectors are highly sensitive tocyber-attacks.

Global scandals related to data privacyand lack of accountability in datamanagement have damaged consumers’trust in data security.

New applications such as autonomouscars require new generation standardson the use of artificial intelligence,robotics, sensors and several newdisruptive technologies. Given Europe’sadherence to United Nations conventionssigned in 1968 on driving licensestandards, it may rapidly lose itscompetitive advantage if it does not keepup with technological developments.

New generation security solutions arenot adopted fast enough by industry.Today, an estimated 95% of allenterprise networks have beencompromised worldwide⁶. Whereas theloss of intellectual property fromFortune 500 companies can be describedas the largest transfer of wealth inhistory, the cost of ineffectivecybersecurity solutions is predicted torise up to $3 trillion by 2020⁷.

Digitalisation fundamentally changes ourcurrent concept of identity and requiresa high-level of interoperability. New

kinds of objects, mobile phones, PCs,vehicles, files, applications or processesare still lacking a unique traceable andmanageable system of digital identities.

Identify, test, validate newgeneration security solutions forEurope

A new generation of security solutionsbased on the latest artificial intelligence,predictive algorithms and crypto-technology developments is coming tothe market. However, in order for thesenew solutions to be fully implemented atEU level they require infrastructuresupport, interoperability mechanismsand third party validation.

The validation of new generationsecurity solutions requires neutral andindependent validation mechanisms withthe capacity to rapidly perform complextests and issue third party assurance forfuture clients from comfort letters tocertification.

Proof of concept (POC) factoriesprovide such validation settings forinnovative solutions that disrupt marketchannels, revolutionise businessprocesses and organisations, andenhance the customer experience. Thescope of POC factories is issue-specific.The aim is to give assurance to largecorporates and SMEs, as well as to speedup the adoption of a new generation ofsolutions.

More coordinated efforts andinfrastructure financing should be placedin POC factories through public-privatepartnerships (PPP) and joint venturecollaboration between governments,corporates, business associations andinnovation centres.

New generation security solutions willbe intrinsically linked to the componentsand management of new devices.Solutions to manage digital identities areimperative to ensure the full transition totrustworthy and efficient e-commercesolutions.

A digital identity interoperable at EUlevel would comprise all informationthat uniquely describes an entity, aperson or a device. This legal digital ID(E-ID) would include similar propertiesas ID cards and serve the purpose ofidentity verification and dataauthentication. For example, proposedidentity management solutions includethe centralized management of all digitalidentities within a company through asingle platform, ensuring safe andtransparent interactions between thedifferent digital identities.

Innovative companies with IoT andsecurity solutions will be moresuccessful and will adapt faster tochanging environments.

SMEs see the benefit of newgeneration security solutions throughcross-sectoral and issue-specific testcentres without supporting themassive effort of individual POCs.

With E-ID users will have a bettercontrol of the usage of the data theymight share with third partiescompared to the current situation.

Large companies will reinforceprotection, will be less subject tosecurity risk and will generate greatertrust in their solutions.

New European Standards will drivethe industrialisation and thecompetitiveness of Europeanautonomous car industry. Lack of newgeneration standards will result in theEuropean car manufacturing industrylagging behind new players.

Impact

Rapidly develop new Europeanstandards and regulations forconnected and autonomous cars

Standardisation is essential for a rapidand cost efficient market development ofconnected and automated driving. TheEuropean Commission should foster thecollaboration between mobile andautomotive industries to define andagree on priorities in standardsdevelopment.

Given the rapid development of activetechnologies based on artificialintelligence and big data, we recommendan EU public consultation and a reviewof current standards and regulations inorder to check how new technologiescould significantly help to improve roadsafety and reach EU objectives.

In particular, Europe’s mobility andtransport regulations regarding the useof active technologies in the context ofautonomous cars need to be reviewed tocatch up with international competitors.In early 2016, the National HighwayTraffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) inthe US recognized that Google’s artificialintelligence self driving system may byqualified as a ‘driver’.

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Accelerating the uptake of big data and establishing competitive digital platforms in Europe

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Call for the deploymentof 5G networks

Fast wireless networks are enablers formultiple industries including healthcare,automotive, and manufacturing. Europeneeds to move to the next major phase ofmobile telecommunications standards,increase wireless data speeds andextend network coverage. Fifthgeneration mobile networks andtelecommunications standards (5G) are apre-requisite to position Europe as a keyplayer in the digital future.

The Internet of Things (IoT) needsbandwidth for ubiquitous, reliable andfast connection. Current wireless speedsare not fast enough. For example,autonomous cars will transfer data at600 megabytes per second connectingwith back-ends and their environment.This will only be possible in regions withhigh speed, stable mobile networks andlow latency times.

The EU is lagging behind in the adoptionand implementation of mobileinfrastructures. At the current rate ofadoption, 4G will only reach 50% of thepopulation by 2020 while progressivelybecoming outdated in the dawn of 5G.

This issue has been widely recognizedand 5G development is the subject ofmultiple ongoing initiatives at the publicand private level, including the 5GInfrastructure Public Private Partnership(5G-PPP) EU flagship initiative. There isa need to push this matter further and todevelop a coordinated and EU-wideaction plan with the involvement of allstakeholders (industry, government andassociations) for 5G deployment.

Develop test and validation centresfor innovative solutions

The development of test and validationcentres for innovative solutions and newresearch centres is essential for theuptake of 5G network at an affordableprice for business and consumers.

Focus on implementing 5Gnetworks along highways

Telecommunications companies need tobe encouraged to invest in widernetwork coverage. The business case forinvesting in 5G needs to be made. Boththe private and public sectors shouldsupport the development of newfinancing models. The European Fundfor Strategic Investments shouldfacilitate funding.

Considering the strategic importance of5G networks for multiple industries, andespecially for the connected andautonomous cars, our recommendationis focused on the implementation of 5Gnetworks along highways in Europe.

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Accelerating the uptake of big data and establishing competitive digital platforms in Europe

5G technology will become thelifeblood of all major industries in lessthan five years. Deployment ofinnovative solutions using 5Gnetworks will make European IoTindustries more scalable, morecompetitive, create new activities andfacilitate mobility.

5G will bring also additional value inunforeseen ways. For example, SMSwere not expected to be offered asservice to the consumers. However, itquickly became the most popularservice in the previous generation ofmobile technology. Hence, throughthe development of 5G, the mobileindustry anticipates a paradigm shiftin the way that all stakeholders in themobile ecosystem play their role.Regulators can especially use this asan opportunity to create healthierenvironments that stimulatecontinued investment in nextgeneration technology.

Impact

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Accelerating the uptake of big data and establishing competitive digital platforms in Europe

Call for guidelines on datausage, rights and qualityto make the best ofEuropean data

3

A patchwork of 28 different laws andheterogeneous sets of rules define dataprotection across EU member states.This leads not only to unequal protectionrights for citizens, but also representssignificant administrative burdens forbusiness, including the uptake of bigdata. Common and harmonized guide-lines on data usage, rights and qualityare crucial for an effective and sustainedEU-wide uptake of big data and thedigital transformation of industry andbusinesses.

The agreement on the Commission’s EUdata protection reform announced on 15December 2015 now opens thediscussion on implementation⁸.Currently, each country’s national dataprotection agency is set to define theinterpretation rules, which will likelyhave the opposite effect and result ingreater divergence.

Moreover, consensus has not yet beenreached on the usage and exploitationrights attached to different types of data.Exclusive and non-exclusive approachesare central as they will determine theneed for complex fair pricing andoversight mechanisms.

A lack of common guidelines also resultsin data being recorded and saved indifferent taxonomies, formats, and typesdepending on the entity or the countryproducing it. This lack of guidelines andshared common taxonomies formetadata curation and integration limitsthe development of analytical platformsand the digital integration of data flows.

Pan-European guidelines on datausage and quality will further supportthe Digital Single Market by ensuringa harmonised European framework.

Data accessibility is the primaryenabler of data aggregation. In orderfor companies to gather and use datathey must overcome the currentbarriers linked to the lack of clearconsent and exploitationguidelines. In this sense, the origin,rights and consent attached todifferent types of data must be welldefined. Otherwise, SMEs will have todepend on data gathered outside theEU and face higher costs for obtainingdata.

A clear definition of data usage andrights will boost the potential of pan-European Data Lakes. A data lake isa subject-specific repository for largequantities and varieties of data, bothstructured and unstructured. The datalake accepts input from varioussources and can preserve both theoriginal data fidelity and the lineageof data transformations. The lakescould help resolve the issue ofaccessibility and data integration forEuropean businesses and citizens indifferent industries and applicationareas. This would enable stakeholdersalong the value chain in differentindustries to exchange data within aspecific protocol in a rapid and securemanner.

Ensuring high quality data will bringmore competitiveness to SMEs. Forexample, in the healthcare industry,so far, only established players havethe resources to clean the data andoffer datasets of sufficient quality forclinical trials. Promoting data qualityand curation standards will offerSMEs the chance to compete withlarger players and bring newinnovations to the market.

Impact

Most public and private data sources alsohave to face data quality challenges.Hence, increasing data quality is afundamental success factor for theuptake of big data.

We recommend two set of actions linkedto a better and clarified usage of data andto data quality in order to reap the fullbenefit of big data.

EU guidelines for companies tomake the most of data

The development of common guidelinesis an essential prerequisite for theuptake of big data. Companies andindustry players must be provided withthe certainty that they can safely andsecurely generate value from datawithout breaching data protection lawsor stepping beyond the boundaries ofpublic acceptance.

Without clear guidelines EU companieswill both face challenges to use data as abusiness driver and expose themselvesto risks. This will severely hinder theEU’s competitiveness, innovation driveand economic growth.

Appointing a Chief Data Officer permember state to oversee theimplementation of open data initiativeswould be a further step in the rightdirection. An independent advisory panelmade up of national chief data officerscould forge consensus around a cohesivevision and strategy for capturing thefull benefits of data-driven innovationin Europe, guaranteeing similar and fairmarket conditions for all market playerswhile protecting consumers, workersand business investment.

In the healthcare industry, the develop-ment of multipurpose EU consenttemplates should be promoted to enablethe creation of pan-European data setsand to encourage the use and exchangeof Electronic Health records (EHR).

Promote data quality

Promotion and implementation of dataquality standards is a strong enablingfactor across industries as quality islinked to credibility and trustworthiness.

A new generation of common curationmethodologies and technologies forcomplex usages such as clinical trials,antifraud or energy savings has to berapidly promoted.

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8Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Reskilling theworkforce:digital skillsfor industry

and environmental impact of digital jobsshould be more clearly communicated inorder to motivate more women topursue this educational career and boosttheir representation.

An effective and adequate responsethrough a new pan-European reskillinginitiative is paramount for raisingawareness, boosting EU competitiveness,increasing all workers’ employability,reducing unemployment and setting thefoundations for a strategic resourceplanning at EU level.

Reskilling the workforce in different EUindustrial sectors is a major priority andchallenge. Launching a comprehensivepan-European training strategy basedon the needs of industry is required tomitigate the economic and social risksthat will come from failing to prepare theworkforce for the digital future.

An important factor to be taken intoconsideration is the fact that to a largeextent society is not yet fully aware ofthe importance of this challenge. Thegeneral workforce needs to be madeaware that in order to stay employed,they must be willing to reskill andpossibly shift sectors.

In this sense, it is expected that digitaltransformation will severely impactbetween 10% and 30% of the workforcewithin the EU⁹, amounting to 30-90million people. The impact of digitaltransformation on the job market will bethreefold: existing jobs will fall into

B

obsolescence, others will face radicalredesigning with the incorporation ofnew digital technologies (i.e. robotics)and thirdly, new jobs requiring specificand new skillsets will be created.

A second underlying challenge is theconsiderable gender gap that exists indigital skills. With an average of 15% ofwomen in the digital industry, Europe isalready missing out on a substantialshare of the workforce that could bemobilised to address the digital skillsgap. This gap needs to be addressedearly on in childhood and the societal

Define a pan-Europeanfinancial scheme betweenthe European Social andRegional Funds, theCommission, MemberStates and Industry

From a financial perspective, budgets forreskilling initiatives and programmes ineducation and vocational training areoverwhelmingly allocated at MemberStates level and through the EuropeanSocial and Regional Funds.

1At EU level, the objective would be todefine a major pan-European fundingscheme or at least a one-stop-shopgateway regrouping, refocusing andbuilding on all available schemes and ifneeded, new complementary ones.

Traditional calls for proposals fundingprojects (as in most EU programmessuch as Erasmus+, European Social Fund,Horizon 2020) are not suitable for large-scale digital reskilling. Public fundingshould be aimed at robust models andscalable initiatives with proven success,such as for example the Academy Cube,initially developed in Germany.Its careerand online learning platform offers anintelligent matching system, allowingSTEM talent to identify and develop theskills and qualifications they require forspecific roles in the workplace. Theplatform offers various training courses.It currently has 17,000 users but aims to

have more than 100,000 by the end of2017¹⁰.

At Member States level, training schemesand funding mechanisms should bereviewed and refocused to ensure thatthey provide governments and especiallyMinistries of Labour, Employment andEducation with the right instruments todeploy digital reskilling at scale and atspeed and with the support of industry.

At industry and sectoral level, incentivesshould be made available in order toencourage corporates at all stages ofgrowth and expansion to provide specificreskilling and training programmes totheir employees. A special emphasisshould be placed on small businessesand SMEs which cannot afford long andcostly training efforts but nonethelessare the backbone of the economy.

Recommendations

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9Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

institutions, industry players andMinistries of Education in order to worktowards a common objective. In thisevolving context, independent andofficial accreditations of competencesare important to ensure the quality ofprogrammes and learning outcomes.

In particular, public-private partner-ships and other forms of public-privatecollaborations should be stronglyencouraged given their complementarity.The public sector has a strategic visionand profound knowledge on territorialproblems, social issues and can leverageon large financial and human capacities.On its end, the private sector andentrepreneurs can ensure a moreeffective and targeted use of thesecapabilities.

There is a need for an industry and socialpartners-led toolbox for digital reskillingwith a strong sectoral focus, promotinge-skills, economic competitiveness,better jobs and social cohesion.

This toolbox will provide adequateresponses to the digital leap thatindustries will experience in the coming5 to 10 years. It should be based ondesigning new ways of creating anddelivering training for which the EUneeds new flexible models and on thesharing of best practices in order toprovide a clear overview of entry pointsacross Europe. See pages 10 and 11 forfurther details.

Promote and supportentrepreneurship as anopportunity for acquiringdigital skills and careerconversion

Industrial transformations are creatingnew labour opportunities, but anincreasing number of jobs are at risk,with redundancies rising. At the sametime, Europe is lacking entrepreneurs.When compared to the US, Europe has agap of 20m early stage entrepreneurs.Entrepreneurship should be seen as anopportunity and solution for careerconversion and reorientation. Digitalstart-ups and SMEs are a driver ofinnovation across industry sectors.Significant opportunities exist forEuropean citizens to focus on acquiringspecific digital skills, for example incoding or data analytics, by starting anew entrepreneurial venture or joining astart-up.

The "e-Skills for Jobs" campaign has beenraising awareness and encouragingEuropean citizens to develop their digitalskills and access today’s job market.Encouraging digital entrepreneurship isalso part of the solution for Europe’sdigital skills gap.

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Create an industry andsocial partners-led toolboxwith specific actionrecommendations

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Digital skills training programmes needan active involvement from industry andsocial partners in all sectors in definingthe curriculum and the sector-specificskills required today and tomorrow. Theintrinsic problem is that companies actmuch faster than the public sector, with aconstant lag between supply anddemand.

Curricula have to quickly adapt todemand requirements, but also need tobe constantly updated in order to stayrelevant. In this sense, it is necessary tofacilitate multi-stakeholder partnershipsand to strengthen concrete and efficientcooperation at regional and nationallevels between social partners, academic

Foster company, sectoral,regional and multi-stakeholder digitalacademy initiatives

3

Recommendations for reskilling the workforce

Reskilling the workforce: digital skills for industry

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The first phase of the EU awareness campaignWATIFY, launched in 2014, to inspire people andpush them towards concrete action to create theirdigital start-up, or digitally transform their business,exceeded all expectations. Since the launch event in2014, almost 200 WATIFY events have beenorganized in 20 European countries, reaching anaudience of more than 18,000 people. More than30,000 people follow WATIFY on Facebook, Twitteror LinkedIn. WATIFY’s videos have been watchedmore than 290,000 times on Facebook or YouTube.

WATIFY EU Awareness campaign

10Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Industry and socialpartners-led toolboxfor reskilling theworkforce

The relevance of a training programme isdirectly linked to their level ofcustomization to the industry needs. Thereskilling would include several millionemployees in key industries in Europe.Hence, the scale and urgency of thechallenge requires a solution ofunprecedented magnitude. As suggestedin the above recommendations, thissolution should take the form of anindustry-led toolbox.

An initial comprehensive analysis will becarried out with the aim of identifyingthe key reskilling weaknesses andchallenges that a particular industry hasto address and anticipate. This analysiswill be based on four pillars.

Assessment of specific technologicaltrends. The emergence of disruptivetechnologies at global scale will have aprofound impact on the job market. Inthis sense, it is essential to anticipate andforesee the digital leap that a givenindustry will undertake in the coming 5to 10 years in order for companies tokeep ahead of the curve and effectivelycarry out successful strategic reskillingprogrammes. Analysis should distinguishbetween disruptions that will bring aparadigm shift and the evolution ofbusiness models, and natural technologyevolutions through enhanced featuresthat do not modify significantly businessmodels and the ecosystem.

Assessment of particular industrytrends. The analysis of the impact ofdigital technologies on the whole valuechain of a particular sector is also

Step 1 – Industry diagnosis

relevant for identifying the concretechallenges and opportunities faced bythe industry players and determiningconcrete action plans that will enablethem to prepare their workforce andreap benefits from the digitaltransformation. Such analysis willinclude policy monitoring, an overallvision of the market, the level ofadoption of technologies and reskillingefforts by key players, as well assuccessful reskilling programmes thatcan be extrapolated.

Identifying the funding and financingschemes at EU, national and local levelsthat are available for reskillinginitiatives. These will include both publicand private financing initiatives.

Providing an inventory of the existingtraining suppliers at country, sector,institutional and private level that areaddressing and providing solutions tospecific reskilling challenges. Particularattention will be given to new ways ofdelivering training.

The second step aims to providecompanies specific solutions based onthe industry diagnosis resulting from theanalysis described above. The toolboxshould provide the necessary means forcompanies to adequately adapt to, andeven anticipate, the potential impacts ofthe digital transformation on theirworkforce.

Tailored solutions will include threedimensions:

Assessment of the technology anddigital shifts that particularcompanies will undergo in the next 5to 10 years. Technological innovationshould be pondered and adjusted withinthe strategy, business objectives andprocesses of every organizations. Thisanalysis will be extended to the entireworkforce within the company as allprofessions are subject to radicalchanges due to digital transformation.

Development of a Digital WorkforcePlanning which will allow companies toproject themselves for the next 5 to 10years by estimating their digital skillsand competencies gap, as well as todefine the desired characteristics andcomposition of their future workforce.

Spotlight

The toolbox needs to provide tailoredsolutions for specific digital skillschallenges that are particular to MemberStates and industrial sectors (e.g. Spain isfacing particular problems with youthemployment, whereas German SMEshave difficulty embracing the digitalrevolution in their sales model).

Step 2 – Tailored solutions

Additionally, tools that accommodate fordifferent social and psychologicalprofiles of employees need to bedeveloped in order to ensure a smoothtransition to the jobs of the future. Thetoolbox should be made available to allprofessions as they are all subject toradical changes due to digitisation.

Reskilling the workforce: digital skills for industry

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11Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Step 3 – Impact monitoring

Development and implementation of atailored reskilling plan responding tothe following main questions: Howmany people need to be reskilled? Whatshould be the scope of the reskillingprogramme? When should theprogramme be implemented? How willthe programme be implemented andfinanced? Who can help? In answer tothese questions, the Toolbox will deliverspecific solutions by determining:

• Which curricula or learning platformsare the most suitable (e-learningcourses, traineeships, apprenticeships,communal programmes, private trainingarrangements, etc.).

• Who are the main industry-specificplayers and stakeholders and whatassistance in terms of opencollaboration, partnerships and sharedpractices they can provide. A specialemphasis will be put on public-privatepartnerships or other public-privatecollaboration schemes which allow tobenefit from the long term strategicvision of the state and the speed of actionfrom the private sector.

• How to finance the programme in themost cost effective manner.

Once the methods to bridge the skills gaphave been identified and implemented, itis crucial to establish a continuoussystem of monitoring progress both atindustry and company level. In order todeliver value added solutions, theToolbox will be regularly updated ontechnology and industry trends,financing schemes, partnershipopportunities and training suppliers.Impact monitoring activities will take aholistic view of the company andindustry value generated by the Toolboxsolutions. Relevant indicators willinclude:

• The geographical distribution ofcompanies that are making use of theToolbox.

• The number of reskilling programmesthat have been put in place.

• The number of companies/timesaccessing particular financing schemes.

• Survey campaigns and periodicmeetings to evaluate the progress andbenefits of reskilling programmes atindustry and company level.

To make the industry-led toolbox asuccess, it is essential to involve allstakeholders and to create politicalmomentum for its institutionalisation. Inthis sense, EU ministers, trade unionsand industry players should bemobilized around it in order to take thisinitiative forward and put digitalreskilling on the agenda.

In particular, as no new financialresources may be available, it will beindispensable to redefine trainingpriorities and refocus funding allocationsto address the full scale of the issue.Turning the stakeholders’ dialogue andinvolvement into concreterecommendations and actions willenhance the ownership dimension andwill translate into greater and sustainedcommitment. Creating incentives fordifferent stakeholders will also lead tofaster contribution and adoption of theToolbox.

In order to ensure a deep-dive into theneeds and challenges faced by particularindustries and companies, the toolboxwill follow a three-step approach.

Reskilling the workforce: digital skills for industry

© wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com

© wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com

12Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Cities and regions as launchpads for digital transformation

Accelerating the inception of newcentres of digital transformation inEurope

Cities and regions have thecapacity to create a favourableecosystem to nurture themodernisation of their localbusinesses, public administrationsand households notably throughthe uptake of new business modelsand digital technologies. Digitaltransformation can radicallyimprove the way businesses work,citizens live and organisationsoperate. In the new digital era, theinception of new centres of digitaltransformation is therefore crucialto enable European territories tothrive and compete in the globalmarketplace.

Local and regional stakeholders allhave a single but complementaryrole to play when embarking on thedigital transformation journey

C

Engaging the “shakers and makers” of the digital ecosystem

Local and regionalgovernments are the ultimatefacilitators and connectorsbetween the actors in-and-outof the digital ecosystem.

Citizens and local workerscan encourage prototyping ortest, experiment and providefeedback on new digitalsolutions especially thosetackling urban challenges andintended to create more user-centric services.

Intermediary organisations(incubators, accelerators,mentoring organisations,development agencies, fab labs,innovation agencies) canprovide guidance, inspiration,open spaces and digital tools tosupport local firms and entre-preneurs and intrapreneurs intheir digitalisation efforts.Cluster managers can ensurethe engagement of the actors oftheir cluster in the digitaltransformation strategy of theterritory.

Creative industries andcultural actors should furtherengage in the digital ecosystemto harness and leverage on theimmense but largely untappedopportunities offered by digitaltechnologies.

Investors are key enablers ofthe implementation of aterritory’s digital strategy.

By working together start-upsand digital pioneers,entrepreneurs andintrapreneurs can unleash thetransformative power ofcollective actions to achieve ahigher level of digitaltransformation.

Through collaboration andengagement on digital projects,the scientific and academiccommunities have the abilityto find the perfect formula tocrack the digitaltransformation code of theirterritories.

By rallying more stakeholdersin the reskilling of theworkforce, social partnershave the ability to put an end tothe digital divide.

Ambassadorsfor digital

transformation

© GaudiLab/Shutterstock.com

13Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Leadership andcollaboration for a smartgovernance of the localdigital ecosystem

Build long-lasting partnerships andtrust relationships

The ability to create a shared digitalstrategy relies on the existence of trustrelationships between localstakeholders. Long lasting partnershipsbased upon mutual trust and linked topractical work are therefore critical.These collaborative activities lead to akind of collective and informal teamsthat have a great interest in advancingthe digital transformation in theirterritories. This approach actuallycreates a new leadership model thatinnovates, redefines and cultivates amulti-helix eco system.

Collaborate across sectoralboundaries and value chains

Territorial leadership is key for thedigital transformation of any Europeancity or region. It is about getting anexternal focus of the leadershipindependently from where it emanates.It is about coming together and inspiringactors from different sectors andindustries to take common actions thatchange and digitalise daily workingoperations.

1

Cities and regions as launch pads for digital transformation

Digital talent and techentrepreneurs toaccelerate the digitaltransformation process

2

Key attributes and success factors

Create a forward-looking digitalstrategy and build a shared visionaround it

Forward-looking strategies require localleaders with a global view, highimagination and the ability to paint theirvision and achieve a high acceptance rateamong the population. The governanceperspective is ultimately about takingresponsibility to create the necessaryplatforms and engagement channels forthe stakeholders to act out from. Theseplatforms are relationship-based forumsserving the needs of the actors for thedesign of a digital transformation agendabuilding on the territory’s economicstrengths.

Transform your local populationinto digital talent

Age cannot be seen as a barrier to digitalskills' development. As we enter a digitalera, local leaders need to make sure thatevery single resident in their territory isable to get digital knowledge in the shortand long term. In a world wheretechnologies are becoming ubiquitous,there are simply no alternatives to digitalliteracy. Cities and regions failing toreskill their workforce will inevitably seetheir economic attractiveness compro-mised and thus not be able to competeglobally.

Attract global digital talents

Throughout Europe, SMEs, largecompanies, public administrations andother organisations are thinking talentfirst. European digital leaders areextremely mindful and aware of theirtalent challenges but often lack theknowledge or capacity to tackle them.Getting these talents entails enhancingthe city/region brand attractiveness fortalents. Strong cross-sector collaborationbetween local companies and publicsector is one key to enable well-knownbrand to invest locally and act as amagnet for future talents.

Develop an entrepreneurial culture

Europe needs more entrepreneurs tospeed up the digital transformationprocess. Business entrepreneurs, socialentrepreneurs, societal entrepreneurs,innovation entrepreneurs, technologyentrepreneurs, academic entrepreneurs,political entrepreneurs, cultural entre-preneurs as well as public and privateintrapreneurs are critical to driveforward the digital shift.

© Peshkova/Shutterstock.com

© GaudiLab/Shutterstock.com

14Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Access to data andtechnologies for appliedsolutions to localchallenges

3

Cities and regions as launch pads for digital transformation

Key infrastructures andinvestments for digitallaunch pads

4 emerging to fund local technologicalinfrastructures. The variety of financialschemes notably include joint ventures,public-private partnerships, crowd-funding, Tax Incremental Financing (TIF)and green or energy revolving funds.

Ensure the economic sustainabilityof local investments in digitalinfrastructures

The financing of local digitalinfrastructures is not merely about

validated and scaled will change as localgovernments invest in a smart citystrategy.

Open access to data through thelaunch of open data platforms

By opening up their public datasetsonline, cities and regions have found anew opportunity to spur innovation andeconomic growth. Interconnectivity andthe creation of open and interoperabletechnological architectures to releasepublic data offer tech companies a livetest bed for experimentation anddemonstration. Open data strategieshave the potential to radically reshapethe traditional citizen-local governmentrelationship.

Ensure local access to digitaltechnologies

European cities and regions need tomove forward and address issues relatedto smart innovation and the creation ofthe right framework and spaces toexperiment with more innovation anddigital transformation. Digitaltechnologies also offer the opportunityto look for more agile ways to addressurban challenges such as rapidprototyping. A test-bedding approach iskey to apply algorithms to createsmarter European cities and regions.

Develop a digital city strategy

Activities related to governance,planning and city management are re-shaped by ICT and real-time digitaltechnologies, which provide a newdimension making it citizen-centric,efficient, accountable and transparent.The way in which many public services,such as mobility services, street lighting,energy, kiosks, parking, solid wastemanagement, physical infrastructuremonitoring and controls are developed,

Ensure the availability of criticalinfrastructures for the digitaltransformation of local businesses

Cities and regions have the ability tocreate the right framework conditionsfor an optimal digital environment byinvesting first in the required physicalinfrastructures (e.g. transportinfrastructures, corporate offices, socialinfrastructures, etc.). Institutionalinfrastructures also have an importantrole in the digital transformation oftraditional industries at city-level.

Secure investments in digitalinfrastructures

High upfront investments are not alwaysrequired to finance digital infra-structures. Innovative financial andbusiness models are increasingly

finding public investments; it is rather aquestion of economic sustainability.Local public authorities need to assessthe extent to which digitalinfrastructures can become sustainablewithout continued public investments.The mobilisation of all layers ofgovernments and financial institutions iscritical to achieve these smartinvestments.

© elenabsl/Shutterstock.com

© Ivan Smuk/Shutterstock.com

15Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Cities and regions as launch pads for digital transformation

Digital transformation experiences across Europe

There is no single approach toaccelerate the digitaltransformation of a territory

Each digital ecosystem is unique andrequires a tailored approach to matchlocal needs and levels of digital maturity.The transformation of a territory is notmerely about digital technologies. It isfirst and foremost a solution toeconomic, social, societal, urban andorganisitional issues. When developingtheir digital strategy, local stakeholdershave to keep in mind the problems facedby local citizens, businesses andorganisations and come together to thinkabout digital solutions to tackle them.

first EU cross-border Smart City

center of excellence

Tallinn-Helsinki

ICT Polska Centralna Klaster:Promoting cluster excellence in Lodz

CityScienceLab at HCU:Hamburg as a living lab for

digital urbanisation

Urban regenerationproject to create an

incubator

Opening up newmakerspaces

Open programmable city region

Stakeholder collaborationto solve urban challenges

Territorialgovernance for

digitaltransformation

Leveraging on the sharingeconomy to tackle local

challenges collaboratively

Collaboration to harness thecity’s innovation potential

NYU’s seed-stage venture capitalfund invests in startups from current

NYU students and researchers

Smart city policyas a driver fordigitalisation

Engaging diverse stakeholders todesign an inclusive and responsivedigital strategy

Digital transformation is ultimately theoutcome of the collective efforts ofdiverse stakeholders sharing a commonvision for the transformation of theirterritory. Their approaches can beinspired by the successful digitaltransformation experiences of Europeancities and regions of similar size,economic context and/or level of digitalmaturity. It is therefore key for localambassadors for digital transformationto engage and collaborate throughEuropean networks.

Leveraging the digitaltransformation experiences ofEuropean regions and cities

There is significant scope for businesses,organizations and citizens from the sameor different territories to collaborate andlearn from one another. The examplesbelow provide illustrations of differentinitiatives, collaborative projects,organizational structures, policymeasures or programmes initiated byambassadors for digital transformationat the local level. The inception of similarinitiatives is key to accelerate the digitaltransformation of European industry andenterprises.

Turning Luxembourg into a start-up nation

16Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Digital transformation impacts all partsof a business and all interactions withstakeholders. Hence, there is the need forleaders who have both digital andbusiness skills, and have an excellentunderstanding of how the potential ofdigital technologies can be harnessed toachieve business objectives.

The key to digital transformation isdigital leadership. Digital transformationhas to be led from the top, with activeinvolvement from policy makers and thehigher management, both at the publicand private level. Appropriate trainingshould thus be provided throughspecialised digital trainings, and becomepart of the professional development ofall policy makers, at local, national andEU levels.

Taking politicians, regulators andofficials through digital trainings wasone of the thirteen recommendationsformulated by the Strategic Policy Forumon Digital Entrepreneurship in its reportpublished in March 2015. Policy makersneed to move from creating fixed designsfor policies to creating designs that areflexible enough to allow others to adaptthem to changing circumstances.

The Strategic Policy Forum believes that

policy makers’ future skills must includea better appreciation of the possibilitiesand effects of digital technologies, as wellas the capacity to understand that thechanging circumstances they have toanticipate will be heavily shaped by thedigital transformation.

The recommendation of the Forum isthat digital trainings should becomepart of the continuous professionaldevelopment of all decision makersinvolved in designing, consulting on, andsupporting policies and regulations.They include politicians and regulatorsas well as decision makers fromchambers of commerce and crafts, SMEassociations and associations ofentrepreneurs. Digital trainings shouldbe made available at a European leveland MEPs and Commissioners should beencouraged to attend. National and localdigital trainings should be part of the mixtoo.

The objectives of these trainings are toenable policy makers to take fulladvantage of the digital opportunities interms of economic and social benefitsand to establish business-friendlyframework conditions thanks to a deepunderstanding of the digital trans-formation.

The concept was proof tested duringthe conference “Digital Economy:Let’s be ready for the new Jobs!”organised on 10 November 2015 bythe Luxembourg Ministry of Labour,Employment and the Social andSolidarity Economy with the supportof the European Commission.

The audience was composed ofnational and European policy makersand industry representatives. Repre-sentatives from the University ofLuxembourg, and from French,Belgian and Luxembourgish SMEshave demonstrated some of theirdisruptive solutions.

Pilot experience

Toolkit for decision makers to becomeambassadors for digital transformation

Digital transformation and technological advances are giving rise to disruptive business models, which aredrastically challenging the current regulatory environment. It is therefore necessary for policy makers to understandthe functioning of these new technological applications, as well as their social, economic and regulatory implications,so as to be able to take full advantage of the digital opportunities.

Entrepreneurs and innovators areinvited to showcase their technologies toan audience of decision makers. Thispresentation is immersive, with decisionmakers being invited to try thetechnologies by themselves so they candevelop a better understanding of theirapplications and their economic andsocial potential.

This final stage enables policy makers toreflect on the next steps to take tosupport the uptake of the technology.Key drivers and obstacles will beidentified together with the entre-preneurs and innovators and policyrecommendations will be formulated.The objective is to identify topics andareas where action is required in orderto take these opportunities further.

The goal of this stage is to provide keystakeholders with a sound under-standing of the social, economic andregulatory implications of eachdisruptive technology. The impact onjobs, on existing business and on thecreation of new businesses is discussed,as well as the implications on skills andeducation. Finally, the legal aspects areanalysed with the issues of adapting theexisting legal framework and of the needfor new legislation.

Demonstrating thetechnology

1

The three stages of a “Become an ambassador for digital transformation” workshop

Focus on the economic,social and regulatoryimpact

2

Going forward

3

D

17Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Blockchains

This technology is based oncryptographic ledgers which are treatedin a decentralised and distributedmanner. These public and shareddatabases are maintained and verifiedamongst the actors participating in thesystem, ensuring digital transparencyand confidence in the records ofinformation blocks. In consequence,information exchanges made throughblockchain based applications ensureintegrity and validity of the record, anddo not require trusted third parties forverification purposes. Blockchainsenable cheaper, faster and more securedomestic and cross-border paymentsystems. Distributed ledgers supportingsmart contracts could potentially reduceinfrastructure costs of banks by betweenEUR 13.8 to 18.4 billion per annum by2022¹¹. Today, the industry is facingregulatory uncertainty, whilst a clear andstable regulatory framework isnecessary to provide a confidenceenvironment for the development ofblockchain start-ups.

Wearable technologies

They refer to clothing and personalaccessories that incorporate advancedcomputer and electronic technologies.Applications of wearable technologiesinclude wearable cameras, smartclothing, wearable apps platforms, smartglasses, activity trackers, smart watches,as well as health and happinesswearables. The market for wearabletechnology is already enjoyingsubstantive penetration in the health andfitness arena. The value chain forwearables is highly dynamic. Forexample, in 2025 an estimated EUR 21.5billion will be spent on formulations andintermediate materials¹³. As theproliferation of personal devicesaccelerates, data storage and dataprivacy will become key areas ofconcern.

Additive manufacturing

3D printing (or additive manufacturing)processes began in the 1980’s whencomputer-aided designs were used tocreate layer-by-layer three-dimensionalprototypes. The first form of additivemanufacturing is referred to as rapidprototyping, which uses a liquid-basedprocess that cures or solidifies aphotosensitive polymer when anultraviolet laser makes contact with thepolymer. They were conceived as a fastand more cost-effective method forcreating prototypes for productdevelopment within industry.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)and robots

The advances in sensors, hydraulics,mobility, machine vision and big data aremaking human-robot collaboration atechnical reality. The new generation ofrobots may further overhaul the ‘divisionof labour’ between man and machine.These robots can be in the factories, butalso in the sky. For example, the conceptof an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) isincreasingly changing and the economicand social benefits from their civilianapplications are starting to beacknowledged by the population.

New training solutions

Addressing the paradox of simultaneousskills shortage with increased levels of“over qualification” in the workforce andrising unemployment rates has becomevital in securing long-term economicgrowth and prosperity in Europe,especially in the field of digitaltechnologies. An increased number ofEuropeans are no longer satisfied withinstitutional approaches failing toprovide graduates with skillsetsmatching industry needs. As reflected inthe European Working ConditionsSurvey, despite the 27 millionunemployed workers in the EU, in 2013,four out of ten employers reporteddifficulties in finding employees with theright skills¹². According to the surveyEmployer Insights: skills survey (2015),in the digital sector, almost half (42%) ofall firms recruiting tech specialistsreported that some or all of thesepositions had been hard-to-fill.

Autonomous cars

Rapid advances in autonomous drivingtechnology make autonomous cars thefastest-growing segment of theconnected car industry, with global saleslikely to surge almost fivefold to EUR35.7 billion by 2020. While fullyautonomous cars are still several yearsaway — and face significant legalhurdles — partially autonomousfunctions already are taking hold. Forexample, such technologies can take overactivities like parking, navigatecongested highways, and relieve driversof the annoying brake–accelerator twostep required by stop-and-go traffic.

Defining the most disruptive technologies is a challenging task. Almost every day, new innovative solutions areemerging and challenging the regulatory framework. Six major technological applications were identified as havingthe potential to be the most disruptive for policy makers. Yet, the sheer numbers of new technologies only furtherstresses the need for a rapid and widespread implementation of digital trainings for decision makers.

Toolkit for decision makers to become ambassadors for digital transformation

18Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

The Strategic Policy Forum on DigitalEntrepreneurship was set up in 2014 tooutline what should be the short andlong-term strategy for digitalentrepreneurship in Europe, toimplement this strategy and advise theEuropean Commission on key priorities.The objectives of the Strategic PolicyForum were to reinforce dialoguebetween industry, and the scientific andpolitical communities, with the aim ofshaping an ambitious EU vision and aEuropean roadmap that will fuel digitalentrepreneurship in Europe. The Forumadvises the Commission on policy issuesand actions to foster digitalentrepreneurship and promotes thedevelopment of policy by EU countries atnational and regional level.

The members are appointed by theCommission, identified among key actorsin the digital entrepreneurship field. TheEuropean Commission sought to achievea balanced overall composition, based onbroad representation and expertise ofthe members while keeping the size ofthe Strategic Policy Forum to amanageable level.

The following key organisations arerepresented:

• Industry representatives, includingdigital entrepreneurs, traditionalindustries (pioneers in the digitaltransformation of their business),technology service providers todigital entrepreneurs and relevantassociations;

The priority areas to be covered by theForum’s work, include:

• Identifying new businessopportunities for jobs and growth:the focus is on how digital toolsenable the development of new start-ups in all sectors of the economy, aswell as the transformation andgrowth of existing companies (bothSMEs and corporates), includingsocial enterprises and organisations.

• Removing the barriers: the focus ison removing the most significantbarriers, at all levels, spanningeducation, skills and entrepreneurialculture, technology, regulatoryissues, taxation, access to finance, etc.

• Raising commitment and actionsamong the key stakeholders: thisincludes the public sector, as policymaker, as well as driver and enablerof digital entrepreneurship (e.g.through open government data,public procurement), privatestakeholders and public-privatepartnerships, in support of EU DigitalEntrepreneurship policy.

About the Strategic Policy Forumon Digital Entrepreneurship

President

• John Higgins, Digital Europe

Vice-Presidents

• Irene Braam, Bertelsmann

• Antonio Murta, Pathena

Members

• Filippo Addarii, Plus Value

• Filippo Berto, Berto Salotti

• Paul Browne, Enterprise IrelandRepresentative in Brussels

• Nicholas Davis, World EconomicForum

• Franc J. Dorfer, Eierfabrik

• Daniela Florea, Geo Strategies

• Bartlomiej Gola, SpeedUp VentureCapital Group

• Blaž Golob, GoForeSight Institute

• Sandy Grom, Department for BusinessInnovation and Skills

• Ignasi Guardans, K&L Gates

• Fernando Herrero, Madrid Emprende

• Alain Heureux, The Egg Brussels

• Patrick Hoffstetter, Renault

• Caroline Jenner, JA-YE Europe

• Cornelia Kutterer, Microsoft

• Silvia Leal Martin, IE Business School

• Javier Lopez Calvet, Carrefour

• Colin Mason, University of Glasgow

• Hanne Melin, eBay

• Jeremy Millard, Danish TechnologicalInstitute

• Marco Pancini, Google

• Veronika Pistyur, Bridge Budapest

• Axel Pols, Bitkom Research

• Eduardo Salido Cornejo, TelefonicaDigital

• Bram Smits, Materialise

• Vincenzo Spiezia, OECD

• Karolina Telejko, SAP

• Mihkel Tikk, Estonian InformationSystems Authority

• Stijn Van der Plaetse, Telenet

• Reinhilde Veugelers, KU Leuven

• Laurent Zibell, industriALL

• Fabian Zuleeg, European PolicyCentre

• Non-industry/Private organisationssupporting and monitoring digitalentrepreneurship, including NGOs,trade unions, universities, researchorganisations, intellectual propertyexperts, equity firms, etc. and

• Public authorities, particularly activein the area of digital entrepre-neurship.

Web page of the Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

http://ec.europa.eu/ growth/sectors/digital-economy/entrepreneurship/strategic-policy-forum/index_en.htm

19Strategic Policy Forum on Digital Entrepreneurship

Austria Gerhard Laga, Austrian Economic ChamberGabriele Schmid, Federal Ministry of Science, Researchand Economy

Belgium Ares Lagae, Agentschap OndernemenBernard de Potter, Agentschap Ondernemen

Bulgaria Evgeny Angelov, Presidency of the Republic of BulgariaAnna-Marie Vilamovska, Presidency of the Republic ofBulgaria

Croatia Monika Sucur, Croatian Agency for SMEs, Innovationsand Investments (HAMAG-BICRO)

Cyprus Andreas Constantinides, Ministry of Energy, Commerce,Industry and Tourism

CzechRepublic

Jacub Jaros, Ministry of Industry and Trade

Denmark Niels May Vibholt, Danish Business AuthorityLouise Marianne Lempel, Danish Business Authority

Estonia Mikk Vainik, Estonian Information System’s AuthorityRami Morel, Ministry of Economic Affairs andCommunication, Economic Development Department

Finland Sirpa Aitalo, Ministry of Employment and EconomyAntti Eskola, Ministry of Employment and Economy

France Aurélie Gracia, Ministry of Economy and IndustryGerard Emond, Ministry of Economy and Industry

Germany Alexander Tettenborn, Federal Ministry for EconomicAffairs and EnergyWalter Mattauch, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairsand Energy

Greece Vasileios Gongolidis, General Secretariat for Researchand TechnologyElias Kastritis, General Secretariat of Telecom & Post

The Member States Board on DigitalEntrepreneurship was set up by DGInternal Market, Industry, Entrepreneur-ship and SMEs, with the aim to reinforcethe deployment and implementation of asound strategy on Digital Entrepreneur-

ship in Europe. The Member StatesBoard assists the Commission in shapingan ambitious EU vision, a short and long-term strategy, as well as in implementingthis strategy to fuel Digital Entre-preneurship in Europe.

It promotes a coherent, coordinated EUstrategy, and ensures synergies amongrelevant European, national and regionalpolicies maximise their impacts.

Hungary László Korányi, National Innovation Office of Hungary

Ireland Stephen Brennan, Irish Government Department ofCommunicationsPeter Finnegan, Dublin City Council

Italy Stefano Van der Byl, Agenzia per l’Italia DigitaleInnovazione Tecnologica

Latvia Martins Jansons, Ministry of Economics of the Republic ofLatvia

Lithuania Dovydas Varkulevcius, Enterprise LithuaniaEvaldas Smauksta, Communication Regulatory Authority

Luxembourg Laurent Solazzi, Ministry of the Economy - DirectorateGeneral SME and Entrepreneurship

Malta Karl Herrera, Malta Enterprise

Netherlands Paula de Winter, Ministry of Economic Affairs - SME &ICT Policy

Poland Stanislaw Dyrda, The National Centre for Research andDevelopment

Portugal Miguel Pinto Luz, DNA Cascais

Romania Mihai Barbulescu, ERNIEC Agency/RoEduNet (RomanianEducation Network)

Slovakia Boris Miskovic, Ministry of Finance

Slovenia Jurji Dolzan, Ministry of Education, Science and Sport

Spain Emilio Garcia, Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism

Sweden Hakan Hillefors, Ministry of Enterprise, Energy andCommunicationsJuha Alskog, Ministry of Enterprise, Energy andCommunications

UnitedKingdom

Harry Lund, Department for Business, Innovation andSkills

Members

¹ Gartner, 2001, 3D Data Management:Controlling Data Volume, Velocity, and Variety,http://blogs.gartner.com/doug-laney/files/2012/01/ad949-3D-Data-Management-Controlling-Data-Volume-Velocity-and-Variety.pdf

² Harvard Business Review, 2014, The Explainer:Big Data and Analytics,https://hbr.org/video/3633937151001/the-explainer-big-data-and-analytics

³ European Parliament, 2015, Challenges forCompetition Policy in a Digitalised Economy,http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/542235/IPOL_STU(2015)542235_EN.pdf

4 Strategy&, 2015, Connected Car Study 2015,http://www.strategyand.pwc.com/global/home/what-we-think/reports-white-papers/article-display/connected-car-2015-study

References

About the Member States Boardon Digital Entrepreneurship

⁵ McKinsey, 2013, How big data can revolutionize pharmaceutical R&D,http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/pharmaceuticals-and-medical-products/our-insights/how-big-data-can-revolutionize-pharmaceutical-r-and-d

⁶ Guardtime, 2015, 6 reasons why encryption isn’t working, https://guardtime.com/blog/6-reasons-why-encryption-isnt-working

⁷ McKinsey, 2014, Risk and responsibility in a hyperconnected world,www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/business-technology/our-insights/risk-and-responsibility-in-a-hyperconnected-world-implications-for-enterprises

⁸ European Commission, 2015, Agreement on Commission's EU data protection reform willboost Digital Single Market,http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-6321_en.htm

⁹ Carl Benedikt Frey & Michael A. Osborne, 2013, The future of employment,http://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf

¹⁰ Academy Cube, 2016, The world’s smartest talent platform, www.academy-cube.com

¹¹ Santander Innoventures, 2015, The Fintech 2.0Paper: Rebooting financial services,http://santanderinnoventures.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/The-Fintech-2-0-Paper.pdf

¹² Eurofound, 2015, European WorkingConditions Survey,http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/surveys/2015/sixth-european-working-conditions-survey-2015

¹³ IDTechEx, 2015, Wearable TechnologyMaterials,http://www.idtechex.com/research/reports/wearable-technology-materials-2015-2025-000424.asp