Presentation that I made for the Digital Counsel in charge of defining a plan for the Digital Economy in Wallonia, Belgium (March 27th 2015). To embrace the digital economy, we need: - More agile companies - More agile workers - More agile governments KPIs that I suggested: 1- Number of interactions between startups and administration (the lower the better) 2- Number of local companies acquired (it will incentivize people to innovate "outside-of-the-box" and investors to invest in local startups) 3- Percentage of population who can understand English ("Think global, act local") 4- Number of independent workers ("Teach people how to find customers instead of how to find a job")

1. Embracing the digital revolution at a
regional level
Presentation for the digital counsel in charge of
defining the plan for the digital future of Wallonia,
Belgium.
March 27th 2015
Copyleft 2015 @xdamman - Please steal

2. Who am I?
4 Xavier Damman (@xdamman)
4 31, Dad, Wallifornian
4 Entrepreneur (Storify.com)
4 Hacker
4 Civil Engineer, master in
computer sciences (UCL)
4 Member of the Social Media
Counsel for the World
Economic Forum

3. 2B smartphones

5. Industrial Revolution
4 Economies of scale
4 One size fits all
Digital Revolution
4 Everyone is a potential producer
4 Platforms connect demand with offers

9. Startups matter

10. They empower people to
work on what they are
passionate about

11. They are a source of
growth & innovation
for everyone

13. 100+ contributions

16. 100+ contributions
5 Ways to a Startup-
friendly environment

17. BEStartupManifesto
1. Startup, Inc
2. Buy (from) startups
3. Educate & Cultivate
4. Pay it forward
5. #BEproud

19. BEStartupManifesto
1. Startup, Inc
2. Buy (from) startups
3. Educate & Cultivate
4. Pay it forward
5. #BEproud

21. BEStartupManifesto
1. Startup, Inc
2. Buy (from) startups
3. Educate & Cultivate
4. Pay it forward
5. #BEproud

22. Sign the manifesto!
StartupManifesto.be

23. How can a region embrace
this digital revolution?

24. beAgile1. We need more agile companies
2. We need more agile workers
3. We need more agile governments

25. 1. Agile companies

26. You can't think
out-of-the-box
within a box

27. KPI #1
Number of companies
acquired

28. Startups need to focus on
Product Market Fit
all the rest is noise

29. KPI #2
Minimize interactions
between startups and
administration

30. From we know better
To they know better

31. Stop targeted subsidies
They are interfering

32. Double down instead on the
market

33. Think global, act local

34. KPI #3
Percentage of population
who can understand English

35. 2. Agile workers

36. KPI #4
Number of independent
workers

37. 3. Agile governments

38. Release early
Release often

39. Do things that
SCALE

40. Share the data

41. Empower people

42. An old organization that
dies is not a failure
Failure is to not have new
organizations to take over.

43. Make room for the
new

44. Turn Wallonia into a land
of opportunities

45. where anyone is free to
innovate

46. without having to ask for
permission

47. We have great talents in
our region

48. They are being used at 10%
of their potential

49. Empower them to quit
their job
and innovate outside of the
box

50. Then reward them
by acquiring their
companies

51. Unlock their potential
Set them free

52. They will build Wallonia of
tomorrow

53. beAgile1. We need more agile companies
2. We need more agile workers
3. We need more agile governments

54. ThankYou

55. questions

56. Embracing the digital revolution at a
regional level
Presentation for the digital counsel in charge of
defining the plan for the digital future of Wallonia,
Belgium.
March 27th 2015
Copyleft 2015 @xdamman - Please steal

57. Credits
4 Wind turbine: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Windpowerin_Belgium
4 Feel inspired: http://www.wallonia.be/sites/default/
files/Eurostar.jpg
4 Don't ask for permission: http://djump.in
4 We have great talents: http://nestup.be
4 Plane taking off: http://www.logisticsinwallonia.be/