How can a local government such as Antwerp respond to all these, almost revolutionary, IT developments that are so typical nowadays?

We ask ourselves the same question each year and likewise every year we search for the answer.

Our challenges for 2018

The group city of Antwerp views digitization as a lever to organize its services in the most efficient and customer-friendly way. With the new technologies that are now available - such as artificial intelligence, IoT and blockchain - we are able to take significant steps forward. 

In addition, it remains of the utmost importance that we can respond with speed and agility to all possible digital needs and wishes and dare to think outside the box. Placed in another context, that the development of software can be achieved in a modern and innovative way. We accomplish this by using the Antwerp City Platform as a Service, through our collaboration with creative entrepreneurs such as start-ups and by continuously coordinating with partners such as local, federal and European governments, universities, V-ICT-OR (Flemisch IT Organization for Local Authorities), our meetup members,  and so on.

What we do now, we want to do even better. 

We are proud of what we have achieved so far, but every day we learn a little more and discover new opportunities. This is a methodology that we all support: dare to experiment and discover other and often surprising possibilities, dare to work together across the company boundaries and thus gain new insights, and dare to fail quickly, so that you have a better sense of direction.

In 2018 we are working on four moonshots that help realize our ambitions.

In the first place we will try to find an answer to the question:  are we able to create a digital experience that is amazing and irresistible? In day-to-day life you can't deny that there are some very strong examples in terms of user experience. Take Spotify for example. Why shouldn't we try to match something like that? The Smart Zone within the Sint-Andries district of Antwerp is going to give a lot of incentives. It is pre-eminently the place to investigate, together with the residents and entrepreneurs, in which manner we may improve life in the city utilising technology. Underlying this, we are building a digital experience platform within ACPaaS. We are now investigating which instruments we need to build software applications that are more than amazing.

Moonshot two deepens our 'buy from startups' policy. The collaboration with startups is an absolute hit. Their ideas, passion and entrepreneurial approach are a real source of inspiration for everyone and an absolute reinforcement for Digipolis. Therefore we are going to try to ensure that more start-ups can and want to jump on the bandwagon and that, preferably in cooperation with them, we can confront real needs and questions.
 

As mentioned earlier, we believe in a culture of experimenting and researching. In Digipolis we have labs in the fields of artificial intelligence, IoT, blockchain, SmartOps and digital security in which all employees may participate. For a number of these labs, like blockchain, we are already working with 'external' parties such as the Flemish and federal government. But our big dream is that we completely break loose from our corporate boundaries. There are no limits. So that everyone - employees of Digipolis and the Antwerp group, start-ups, the university, students, residents and other creative minds - can think about an innovative digital city. That is what Moonshot three is all about: open labs.

Finally, because it happens to be rather crucial, we continue to focus on sharing knowledge and collaboration across all borders. We like to share our experiences through a meet-up, knowledge day or some other event, but we also enjoy listening to the experiences of others. We have placed a lot of effort into working together with Flemish and European governments, universities and other partners. 

A tough challenge! Is all of that accomplishable?

No, and that is not really necessary. A moonshot is exactly what it says, a moonshot. If we reach the moon, then that would be fantastic. Even if we 'only' succeed in building a rocket that can return and land ;), we will have realised a lot. 
Our focus is on the numerous projects we realise for the city, social welfare, local police, urban education, healthcare,.... But we are confident. The enthusiasm among our employees to deliver high-quality results, including some innovative inserts, is pretty big.  

Franky Loveniers
City councilor of the city of Antwerp, chairman of Digipolis

Peter Crombecq
CIO of the city of Antwerp, CEO of Digipolis