The Flemish government is setting up the data company together with seven private actors Flanders Technology and Innovation (FTI) op. In doing so, it wants to become a Europe-wide leader in the development of technological solutions to social problems.
The data company will be launched on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 Flanders Technology and Innovation (FTI), founded by the Flemish government and seven large companies, will take place during a press conference. The company’s goal is to become a European leader in the development of technological solutions to social problems. The starting capital for this project is 4.5 million euros. According to Flemish Prime Minister Jan Jambon (N-VA) and Flemish Economy Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V), it is one of the most important projects of the legislative period, although they are aware that criticism could arise for “political profiling”. .
Social challenges
The Flemish government is joining forces with seven major companies in Belgium, namely the telecommunications companies Proximus and Telenet, the bank KBC, the IT groups Cronos and Cegeka, Brussels Airport and the investment vehicle COI.
FTI will be a platform where secure, smooth and controlled data exchange can take place. This platform can be used by various companies, research centers and governments who can use their knowledge to help solve social problems. A current example is the digital health vault in which every Flemish person can store their health data.
The European data strategy says that users should be able to decide what happens to their data, unlike in China and the US, where governments and tech giants have control. With FTI, the Flemish government wants to convince citizens to share their data in a secure environment so that it can be used for research, medical applications or political purposes.
Digital revolution
To get the project off the ground, Flanders is contributing one million euros in start-up capital, and every other company is contributing half a million euros. Financing is sought from partners or customers for each individual project.
The company is one of the pillars of the larger group Flanders Technology and Innovation, the project by Jambon and Brouns, with the aim of taking a pioneering role in the digital revolution. A second and third pillar of the government project are the technology fairs and the entertainment hub.