The event will take place on the 27th of November 2019 at the Sheraton Brussels Airport (Brussels National Airport, 1930 Brussels, Belgium).

The full program will follow soon here.

Innovative insights on the future of fintech

The financial landscape is undergoing rapid transformation. Uncertainties about the search for adequate tech talent and how to deal with regulations, open banking, payments, cloud computing, ecosystems/hubs, crypto-assets, insurtech, trust and sustainability keep finance experts busy.

During the Digital Finance Summit on November 27, market players, both large and small, old and new, will share their fresh views on these latest innovations, while regulators and decision makers will enlighten the ecosystem players on how to keep the fintech sector stable, secure and reliable for all.

Innovating together

Previous events in Brussels have included the Fintech Belgium Summit and Digital Finance Europe, all organized separately. This year, the two events merge together into one flagship event: Digital Finance Summit. The DFS is the result of a collaboration between four partners: the European Banking Federation, representing the European banking sector, Febelfin, representing the Belgian financial sector, FinTech Belgium, representing the fintech community in Belgium, and B-Hive, the collaborative innovation platform for financial institutions and fintechs.

Given the different backgrounds of these organizing partners and their networks, DFS is a fintech breeding ground, a unique event offering a complete view on current technological, regulatory and financial insights.

In the heart of Europe and European policy

The DFS is the biggest fintech conference in Belgium, in the heart of Europe. Hosted in Brussels, the capital of European policy setters, this event is one of the few places enabling large financials, start-ups and technology experts to merge their respective potential while picking up on European fintech growth, valuable partnerships and regulatory insights.

About B-Hive

B-Hive is a European collaborative innovation fintech platform that brings together major banks, insurers and market infrastructure players. Together, they work on common innovation programs and build bridges between B-Hive’s corporate partners and its start-up and scale-up community members. B-Hive aims to put Brussels on the map as the smart gateway to Europe and leverage on the opportunities offered by the digital transformation for the financial services industry. B-Hive believes that building bridges between important fintech hubs and the Eurozone enables both European and non-European companies to grow and expand.

The Executive Chairman, Fabian Vandenreydt, states: “Change is happening fast, fueled by continuous tech solutions. However, innovation is not only about technology. The ultimate impact of these emerging tech solutions will be felt by the end-users: consumers, households, businesses and employees in the financial sector. That is why it is important to bring the entire European fintech world together. Hosted in the capital of European policy setters, the Digital Finance Summit is the perfect platform for global innovators to share insights and to be inspired by a unique blend of industry leaders. The objective is to turbo boost the European fintech ecosystem.”

About EBF

The European Banking Federation is the voice of the European banking sector, bringing together national banking associations from across Europe, including all EU and EFTA countries. The EBF is committed to a thriving European economy that is underpinned by a stable, secure and inclusive financial ecosystem, and to a flourishing society where financing is available to fund the dreams of citizens, businesses and innovators everywhere.

The Chief Policy Officer at EBF, Sebastien de Brouwer, says: “Bringing together so many financial innovators provides a unique opportunity for the global fintech community to visit Brussels. We see that regulation is changing fast and the ecosystem keeps on growing, especially the access to artificial intelligence solutions and the growing data economy. We are looking forward to pushing the European fintech potential to new heights with policy experts and entrepreneurs.”

About Febelfin

Febelfin represents the Belgian financial sector. In collaboration with the banks, Febelfin is developing a social, safe and more digital banking system. Innovations range from sustainable investments and diversity in banking staff to instant mobile payments, from pension savings and a strong integrity policy in banks to new career opportunities for employees of the financial sector in other sectors and from social loans and a basic banking service for refugees to continuing financial training for individuals and entrepreneurs.

The CEO, Karel Van Eetvelt: “Open banking, collapsing business models, Libra,… the financial services industry is facing unseen challenges. Tackling those will require an all-hands effort by the financial institutions, fintechs and regulators alike. Brussels as EU capital is halfway between London and Frankfurt and less than 2 hours from any European financial regulator. This conference is also intended to be a strong signal to the new EU Commission and financial regulators: Let us work together to create a business environment that guarantees that European citizens and SMEs can continue to rely on a strong and competitive European financial sector for access to financial services.”

About FinTech Belgium

FinTech Belgium asbl/vzw is a non-profit organization created in 2015 by and for fintech companies in Belgium. It is the first and largest community of fintechers in Belgium, uniting financial professionals, startup entrepreneurs and investors, who are interested in discovering and discussing disruptive business models and new technology for the financial services industry.

Its Chairman, Jean Louis Van Houwe, asserts: “Changes in the financial, insurance and regulatory fields are accelerating with the emergence of new challenges, new opportunities and new players. It is important that at least once a year all stakeholders can meet to keep up-to-date, hear the latest trends and establish collaborations in this fast-growing environment. After 3 successful editions of the FinTech Belgium Summit, we are very happy to now be combining forces with other organizations to organize 2019’s major FinTech event in the capital of Europe: the Digital Finance Summit.”

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What do these questions have in common? They were all brought up during Unlecture’19 with Didier Schmitt.

Unlecture’19 with Didier Schmitt

Unlecture’19 provided an opportunity for all participants involved to discuss changes and risks impacting organizations the most and how to take advantage of future trends. Organized by Loyal Advisory, the opening intervention was delivered by the Unlecturer Didier Schmitt. The Uncommons Ricardo Parreira, Carlos Brito and Fred Canto e Castro gave their own contributions based on the Unlecturer’s intervention.

The unusual format of the event, and unexpected venue, promoted extensive discussion.

Is disruption a threat?

We all know that nothing ever stays the same. Changes come at an astounding pace. The trends of tomorrow will revolutionize the way we live, play and do business. In fact, new technologies have the potential to overturn much of what we know. Despite being scary, disruption can also be a huge opportunity. To seize this opportunity, you must discover what you are building for.

A fast-changing world requires quickly transforming capabilities to keep up with the pace. The window of opportunity to understand and manage the transition to a new future is now.

This was the objective of Unlecture’19. To help all participants gain insights and acquire future-proof capabilities.

Zombies and digital reincarnations

Many people believe that the digital revolution will decrease social relations. Some go to the extent of saying we are becoming digital zombies where, by default, our fingers are typing and our head looking down to a small screen. In fact, over the last couple of years, technology has forced us to reconsider how we shape ourselves and society.

A different perspective stemmed from considerations on office spaces. In the past, offices were extremely different from that of today. Faxes, printers, phones, receipt printing calculators, buzzers and pagers, floppy disks, and many other are a distant memory for some or a complete unknown for the younger professionals among us. All of this, and much more, is now in our smartphones. Offices were impossible to carry around and share. It has now all disappeared and dematerialized. It all reincarnated in the phone.

It makes us mobile. This created an amazing space between people, where we can share information of all forms in several ways. We can even interact with people across the world. We all have an emotional connection with our phones. Our phones know a lot about us. It knows our calendar, location, friends, email address, passwords, home address, etc.

Furthermore, the dematerialization of objects is no longer fiction. Ultra-high-resolution holograms are a close reality. One can imagine anything. Own anything (i.e. the Mona Lisa). Share anything. All in one click. Soon you will be able to send holographic flowers to a loved one and the system, itself, based on previous behavioral data, will tell you which flowers to get.

The will of Artificial Intelligence

Computers have the power to do a lot of things better than humans. Technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have unveiled a universe of possibilities. In a not so distant future, it is reasonable to assume that people will have their own personal AI companion. This companion will know everything about us. Maybe even more than ourselves. In this scenario, most people would trust their AI companion over politicians. We seem to be willing to give away our decision power to machines.

But the system has no will. No ethics. It is just reacting. Unlike humans, it is unable of waking up in the morning and decide to do something. Without emotions one cannot decide what to do, what to choose. So, at the end who will, in fact, make the decision? Are we ready to filter through tremendous amounts of information and consciously decide to choose? Humans are training technology to train itself, to evolve. But, the fundamentals of the system are still based on human decision, on human ethics.

Learning: the science of asking questions

Technology is evolving at a much quicker rate than educations systems. Workplaces continue to change and evolve. The jobs of today are definitely not the jobs of tomorrow. Children are being trained to memorize everything, rather than think. But the truth is that, in a not so distant future, we will have to be empowered to deal with machines that learn.

We need to prepare citizens and cities to deal with this evolution. Our brains seem to be getting lazier over time. Getting addicted to getting the fast answer. The easy answer. Similar to medicines, AI, and technology in general, might have an issue of dosage. Meaning, it being beneficial or prejudicial for us is only a function of the used dose. Nowadays we live in a world where there’s an enormous flux of information, leading to a lot of problems. Technology is democratizing information, but will the general public make better decisions? Are we teaching people to do this? “The machine” will probably suggest the best solution. But will we be capable of making better decisions with all the technological insights?

To do so, we must leverage both hard skills and soft (or human) skills. Colleges and schools are teaching us hard skills. Until now we have been building managers. We are focusing on giving people answers. Maybe we don’t need managers, maybe we need people who ask questions: scientists. The winners will not be the ones that answer questions but the ones that ask the right questions. The ones that think better and more. Remember to ask questions. Since skills are constantly changing, you have to learn how to learn. We need to prepare ourselves to this new world. It’s our responsibility to teach children how to be critical.

The technology revolution will happen anyway. There is no doubt. We need to think how we can prepare humanity for a mindset revolution. We must revolutionize our education system so that children can grow up with a different mindset and capable of dealing with technology.

Being one of a kind among the crowd

The digital revolution is about sharing and dematerialization. But it is also about disintermediation. Most of us no longer go to banks because they come to us. The same goes for travel agencies, they are slowly becoming absolute since technology has provided much better opportunities. The first thing people do when they are sick is to consult “Dr. Google”. This can be hell, for hypochondriacs, or heaven for those suffering from mild difficulties.

One size fits all will soon be over. Technology will allow us to send a 3D map of our body to get a custom size for ourselves. We will be empowered by technology and become one of a kind rather than one among many. Technology has the potential of helping us improve ourselves. Some argued that we should have augmented people without jobs, others that we should shape our brains so to not be dominated by technologies. It’s a case to say: “Designer Brains in the Pursuit of Human Perfection.”

Are we human? Or are we slaves?

Technological breakthroughs have, in fact, brought about several changes. Besides sharing, dematerialization and disintermediation, the confluence of so many technological changes has caused re-centration. We have lost control of so many things in our life and technology can help us regain control over our lives.

The same technology also has the power of helping us care about ourselves, others and the environment. We are empowered to go from passive consumers to active citizens. It can make us better humans. But, what does this mean? We need to go back to the basics. What was it like before the digital age?

Since the dawn of humanity, our genes tell us we need to own things to survive. The same genes tell us we are social animals. We need time to connect and enjoy each other’s presence. There is a constant imbalance between having and being. Having and sharing. Advancements in science and technology, specially the digital revolution, can make us more humane than ever before if we choose to have less and share more.

The Unlecturer

Didier Schmitt is a scout operating in the future. He is a scientist and a physician. His academic career focused on spaceflight and space analogues research. ​At the European Space Agency he is coordinating the future program proposal at ministerial level for robotic and human exploration.

At the European Commission his first focus was on space policy, and then coordinated scientific and technological foresight with the chief scientific adviser, as a member of the Bureau of European Policy Advisers to the President. Until recently he was a member of the space task force at the European External Action Service, the diplomatic arm of the European Union.

His military experience was as auditor at the National Institute of Higher Defense Studies (IHEDN) in Paris. He is a regular contributor to mainstream French newspapers on future issues in science, technology and policy. Didier is also the author of “Scion|ce – What you need to remember from the Future”. He currently leads also a team of designers in a series of fiction-science graphic novels.

The Uncommons

Ricardo Parreira – Ricardo is the CEO of PHC Software, a Portuguese multinational, and is passionate about leadership, business strategy and corporate culture. Throughout 30 years leading the company, Ricardo has contributed to over 33 thousand companies, across more than 25 countries, having better management tools. Ricardo has helped create an ecosystem of corporate culture at PHC where people feel happier, motivated and more productive. These efforts have led to PHC being recognized as one of the best places to work in Portugal.

Carlos Brito – Carlos Brito is a marketing professor at Porto University, Vice-President of the Portuguese Management Association, member of several consulting boards and Knight of the Porto Wine Brotherhood. Between 2011 and 2018 Carlos was Dean for Innovation at the Porto University. Elected in 2018 as Personality of the Year by the Portuguese Association of Business Angels.

Fred Canto e Castro – When he was only 20 years old Fred left university to start his first business, Sonder, with money he borrowed from his grandmother. Five years later, Sonder has placed thousands of people in videos for brands like Coca-Cola, Instagram and Nike. More recently, Fred has decided to put all his knowledge at the service of others. Fred is dedicated to helping others making the most out of their life and being a better version of themselves. With the support of the future King of Norway and his organization, Global Dignity, Fred is building #IAmHuman, a global movement.

The post Managing the Transition: A Quest for Future Opportunities appeared first on Brussels Express.

On the initiative of Brussels’ Minister-President, this weekend the Region hosted Brussels’ first ever Digital Spring. “This totally free event created a space for dialogue between the people of Brussels and the high tech world. Unusual activities were organised and all sorts of applications were trialled. My goal was to make artificial intelligence and digital developments accessible to as many people as possible, and I achieved that so I’m delighted. Thanks to this event, we were able to give everyone time to understand how it works, but also to ask questions about how we want it to fit in with our day-to-day lives.”

 

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Can AI replace a composer? A very interesting night with #AIVA at the opening night of the first edition of Digital Spring! Check out the live video recording on our Facebook page! #brusselsphilharmonic #ai #artificialintelligence #aiva @aiva.ai #digitalspring #printempsnumerique #digitalelente #composer #composing #digital #orchesta #manvsmachine #brussels #bruxelles #brussel

A post shared by Brussels Philharmonic (@brusselsphilharmonic) on Mar 22, 2019 at 1:20pm PDT

Inspired by Montreal’s example, the event was hosted by KANAL – Centre Pompidou. Lots of free, educational activities were put on. Brussels locals and visitors of all ages, from rookies to experts, had the chance to explore digital technology through exhibitions, augmented reality experiments, coding sessions and video game workshops. A truly immersive experience to get to grips with the different technologies and creations.

This first event of its kind was a huge success. The opening concert, combining artificial intelligence with classic music, quickly became fully booked. On Saturday and Sunday, enthusiastic visitors came with friends and family to enjoy the programme put on for Brussels’ first such event.

 

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And now for something completely different… Digital Spring is coming to Brussels! We’ll be playing music all composed by artificial intelligence #AIVA #brusselsphilharmonic #digitalspring #digitalelente #printempsnumerique #theriteofdigitalspring #firstedition #AI #artificialintelligence #manvsmachine #composer #machine #tourntaxis #festival #digital #orchestra #musicians

A post shared by Brussels Philharmonic (@brusselsphilharmonic) on Mar 22, 2019 at 8:44am PDT

More info at www.printempsnumerique.brussels

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It was in March 2018, during the Royal Mission to Canada, that the seed of an idea was sown in the mind of Brussels’s Minister-President. The Belgian delegation was able to attend the 6th Digital Spring in Montreal, which attracted a large number of representatives from Belgium and Brussels. When they returned our capital, the Brussels Government decided they wanted to showcase Brussels’ digital prowess in partnership with the Montreal organisation.

“Brussels has a real buzz when it comes to digital technology. The work our researchers and businesses do enjoys international success, and it is important to encourage and support that. A Digital Spring also gives us the opportunity to ask questions about technological developments. To this end, art is just as fantastic a gateway, and I am delighted to be able to showcase our international relationships to bring this first event of its kind to Brussels,” explains the Minister-President, Rudi Vervoort.

So whether we are talking about academia, business or the arts, we need to make sure hightech solutions are accessible to the general public. This enterprise has received significant support from Montreal, who are sponsoring Brussels’ project.

“Montreal is now a worldwide capital of digital creativity, the fifth biggest hub for video games and number four for visual effects. Montreal has also become a major centre for research into artificial intelligence. These knowledge-based economies cannot grow in a silo. That’s why it is so important to develop strong relationships with other cities around the world, as we are now doing with the Brussels Capital Region. Digital Spring is therefore delighted to be able to sponsor the launch of the first ever Brussels Digital Spring. This event is a striking symbol of the relationship built between our communities, in particular when it comes to digital technology,” explains Mehdi Benboubakeur, Executive Director of Montreal’s Digital Spring.

Brussels’ first ever Digital Spring will be taking place from 22 to 24 March 2019. It will be launched on a very special evening in the Hôtel de la Poste, on the Tour & Taxi site. No fewer than 40 musicians from the Brussels Philharmonic will be playing a number of pieces generated by artificial intelligence, inspired by the great classical composers.

On 23 and 24 March, Digital Spring will take up residence in the Kanal-Centre Pompidou Museum. A number of unique activities will be put on there: from exhibitions to augmented reality experiments and coding sessions. Visitors will also be able to attend a round table discussion led by a number of experts from the field and find out more about the ethical challenges of these new technologies. A truly immersive experience to help them get to grips with the different technologies and creations.

Visit their website for more information.

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The inauguration comes during a period in which the Chinese giant was on the spotlight for some time. Following President Trump’s and his administration’s efforts to stop their allies from using Huawei products, the company has taken a step to improve their image.

The US administration of President Trump has banned its federal agencies from using Huwaei products on the basis of national security. According to the US government, the new super-fast 5G networks could be used by the Chinese government for espionage.

Huawei President, Ken Hu, stated during the inauguration, « Trust must be based on facts, and facts must be verifiable. This verification must be done on the basis of common standards. We believe that this is an effective model to build trust for the digital era. « .

This brand new center is located at the intersection of Rue Guimard and Rue du Commerce, just a few feet away from the European institutions.

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This event is aimed at business people eager to learn more about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how it will impact their job and life. Many of us have heard of AI and are curious about it, but do not yet understand how it will impact our lives, both professionally and personally.

Speakers include Thierry Geerts from Google, Jo Buvens of Salesforce, AI experts from Microsoft, KBC, VUB and others. The conference takes place at Microsoft’s new and state-of-the-art offices at the airport and includes a visit to its Technology Center with demos of the latest Microsoft technologies.

Program

The ticket fee includes parking at the airport, a special visit to the Microsoft Technology Center to see the latest AI technologies in action, lunch and a networking reception.

For more information click here

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In 2018, 4,859,646 vehicles were inspected in Belgium and no less than 17.30% of them (840,541) were late for the mandatory periodic inspection, ie almost one in five. Of these, 61.43% were less than a month late, and 8.62% more than six months. If the rate is 19.47% in Wallonia and 15.22% in Flanders, in Brussels more than a quarter (26.70%) of vehicles were inspected on time .

The mobile app, available on the Apple Store and Google Play, warns vehicle owners when he due date is approaching. It also offers valuable tips on how to avoid queues.

For a vehicle that is late for inspection, the right to a waived fee is automatically lost and an additional fee of up to 28,80 euros is added, stated the Brussels Secretary of State for Road Safety, Bianca Debaets (CD & V), who supported the initiative.

In addition to the risk of receiving a heavy police fine, it is especially the risk of not being covered by the insurance, because if in the event of an accident, a cause-and-effect relationship is established with the technical condition of the vehicle, the insurer may assert its right of appeal and will not cover the costs.

The post An app that will help drivers avoid missing the deadline for their cars’ check-ups appeared first on Brussels Express.

It seems filling the tank of your car is no exception in this regard. Since last week, one is able to pay for fuel with a smartphone app. What’s the point of such a plan?

Belfius, together with the Lukoil fuel stations, have cooperated with Carpay Diem, a Luxembourgish start-up which has developed a smart software to activate a fuel pump and pay from the vehicle. When you arrive at the service station, you should open the app, which will localise you. Then, you should select the pump you aim to use, before you fill up your tank. Then, a proof of payment appears on your smartphone. In other words, no need to use any credit card, as the app will record everything.

This is the first step and you at this point you can’t use any app in any service station. Belfius, as of today, is the only bank app you can use for such a purpose, and only at the Lukoil stations. It seems that competitors are flocking in, however. Colruyt has launched a similar software last week, which is focused on its own fuel stations.

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Prepare to be inspired by keynote speaker Robin Kleer, Vlerick Professor of Innovation Management, who is eager to tell you all about his future vision, which is unfolding today.

Vlerick Professor Robin Kleer will  give you food for thought as it sets a vibrant, congenial tone for this unique expat evening.

About the keynote speech

Industry 4.0 captures the ‘Industrial Internet of Things’, automation, digitisation and individualisation in a factory: the smart factory.

Applying Industry 4.0 should help a company answer the following:

• How more information about your customer can lead to more efficient production;
• How digitisation of production leads to more individualised products;
• And how a new dimension in networking ability enhances our collaboration productivity.

In the end, the question becomes: what (new) business models can we enable with the smart factory? And how do we manage the transition?

Robin Kleer is a Professor of Innovation Management at Vlerick Business School. After earning his PhD in Economics at the University of Würzburg, Germany, Robin worked as an assistant Professor at RWTH Aachen University and as a Professor of Technology and Innovation Management at the Technical University of Berlin. Robin has travelled abroad to teach, consult, and conduct research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, and the German University of Technology.

Robin’s research focus is on technology transfer and the interdependencies of innovation, market structure and business models. He is particularly interested in the impact of digitisation and new production methods, such as additive manufacturing (3D printing).

Join him on 14 November at the Vlerick Expat event where he will tell you all about his future vision on Industry 4.0: what (new) business models we can enable with the smart factory and how do we manage the transition?

For whom

Expatriates, accompanying spouses and corporate mobility managers.

Program

• 6 pm – 6.30 pm: Welcome
• 6.30 pm: Introduction by Prof Dirk Buyens, Director Executive Education, Vlerick Business School
• 6.45 pm – 8 pm: Keynote Address ‘Industry 4.0: the impact of digitisation on the factory of the future’, by Robin Kleer and Q&A
• 8 pm – 10 pm: Networking reception

Price & registration

• Price: Free event. Please note that a no-show fee of 50 euro will be charged for no showing up without prior notice (10 November at the latest).
• Online registration is mandatory (before 4 November 2018)

Interested in joining?

All programme details & registration on: www.vlerick.com/expatevent

The post Give your career a new inspiration – join the free Vlerick Expat Event appeared first on Brussels Express.

The document containing the agreement is divided into three sections, each section addressing the following issues: health and the environment, the economy and employment, the smart city and future investments, respectively.

For users, this could mean speeds of up to 20 gigabits per second in ideal conditions.

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