DEEP Visions
Later on, keynote speakers Bart de Witte (Founder, HIPPO AI Foundation) and Alain Bertaud (Senior Fellow at the NYU Marron Institute of Urban Management & Former Principal Urban Planner at the World Bank) presented their view on future trends – and why they matter for startup ecosystems. Focusing on the immense potential of the Open Source movement for business, health, and society in general, Bart argued that it “might be the most brilliant thing we can do in Europe”.
Alain explained how cities can become the breeding ground for social and technological innovation. He stressed that “mayors should be janitors – very good and competent janitors“. Rather than having visions, they should principally focus on providing the supporting infrastructure to allow companies and households to thrive.