TAKING THE RISE OF GOVTECH SERIOUSLY
Prof.dr.ir. Nitesh Bharosa - Delft University of Technology and Digicampus
THIS WEEK THE NETHERLANDS GOVTECH COMMUNITY IS HEARING FROM THE FIRST DUTCH GOVTECH PROFESSOR, DR NITESH BHAROSA! HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY BELOW 👇
Governments worldwide are expected to lead us in addressing societal challenges, ranging from financial management and citizen-enabled energy transition, to a controlled re-opening of society amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Many companies – in particular startups – want to play a role in addressing these societal challenges. Using emerging technologies such as distributed computing, AI, PETs, and blockchain, these companies offer a growing portfolio of GovTech services.
But what is GovTech? And what is not GovTech? Is it about new technologies for delivering public services or new business models focusing on improving citizen journeys? Who is the (paying) customer: the government or the citizen? Can governments develop and deliver their own GovTech? Who is responsible for the emergent properties and their unforeseen consequences? If you really think about these questions, you may deduce that GovTech is a lot more than implementing startup-friendly tendering schemes. Fueled by constant innovations on a global scale, GovTech can empower citizens in a way that we have never seen before, ultimately reshaping how citizens and companies interact with governments.
Yet, the truth is that GovTech is a new phenomenon, and we do not have clear and accepted definitions. Literature on GovTech is almost non-existent, and we do not have any frameworks for assessing the benefits and risks of GovTech solutions (e.g., privacy, transparency, data misuse). And whenever we lack clear – scientifically-backed – definitions and frameworks, it is hard to develop responsible policies that can maximize the benefits of GovTech and minimize the potential risks. Why? Because no one knows what responsible means in this context. GovTech solutions will always be situated in highly dynamic and data-rich environments where data analytics and AI applications will thrive. In these digital ecosystems, adequate responsibility allocations and attributions need to be achieved for them to be acceptable: a complete and fair distribution of responsibilities will not emerge just by itself. Without responsible policies, it will be difficult for public agencies and citizens to accept GovTech solutions any time soon.
The good news is that we are starting to take GovTech seriously. Case in point: the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and the Municipality of The Hague have recently commissioned PUBLIC to perform a detailed analysis of the Dutch GovTech ecosystem. The resulting publication is full of inspirational examples. It reveals that the Netherlands – with a thriving startup innovation ecosystem and a government with a reputation for forward-thinking policymaking – has an opportunity to become a world leader in GovTech. This is a great starting position. On top of this, a diverse set of initiatives, including Digicampus, InterGov, YesDelft GovTech Validation Lab, and TNW X all play a unique role in co-developing responsible GovTech solutions. These initiatives are all focused on different challenges and needs in the GovTech ecosystem. For instance, Digicampus focuses on three public service innovation missions and builds quadruple-helix partnerships between government agencies, knowledge institutes, technology providers and citizen groups to accomplish the missions. A different focus can be found at YES!Delft The Hague that has translated its years of experience in working with startups, corporates and governments into a GovTech Validation Lab with a focus on validation and scaling solutions for multi-stakeholder challenges. There are more examples of such initiatives fulfilling diverse needs, and diversity is the key for growing healthy ecosystems.
But we are not there yet. We still need to find a way to close the gap between the innovation cycle and the policy cycle. Many GovTech solutions require access to data stored at government agencies and digital government functionalities (e.g., identifying persons). Currently, most government agencies are reluctant to open up government databases and functionalities because of the potential risks inherent to GovTech. Important research questions like “how do we safeguard public values and how do we design responsible GovTech solutions” still need to be answered.
In collaboration with Digicampus, the TU Delft has launched the first GovTech professorship in the world, signaling the importance of GovTech as a research area. I am honored to take up this responsibility. I am looking forward to collaborating in the rich Dutch ecosystem full of innovative companies, forward-looking policymakers, pioneering researchers, and engaged citizens. Together we can develop the foundations and frameworks that can guide companies in developing world-class citizen-centric GovTech solutions and help policymakers assess and embrace GovTech responsibly. Let's work together to keep GovTech on the agenda and discuss how we want to establish the Netherlands as a leading light. If this call to action inspires you, drop me a note (nitesh@digicampus.tech).