“Accenture, Google and Vanksen have set up an initiative to generate digital awareness among digital leaders in Luxembourg”, said Cécile Lorenzini, Associate Director, Vanksen. The last edition of the event shed light on how the alliance of humans and technology can help drive innovation.

Walter Van Dyck, Associate Professor of Technology and Innovation Management at Vlerick Business School opened the evening by explaining how corporate venturing allows companies to explore innovative solutions at a lower cost. Companies face fewer risks by testing the viability of business ideas outside the traditional corporate structure.

‘A successful innovation process aims to improve through transformation. Innovation is not just about technology, it's about the human behind the technology and ideas. IT must take an increasingly important role in businesses’, explained Marc Valette, Director of Innovation and Continuous Improvement at CFL Multimodal. The company recently oversaw the first Luxembourg-China freight line and tracked every step to increase the competitive edge of the company through an improved communication flow.

Geertrui Van Camp, General Manager of Phil at Home, AG Servicing explained that their corporate venture finds itself only at the start of a journey. ‘There are different business models we can use, and this is really about exploring and experiencing what works and what doesn’t work. We believe that technology is a must-have in a company that’s turned towards the future, but a human interface is also crucial. The computer confirms, but the human smiles. The combination of technology and humans is essential to make a difference.’

‘‘Any kind of innovation comes from companies’ endless search for improvement. Yes, digital helps us go forward, but it is its association with the human that will define the success of innovation. There is a lot to learn and try, but to really make a difference you need to go for it - that’s where we want to help as part of the Digital Circle.’’ says Adrien Kirschfink, Managing Director at Accenture.

The next Digital Circle will take place at The Web Summit in Lisbon this November. For this special edition a delegation of twenty people from the Digital Circle will fly to Portugal.