Trust is essential in the data economy
Data must become more usable by more companies in more applications to develop a data economy. This evolution requires trust. A lack of trust would result in less shared data, which would break innovation.
At the moment, companies need more consumer confidence in the sharing of personal data. Imec's digimeter shows that 7 out of 10 people in Flanders do not trust companies sufficiently. Meanwhile, consumers are keen to use new digital services to make their lives easier. This data paradox hinders the development of the Flemish data economy. As a result, companies are – of necessity – spending more time searching for data sources than developing scalable, innovative applications.
It is time to restore that trust, as it is the breeding ground for the data economy. Users should:
- be confident that their data is safe (security)
- have insight into their data and the parties that have access to it (transparency)
- have full control over who can access and use their data (control)
Only then will consumers, businesses and governments confidently take that step toward a data economy where consumers can safely participate in new data-driven services without relinquishing control over their data and where companies can build on this trust to bring innovative digital services to consumers.
A neutral, independent and reliable partner
We operate as a reliable partner, acting as a neutral third party, facilitating, developing and managing new data ecosystems on request.
Our role is legally anchored: as a neutral public company, we have to operate within a clear legal framework. Its scope has been determined in extensive consultation with privacy bodies and experts, companies, governments and academics, and established by our founding decree.
Our role fully subscribes to the relevant European framework, allowing us to participate in projects outside Flanders. The Data Governance Act (DGA) provides a solid mechanism for the re-use of certain categories of protected public data, ensuring increased trust in data mediation services and more extraordinary data altruism across the European Union.
Regulation is an important part of the European data strategy, the purpose of which is to support the data economy. Our company is one of the first entities to aspire to a role as a provider of data mediation services as a neutral party.
Facilitator for your data projects and business innovations
We take on the role of facilitator: we use our expert knowledge of the data economy to develop and help manage new infrastructures. These include platforms that facilitate secure data flows in a data ecosystem. Our company has no business interest in the data collaboration within these solutions and ensures that users retain control of their data.
Our added value to your business is threefold:
- we are a reliable foundation on which your data ecosystem can rely
- we supply the digital components and platforms that make your application market-ready at lightning speed
- we provide the governance to comply with EU directives at all level
Together with you, we work stepwise towards the realisation of your data project:
- Pre-project: we determine the potential and feasibility of the problem you want to solve and who is the involved party. This data project may not cause any disruption in the market. A neutral third party is necessary.
- Business case: we explore together the technical, legal and organisational hurdles. Interoperability and potential ecosystem partners are also discussed.
- Project phase: we offer various options such as the development and the management of a new data ecosystem, the connection to one of our data space components for your project (for example, data attestation service, building blocks of FSDS, ...) or the implementation in a Solid Sandbox environment, set up as a test platform to test the feasibility of predefined Solid objectives in practice. Business partners can use the platform as a validation step towards developing a production case.
Our role is determined according to the business case. For example, if an elaborated business case exists, we only supply platform and platform components or data vaults. We deliver our products and services tailor-made.
Do you want to reach the next level quickly in the data economy? Do you have a business idea for which you need data? Would you like to use one of our data space components to realise your project?