Nexus2050: What inspired the government to join Nexus2050 for its first edition?
: When you look at Luxembourg’s economic success since the end of the 19th century, the main two pointsthat stand out are our openness to the outside world, and our embrace of new ideas and technologies.
In this day and age it is more vital than ever before that we give a platform to new ideas.
Whether these showcased innovations are homegrown by some of our domestic champions--and there are quite a few!--or whether the technologies will be brought in by international participants, I firmly believe that the exchange of new ideas at conferences like Nexus2050 are not only beneficial to Luxembourg’s tech ecosystem but can offer advancements across all industries as well as progress for society as a whole.
The birth of Luxembourg’s steel industry, for instance, had much to do with the technological innovationof the late 1800s, namely the Thomas-Gilchrist process, a perfect example of a foreign disruptive technology being implemented domestically at the time. A more recent example of technology contributing to economic growth and homegrown success has been the forward-thinking leap of faith taken by the pioneering Luxembourg space and satellite-based communication services.
Luxembourg has always punched well above its weight in terms of innovation. I therefore firmly believe that we should continue fostering the openness of its mindset and providing platforms to our innovation champions.
That is what inspired me to join Nexus2050 for its first edition, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing it succeed.
Which topics at Nexus2050 are of particular interest to you? And why?
I like that the topics of Nexus2050 have been willingly kept transversal to open the participation to a large spectrum of sectors.
Artificial intelligence, sustainability, cybersecurity, financial technology, but also talent attraction and development are topics that directly or indirectly affect all Luxembourg-based companies. They so happen to also be sectors in which Luxembourg has a proven track-record of expertise.
Take financial technology for instance: over 250 fintech [firms] call Luxembourg their home. Why? Because it is one of the Eurozone’s leading financial centres and the second largest investment fund centre in the world.
At the same time, the Luxembourg government firmly intends to be at the forefront of AI by collaborating across borders, boosting investments, enabling skills training and optimising its data market. Industry insiders and analysts firmly believe that artificial intelligence is poised to revolutionize all sectors, ushering in unprecedented efficiency gains, and spawning innovative and personalized offerings.
Luxembourg is dedicated to fostering an environment conducive to the growth and success of companies leveraging digital technologies, data utilisation and secure data storage. Cybersecurity is therefore very high on the agenda and companies become increasingly aware that in today's day and age, data has become an incredibly valuable resource, and that it should remain safe and sound.
Another Nexus 20250 topic is the scarcity of professionals and the high competition in the abovementioned fields which make the recruitment and conservation of talents extremely challenging. This has become an international issue that touches all companies alike.
I’m excited to see what solutions and opportunities in all of those fields will be addressed during the conference.
Enter to win free passes
We are giving away tickets for the event with full two-day access to the exhibition area, symposium, cocktails, networking opportunities with renowned speakers and international officials, as well as the matchmaking zone. To participate in the draw, simply send an email to erik.linder@maisonmoderne.com with the subject: Nexus2050/Delano11062024.
Extract of a Q&A originally published by and reposted with permission