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Athumi as a business accelerator

The data economy offers companies opportunities to create innovations and grow, including in new markets. We can help companies exploit data as a raw material for innovation and sustainable growth. Together, we will make Flanders the leading datatech region in Europe and the world.

Accelerating go-to-market for new data applications

Smart, innovative data applications respond to a growing social and economic need. They should also adjust to a new reality in which companies and consumers want control over what happens to their data. Our company's ambition is to guide and accelerate this transformation toward a new European platform economy.

We do this by lowering the barriers to entry for businesses in a variety of ways:

  • As a neutral party, we bring organisations together across sectors, create trust and provide more complete solutions to specific problems.
  • Our solutions are fully aligned with the four levels of interoperability as defined by the European Commission. They are, of course, also in line with the prevailing legal frameworks at the regional, national and European levels.
  • We are 'leading by example' as we set up new data-driven ecosystems on the strength of a positive business case and with every participant getting a clear, sustainable 'win'.

Interoperability warrants data collaboration

Our solutions are based on data becoming exchangeable between the different actors in the ecosystem of European data spaces. We must warrant technical, semantic, organisational and legal interoperability to ensure this. Therefore, the following types of interoperability are needed to ensure seamless cooperation between the different actors in the ecosystem within athumi’s integrated governance.

Integrated governance

Legal interoperability ensures aligned legislation throughout the EU and avoids legal restrictions. We can achieve this by leveraging our role as a data mediation service. By facilitating data exchange between different parties, Athumi can help them to avoid potential legal obstacles. 

Organisational interoperability focuses on aligning processes and addressing the challenges inherent in creating digital ecosystems. We warrant this by drawing on our knowledge and good practices and expanding on existing operational ecosystems such as CPIP, GIPPD and REIP.

Semantic interoperability implies finding and exchanging meaningful information smoothly without requiring constant translation. This result can be achieved by developing data standards based on the proven OSLO methodology.

Technical interoperability requires perfectly functioning technical links between different systems. One way to achieve this is by coordinating with initiatives such as IDSA and Gaia-X.

Assessment framework

We use the European Interoperability Framework to assess whether we are on the right track with each interoperability type, providing us with a clear frame of reference.

This approach will allow us to provide the necessary guarantees for the exchange of data between the different actors in the ecosystem within the European Data Spaces. It will lead to seamless cooperation between parties and more efficient use of data.

Data are flowing across the borders of sectors and member states. The European Commission wants to achieve a single market for data, as it has done for goods and services. To this end, nine data spaces will be set up in line with the Data Governance Act (DGA). We are giving substance to these plans of the European Commission.

"We connect market players and are the missing, independent link to allow data to work together safely and smoothly."

Björn De Vidts

Acting CEO Athumi
What benefits does a business accelerator bring to data collaboration?

A business accelerator creates a data ecosystem in which multiple parties engage – even competitors. In this secure environment, they exchange specific data from sources outside their familiar sectors. This encourages innovation.

How does data collaboration shorten the time-to-market of new services?

The availability of specific data is often crucial for innovations to emerge. Companies that don't possess these data have to either collect or buy them, which takes time. Smart data sharing between parties, based on standardised exchange, is much more efficient.

What challenges are associated with secure data sharing?

Data must be exchanged technically and semantically, trust between the parties within the data ecosystem is needed and legal frameworks and governance must be crystal clear.

What are the best practices for creating and implementing data applications?

Setting up a new data application starts with an analysis to define the scope of the revenue model and the technical aspects. The parties involved define the boundaries of the project in consultation. From that point on, development can start.  

Our specific data collaboration expertise is reflected in the way we structure agreements, governance, technology, software and the legal side of the business with a view to achieving efficient time-to-market.

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