We all like to talk. A lot. We talk about policies, priorities, technologies, research, innovation, information systems, e-services and their potential. We even have big amounts of money for the implementation. In all countries. Because ICT and e-governance is a priority AND the future. Can we learn anything from business startups, where 3 young enthusiasts with a good idea create multibillion dollar company and after a short period of time have lots of active and happy users?

1. Through the eyes of client
what we can learn from technological startups
in addressing the needs of people
Dr. Edgaras Leichteris,
Director of Knowledge Economy Forum

2. About me (1)
Law, business. Phd in
administration and
management
Learned interdisciplinary
approach
Learned complexity of Big
Have worked in Gov agency
e-projects (10-20 Mln EUR)
Head of NGO
Learned science-businessgov cooperation in practice
@leichteris

3. About me (2)
Researcher
Learned how technological
and social systems behave
Visionary
Lithuania 2030
Learning Lithuania 2030
Global Citizen 2050
Business owner and mentor
Learned how to EXECUTE
things
@leichteris

4. Lessons from e-gov projects
Big money
Little interoperability:
technological
people
No usability
@leichteris

5. Lesson No.1
!
It’s EASIER for the Government to put another
10 mln EUR than to admit that the project is
not usable, has interoperability issues and does
not have TEAM behind

6. Lessons from NGO
Governmental officials are
RIGHT
Business people are RIGHT
Researchers are RIGHT
Opinions are DIFFERENT
@leichteris

7. Lesson No. 2
!
Discussions ARE difficult and time
consuming, but without them you will
FAIL at the execution stage

8. Lessons from researcher
Linear thinking - let’s push
technologies and e-services
(administration, regulation,
control with lot’s of money to
invest)
Interactive - let’s outsource
something to private (market,
quality, demand, PPP)
Holistic thinking - let’s create
something TOGETHER (social
capital, networks, empowerment)
@leichteris

9. Lesson No. 3
!
If you want impact - you need to fight
complexity with coordinated actions,
involving many players

10. Lessons from Visionary
Lithuania 2030
Open - for open data, data
sharing, cross-boarder
Creative - for knowledge
how to make things
happen
Responsible - for security,
interoperability, usability
@leichteris

11. Lesson No. 4
!
Declarations without further
implementation are useless. First write
it down - then just deliver it.

12. Lessons from mentoring
Eliminate uncertainty by
testing vision continuously
Not “How to build the e-gov
system, e-services”, but
WHY ?
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Build-Measure-Learn cycle
@leichteris

13. Lesson No. 5
!
Building e-gov system is a LEARNING
procedure, where you build MVP, test it
with clients and then improve.
Notes:
Public procurement and gov regulations do not help.
Mobile first and simplification - might help.

14. Lessons from MINT
personal finance startup
In 2 years they grew to 1.5 mln users and sold for 170 mln $
!
Because of that:
!
“Validate your idea > Create a prototype > Build the right team > Raise funding"
@leichteris

15. Lesson No. 6
!
Learn from startups - how they build
high growth businesses with 300 000 $
and attract money as they proceed

16. Lessons from Barack Obama
Sucess with political campaign
(many A/B tests over short
period, increased conversion
rate by more than 150 %)
Failure with e-gov initiative
HealthCare.gov
Three young programmers build
alternative in a few days:
http://www.thehealthsherpa.com/
@leichteris

17. Lesson No. 7
!
Just continue towards your vision,
remaking things and learning from
mistakes

18. Edgaras Leichteris
!
http://www.linkedin.com/in/leichteris
!
@leichteris
!
edgaras@zef.lt