EarlyBirds says that recognizing and harnessing the potential of new and disruptive technologies is a core theme to many GovTech strategies. Some technologies that can make a difference include artificial intelligence, blockchain, the Internet of Things, and drones, just to name a few. Some countries are already using AI and chatbots to reduce administrative overheads and improve service delivery. Even mature technologies such as IT services, telecommunication services, and software development play a significant role in moving the needle forward for governments to improve tasks such as disaster recovery automation, goods procurement, process optimization, and more.
EarlyBirds is helping public organizations that work on behalf of their nation’s government get the technology and expertise they need to supercharge their operations and better serve the country’s citizens. EarlyBirds is able to achieve this by networking government leaders with startup, scaleup and mature innovator companies and Subject Matter Experts that are working towards solving the problems that challenge the public sector. Readers can find out more about EarlyBirds’ open innovation system platform and services by heading over to its website at earlybirds.io.
GovTech is a collection of emerging technologies that aim to modernize governments around the world. Governments are regarded as slow-moving entities since they are deeply entrenched in the old way of doing things, are fastidiously steeped in tradition, and are, generally, behind the times. Governments serve such a large volume of people that it is imperative for them to be able to dispense their services at a rate that not only fulfills the populace’s pressing needs but is also able to push forward the progress of the nation as a whole. A lot of initiatives that are brought to fruition by governments, even the ones that are not subject to bureaucratic red tape, get bogged down by inefficient processes. Technology can be a key differentiator as it can allow tasks that require extensive manpower to be simplified to reach a favorable outcome sooner.
The World Bank is making a focused effort to modernize the public sector in nations that desperately need the know-how and infrastructure to unlock the potential of the local population. Its GovTech Global Partnership program which has been built from the ground up to achieve this vision has earmarked four ways to achieve rapid digitization of public bodies. Firstly, it champions the use of low-cost digital solutions such as mobile phones and free open source applications to reach a wider population that otherwise would have been left out of participating in the public sector due to a lack of resources. Second, it suggests modernizing core government systems such as public financial management, human resource management, tax administration, public procurement, and public investment management systems. The World Bank also calls for increasing citizen engagement to increase transparency and give them more agency. This can be achieved through robust complaint handling and monitoring mechanisms. Finally, the World Bank recommends continuous development of digital skills in the public sector to foster innovation.
EarlyBirds says that recognizing and harnessing the potential of new and disruptive technologies is a core theme to many GovTech strategies. Some technologies that can make a difference include artificial intelligence, blockchain, the Internet of Things, and drones, just to name a few. Some countries are already using AI and chatbots to reduce administrative overheads and improve service delivery. Even mature technologies such as IT services, telecommunication services, and software development play a significant role in moving the needle forward for governments to improve tasks such as disaster recovery automation, goods procurement, process optimization, and more. Even Amazon recognized the need of the hour and taken action by announcing the launch of the AWS GovTechStart program to improve functionality and services in the public sector.
However, converting the opportunities and benefits offered by digital solutions into tangible, measurable, and consistent outcomes remain a challenge for most countries. EarlyBirds can assist with Actioning Organisational Strategy using GovTech and other innovations to solve particular challenges. EarlyBirds offers early adopters a range of options to achieve their goals by using their open ecosystem platform with over 4 million global innovators and the use of their Explorer and Challenger programs. These programs are specifically designed gain a better understanding of what is available globally and also to find solutions to organizational and technological wicked problems. EarlyBirds can even train government teams to achieve the business and technical outcomes that their organization is seeking. Alternatively, EarlyBirds can provide Subject Matter Experts to support or supplement their activities. Based on firsthand experience, EarlyBirds also recommends a senior executive sponsor to champion this approach and work with the key internal stakeholders to ensure there is the right support to achieve tangible outcomes.
Government officials who want to take advantage of EarlyBirds’ open innovation ecosystem platform and services can sign up as an Early Adopter by heading over to the link: https://earlybirds.io/en/early_adopter or contact them to set up an exploratory meeting.