Europe Blog
Our views on the Internet and society
Creating jobs in Europe’s industrial heartland
Friday, June 7, 2013
It was a standing room only crowd. More than 400 Belgians, including
Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo
, small business owners, teachers and students, recently jammed into the Mundaneum museum’s headquarters in Mons near our St. Ghislain data center. They had come to hear a full day series of Google-supported lectures and presentations at the region’s first ever
Web Jobs Fair
.
As demand for our products grows, we’re investing hundreds of millions of Euros in expanding our data centres Europe. Many of our data centres are located in traditional industrial areas where one might not immediately think of being the home for a Google facility. Our St. Ghislain facility in southern Belgium sits in the heart of a traditional coal mining region. In Finland, the region around our Hamina data centre was a military capital for the country and the heart of the now struggling paper industry.
In St. Ghislain, we announced a EUR300 million additional investment this spring, and we get excited about expansions because our investment in a data center is about more than just bricks, mortar and servers. At the peak of construction, for example, the expansion will provide employment for around 350 engineering and construction workers. In Hamina, we’re investing an additional EUR150 million, providing work for (at peak) approximately 500 engineering and construction workers.
Further, the data center provides full time jobs for people who come from diverse backgrounds and skills. Already, more than 180 work at our data center in St. Ghislain, both direct Google employees and full-time contractors, and 125 at our Hamina facility. And the jobs at our data centers are not just for computer scientists. While some positions require backgrounds in hardware operations, many are for electricians, plumbers as well some some non-technical administrative roles.
With this new expansion we are back in hiring mode for all of these types of jobs. While we are fortunate to get applications from around the globe for these positions, we love to hire locally and many of our current data center employees are from the immediate region. Since we work in English, we require all candidates to be to carry out tasks in English, but if you have a passion for working in a fast moving environment with people who are dedicated to making a large operation hum and have skills in any of these areas, we’d love to hear from you. All of our open positions can be found on
Google Jobs page
here
for positions in Finland and
here
for positions in Belgium.
Data centers are critical to our ability to provide all of our services. We are so delighted to have found wonderful homes in
Hamina
and
St. Ghislain
, and many more exciting years ahead. For more info on these two data centers please visit our site for and google.com/
Posted by William Echikson, External Relations, Brussels
Here comes the collaborative economy
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
When travelling, have you rented somebody’s flat as an alternative to booking a room in a hotel? Or prefered the car-sharing option to taking the train? These new ways of sharing resources are increasingly becoming common practise and are part of an emerging movement often coined as the “collaborative” or “sharing” economy.
We are proud to support the
“OuiShare Fest”
, the first major European event dedicated to the collaborative economy taking place in Paris from May 2 to May 4. During these three days, more than 600 entrepreneurs, designers, economists, investors, politicians and citizens will come together to reflect about how to build a collaborative future.
European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes
supports the project and even has opened up her blog to a
guest post
from OuiShare’s organizers.
The digital economy has proved a
vector
of economic growth throughout Europe. It has allowed for the emergence of horizontal and networked organizations that offer new opportunities in traditional sectors from health to transportation, education and finance. Online platforms that offer services such as crowdfunding, taxi-sharing or flat-renting are testimony to the rise of new business models which are based on a culture of openness and transparency.
OuiShare will do much to “connect” the actors of this new movement across Europe and we wish them a successful OuiShare Fest.
Posted by Florian Maganza, Policy Analyst, Paris
European consumers embrace online content
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The Internet has been disruptive for the media industries - film, television, gaming, music, books and news. But it’s now becoming clear that whilst initially painful, this disruption is proving positive, as three recent studies released by
Booz & Co
,
Floor 64 Research
, and
Boston Consulting Group
show. The digital era is starting to benefit both Europe’s content producers and consumers.
Boston Consulting Group’s “
Follow the Surplus
” report (disclosure: commissioned by Google), published this week reveals growing confidence in online content. Three quarters of consumers surveyed in nine European countries judged that online content had improved in quality, and nearly two thirds expect continued improvement.
The report also noted that two-thirds of respondents value the diversity of information and opinions available to them online, and substantial majorities (as high as 75% in some countries) are more excited about the benefits of the Internet than they are worried about any perceived risks.
This optimism is generating a large ‘consumer surplus’ - the theoretical value consumers attribute to a product or service above and beyond what they paid for it - valued at an average of EUR 1,100 per person per year for online media.
It’s clear too that European consumers are increasingly willing to pay for content.
Booz’s
report (disclosure: also commissioned by Google) calculates digital revenues at €30 billion higher in 2011 than in 2001.
Floor 64’s
research shows that in 2007, there were just 11 legal digital music services in Germany, in 2011 there were 68. The British Recorded Music Industry’s recent
annual report
says UK digital music revenues last year overtook sales or records and CDs for the first time. And according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s
Digital Music Report
2013, digital revenues now account for 34% of total global revenues for the recording industry.
These reports all paint a picture of a large digital opportunity for the creative sectors - and of an industry in the process of reorienting itself to the online world. We’re keen to partner with the creative sectors and answer growing consumer demand for quality online media.
Posted by Simon Morrison, Public Policy Manager, Google
Happy birthday Campus London. You’ve grown up so fast.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Just over 12 months ago,
Campus London
opened its doors to the young, upcoming London tech startup community. I’d like to think we always knew it would succeed, but I don’t think any of us expected the level of engagement and enthusiasm we’ve seen in year one.
In just 365 days of operation, Campus now has more than 10,000 members, permanently houses more than 100 young companies and has hosted more than 850 events, attracting more than 60,000 guests through the door. From individual entrepreneurs looking to explore their back-of-a-napkin idea to global venture fund managers, there’s something for everyone in the London tech scene at Campus, and the vibe is electric.
We asked Campus members to provide their feedback and outlook on year one, and their
response
has been overwhelmingly positive. Campus-based companies are growing and creating jobs. One in four are already looking to find bigger office spaces to house their growing teams. We’ve also seen that the success of the London technology startup community as a whole has mirrored that of Campus.
Campus members are younger than the average Tech City entrepreneur, and with initiatives like Women@Campus, increasingly more female entrepreneurs are signing up. Campus is also truly international, with 22 nationalities working, interacting and attending the many mentoring sessions and classes we and our Google volunteers run every day.
Looking ahead to the next year and beyond, we’re offering even more: more globally-acclaimed speakers, a new Campus EDU education programme offering mentorship from Googlers, inspirational talks from thought leaders like Guy Kawasaki, Eric Schmidt and Jimmy Wales, and a curriculum of classes to develop the skills young startups need to build successful businesses.
Google started as a two-person startup in a garage in California. We’re looking to provide the best possible garage to our 10,000 members every day. And so far, all indicators show that Campus is one of the most exciting places in the world for technological innovation.
Posted by Eze Vidra, Head of Campus
Harnessing the Internet to boost Africa's economy
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Over the last few years Internet penetration has continued to grow in Sub-Saharan Africa. While the access gap remains significant in most countries, policy makers and the public now know that it’s not just a question of getting more Africans online, but also about the economic benefits that the Internet can bring. For example, last year
a study in South Africa
showed that the Internet economy contributes up to $7.1 billion/R59-billion (or 2 percent) to South Africa’s gross domestic product.
A new report by
Dalberg Global Development Advisors
, supported by Google Africa, is one of the first studies to examine the Internet’s impact on, and potential contribution to, social and economic development in several Sub-Saharan Africa countries. It reveals how Internet-enabled services are affecting the public and private sectors in agriculture, health, finance, education, governance, energy & transport, and SME growth. The report also analyses the pre-conditions for impact, looking at both business and ICT infrastructure as well as factors that influence how and why users get online. The findings are based on a survey of 1,300 organizations in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal.
One of the key findings of the report is that Small and Medium Enterprises are surprisingly optimistic about the Internet’s potential. More than 80 percent of SME owners expected that the Internet will help them grow their business.
In addition, the report identifies big opportunities for cost savings as businesses shift to enterprise systems powered by the Internet. For example, in Kenya the
National Health Insurance Fund
reduced its administrative costs from 60% to 32% by automating its claims processing, accessing real-time data and tracking payment processes. In agriculture, access to online information is creating price transparency, improving supply chain management and providing climate and growth data which ultimately reduces costs and increases farmer incomes.
Manobi’s
time to market service estimates that it has increased gum producer incomes by 40-50% by creating price transparency across local and international markets. Another interesting development is the growing linkage between mobile money and commerce, with services like
Pesapal
, MTN mMoney and
Pagatech
creating the infrastructure to generate Internet-based commerce. Meanwhile in healthcare, organizations are leveraging the Internet to reduce training costs for nurses.
The primary challenge for policymakers is to align policy across three dimensions - ICT policy, sector policy and general policies for doing business - in order to create the right environment to capture the Internet’s potential. Some governments in the countries featured have succeeded in creating the right market conditions. However, policymakers need to ensure ongoing investment in both core infrastructure and the conditions that drive Internet usage, including access, awareness, and attractivenes. These are needed to foster thriving ecosystems that drive both economic and social gains. Without such investments, policy makers risk missing out on the full benefits of the Internet.
We hope that this report will help governments and policymakers across the region better understand how they can take advantage of the Internet to drive their economies, to remain competitive and to benefit their citizens. You can learn more at
http://www.impactoftheinternet.com
.
Posted by Ory Okolloh, Policy and Government Relations Manager, Google Africa
Sparking Internet innovation in Slovakia
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
The Internet represents a powerful engine for export growth, allowing companies who found it difficult to reach foreign markets to do so with a few clicks on a computer. In Slovakia, a small open economy, a recent
Boston Consulting
report entitled
Slovakia’s Online Opportunity
suggests that exports will account for around 30% of the Internet’s contribution to Slovak GDP by 2016.
The
Slovak Alliance for Internet Economy
recently was launched with our help to accelerate this export-led Internet growth. Other members include successful antivirus software exporter
ESET
and venture capital consultant
Neulogy
. We used
Google Hangouts on Air
to organize the Alliance’s launching press conference for the press and general audience. At a separate lunch, Deputy Minister of Finance of the Slovak Republic and Digital Champion
Peter Pellegrini
addressed his pro-Internet message to government officers and public policy professionals via video.
The SAPIE Alliance aims to foster discussion and cooperation among business, NGOs, academics, government and public sector. It already has launched new online platform for startups called
The Spot
.
Stay tuned for more exciting initiatives.
Posted by Ondrej Socuvka, Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager, Slovakia
Celebrating data-driven innovation in Brussels
Monday, April 8, 2013
Update, April 22:
Videos of the innovation forum are now available. Take a look on the European Institute of Innovation and Technology Foundation's
website
or below:
We now create as much information every two days as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003. And this rich flow is destined to accelerate.
McKinsey
projects 40% growth annually in global data generated. To showcase the potential of data for Europe’s economy and society, we recently teamed up with the
European Institute of Inovation and Technology Foundation
, the
Bavarian Representation to the European Union
and
Euronews
.
The forum,
Data-Driven Innovation: The New Imperative for Growth,
debated how data can improve the delivery of public services, provide accurate healthcare diagnosis, and generate higher business productivity.
Androulla Vassiliou
, European commissioner for education, culture and multilingualism, and
Neelie Kroes
, European commissioner in charge of the digital agenda, both called for unleashing a Big Data revolution in Europe. "This is the new frontier of the information age," Vassiliou said. "In the current path to stimulate European growth and jobs, there has never been a more critical time to harness the potential of data."
Androulla Vassilou
Alfred Spector
Debate Room
Senior representatives of the education, research, policy and business communities presented compelling evidence of how data could address big societal challenges. Computer-powered DNA sequencing open the possibility of accelerating medical diagnoses. Online college courses could revolutionize education. Google's own Vice President for Research
Alfred Spector
showed how we use data for products such as Google Translate.
Data also is powering entrepreneurs. New online business models make sense out of data include social media power startups such as news organiser
Storify
. Its founder
Xavier Damman
explained how established organisations and top politicians such as BBC, the White House or UK Prime Minister David Cameron use his company’s services to share knowledge from different online data sources, including Twitter, Google+, and traditional media websites.
The concluding panel looked at the ethical aspects of collecting, sharing and using data. Among other examples, they discussed how organizations such as
DataKind
are bringing together data scientists and NGOs to address social problems ranging from dirty water to urban sprawl. While speakers stressed that data-driven innovation is not based exclusively on data about people, they acknowledge, that all data regardless the source and type requires making tough ethical choices.
The Innovation Forum aims to inject data-driven innovation on the Brussels policy agenda. As well as focusing on privacy and data protection, we also need to encourage the unprecedented economic potential of data.
Posted by Sylwia Giepmans-Stepien, Public Policy and Government Relations Analyst, Brussels
Helping French business go online with Google for Pros
Thursday, April 4, 2013
The Internet generated more than 700,000 jobs in France between 1995 and 2010, according to a
2011 McKinsey study
. Through 2015, McKinsey estimates that the web’s digital contribution will grow to 5.5 percent of GDP, and that 450,000 additional jobs will be created.
In order to help reach - or better yet, surpass these goals - we recently launched a new program called
Google pour les Pros
. It aims to help 100,000 small French businesses get online by the end of this year.
Google coaches at the Unami Tea House in Lille
Many traditional French businesses continue to hesitate going online, fearing that it will require large investments, lots of time, and fancy skills they lack.
Google pour les Pros
aims to overcome these hurdles by providing an "on the ground" coach who provides personalised training.
We first tested the
Google pour les Pros
concept in the south of France. Results were encouraging enough to launch a full-fledged program in the north of France, around the region’s major metropolis Lille. This region has faced a dramatic economic transition, from fading heavy industry to new, modern services.
The 16 Google coaches we are deploying there are young university graduates. In the coming months, they will go from shop to shop, office to office, to propose their services, free of charge. Our partner in this ambitious operation is the
Greater Lille’s Chamber of Commerce
, which brings together 52,000 businesses. We will deploy coaches in other French regions throughout the year.
As we urge Lille’s bakeries, butchers, and other small businesses to get online, we already can point to success stories such as the
Unami tea house
. Owner Jean-Benoit Bourel opened an e-commerce site that enables him to export its products to the international market. "Now we sell in Marseille, Italy, Belgium, and in Russia," he says.
In a time of economic challenges, the Internet can help France regain its economic competitiveness - and its traditional strong small businesses win many new markets.
Posted by Clement Wolf, Communications, France
Making the web work for Germany
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
When our Vice President
Matt Brittin
first visited Berlin it was 1985 and he was a competitor in the Rowing World Championships. The city, then divided, is now reunited as the capital of one of the world’s most prosperous countries and Matt was delighted to return to give a keynote speech today in front of 700 distinguished guests at an exciting conference called
Kompetenzzentrum Wirtschaftsrat
.
This year’s conference focuses on the significant economic opportunities offered by the Internet. If Germany is going to keep up with its remarkable economic record, Matt told the audience that the country will need to win on the Internet. The good news, he added, is that German business has already started to use the web well, in fact a 2011
study by Bitkom
found that 11% of German GDP and jobs depended on businesses using the web.
Matt Brittin speaks in Berlin
Matt greets German Minister of Economics and Technology Philipp Rosler
Small businesses are leading the way. a bakery from Dresden that sells Christmas cakes, has used web advertising to expand beyond its one local shop - and export to Japan, Mexico, Canada and more. Large industrial businesses are also waking up to the opportunity. Matt spoke about how he recently visited Wolfsburg, home to Volkswagen, where 2.1 million people visited its showroom last year. Around the world people searched Google for VW and their models over five billion times, and viewed the company’s videos on YouTube more than 170 million times.
German industry is also proving adept at experimenting with new business models that take advantage of digital possibilities. A good illustration is
“Drive Now”
, the car-sharing business that’s a partnership between BMW and Sixt. Berlin is now considered to be home to among the
world’s most vibrant and fastest growing startup scenes
, and no wonder when you look at some of the businesses emerging:
SoundCloud
, launched in 2008, now claims to be world’s largest online community of artists, bands, podcasters and anyone creating music and audio content.
The potential for making the web work for growth, innovation and culture are tremendous and the Internet would be a poorer place if Germany were not to take up these opportunities. We at Google have recently called for more moonshot thinking - proposals that address huge problems by suggesting radical solutions that use breakthrough technology to make it happen. With a rich history of innovation from renowned carmaker Karl Benz to telecommunications pioneer Werner von Siemens it is about time for the next moonshot made in Germany, powered by the web.
Posted by Sandro Gianella, Public Policy & Government Relations Analyst, Berlin
Transforming Turkey’s economy through the Internet
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Turkey represents a dramatic economic success story. While much of the rest of the world struggled with recession in 2011, its GDP expanded by 8.5 percent. Growth continued last year, with the OECD estimated at 2.9 percent, more than twice the OECD average. Within a decade, Turkey aims to become one of world’s the ten biggest economies.
To achieve this ambitious goal, we’re convinced that the country needs to embrace the Internet. The Turkish Minister of Development Cevdet Yilmaz, the US Ambassador to Turkey Francis J. Ricciardone, and a wide representation from the Turkish business and civil society recently joined us to launch Boston Consulting Group's report Turkey Online:
How the Internet Is Transforming The Turkish Economy
.
The study contained both promising news about the Internet’s impact in Turkey - and, crucially, recommendations on how to improve.
First the good news: the share of Turkish households with online access soared to 47.2 percent in 2012, up from 19.7 percent in 2007. Turkey’s Internet economy is expected to grow by 19 percent annually through 2017.
Much remains to be done. The Internet contributes an estimated 22 billion Turkish Lira to GDP - a mere 1.7% of Turkey’s overall GDP. A deep digital divide exists, with Istanbul and Ankara ahead in adopting the Internet while eastern Anatolia lags.
How could Turkey do better? Boston Consulting urges swift government action to bring the entire country online, by encouraging private-public partnerships and increasing school programs that teach digital literacy. Efficient e-government services should be built. Such initiatives will encourage entrepreneurs to improve productivity by using e-procurement and other web-based services.
As Turkey’s economy grows and mature, it needs to move from a manufacturing-based to an information-oriented society. Policy makers have a key part to play in creating an environment that unleashes the Internet’s growth opportunities.
Posted by Pelin Kuzey, Public Policy & Government Relations Manager Turkey
Big Tent Brussels: Europe's economy and the Internet
Monday, February 4, 2013
Does the Internet encourage innovation in other sectors? How much does it really contribute to Europe's economy? Does it create new jobs, or just displace existing ones?
These are just some of the questions we will be debating on February 20th at our
Brussels Big Tent
event, held in association with the
Irish Presidency
.
Richard Bruton
, Irish Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation will open the Brussels event.
Taylor Reynolds
of the OECD will debate the opportunities for economic growth online with
Anthony D, Williams
, co-author of Wikinomics and
Jeff Lynn
, Chairman of Coadec.
Highlights of the 2012 London Big Tent
Professor John Van Reenen
from the London School of Economics and
Kathryn Parsons
, co-founder of Decoded will discuss whether the internet can help solve unemployment in Europe and how productivity gains from technology adoption can drive growth across all sectors of the economy. Innovation Commissioner
Maire Geoghegan-Quinn
will close the event.
The
Big Tent event series
brings together speakers with diverse points of view to debate some of today’s hot topics around the internet, the economy and society.
We hope you can join us in Brussels on 20th February - please
check out the programme
and
register to attend
by 18th February.
Posted by Angela Steen, Google Public Policy, Brussels
Mapping creates jobs and drives global economic growth
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Cross-posted from the
Official Google Blog
Twenty years ago, we used paper maps and printed guides to help us navigate the world. Today, the most advanced digital mapping technologies—satellite imagery, GPS devices, location data and of course
Google Maps
—are much more accessible. This sea change in mapping technology is improving our lives and helping businesses realise untold efficiencies.
The transformation of the maps we use everyday is driven by a growing industry that creates jobs and economic growth globally. To present a clearer picture of the importance of the geo services industry, we commissioned studies from
Boston Consulting Group
(BCG) and
Oxera
. What we found is that maps make a big economic splash around the world.
In summary, the global geo services industry is valued at up to $270 billion per year and pays out $90 billion in wages. In the U.S., it employs more than 500,000 people and is worth $73 billion. The infographic below illustrates some examples of the many benefits of maps, whether it’s improving agriculture irrigation systems or helping emergency response teams save lives.
Click the image for a larger version
1.1 billion hours of travel time saved each year? That’s a lot of time. Also, consider
UPS
, which uses map technology to optimize delivery routes—saving 5.3 million miles and more than 650,000 gallons of fuel in 2011. And every eight seconds, a user hails a taxi with
Hailo
, which used maps and GPS to deliver more than 1 million journeys in London alone last year. Finally,
Zipcar
uses maps to connect more than 760,000 customers to a growing fleet of cars in locations around the world.
Because maps are such an integral part of how we live and do business, the list of examples goes on and on. That’s why it’s important we all understand the need to invest in the geo services industry so it continues to grow and drive the global economy. Investments can come from the public and private sectors in many forms—product innovation, support of open data policies, more geography education programs in schools and more.
We’re proud of the contributions that
Google Maps
and
Earth
, the
Google Maps APIs
and our
Enterprise solutions
have made to the geo services industry and to making maps more widely available, but there’s a long way to go. To learn more about the impact of the maps industry, see the
full reports
.
Posted by Brian McClendon, VP Google Geo
Encouraging Italy’s small businesses to go digital
Monday, January 21, 2013
Italy has a long tradition of small, family owned companies becoming global leaders in fields ranging from furniture design and fashion to kitchen appliances and specialty foods. Part of their success is due to Italy's focus on creating networks of like-minded businesses, grouped together in industrial 'clusters' that encourage and enable innovation.
In order to stay ahead, we’re convinced that these clusters must leverage the Internet to help market, sell and distribute their goods. This month, we joined forces with the Union of the Italian Chambers of Commerce
Unioncamere
and the Ministry of Economic Development, to launch "Clusters on the Web."
The initiative will provide the small and medium-sized businesses from 20 Italian clusters with a young mentor and tutor who for six months will support them discovering the opportunities of the web economy. Thanks to Google, the selected young people will attend a training and will receive a scholarship.
We see big opportunities for Italy’s companies that go online. Already, a Venetian company
Atelier Marega
that sells Carnival masks, and an umbrella manufacturer from Mantua called
Pasotti Ombrelli
, pictured above, that is using the net to export their goods to 55 countries around the globe. Let’s hope that our new “Clusters on the Web” program can create many new shining success stories of Italian industries increasing their presence on the web.
Posted by Giorgia Abeltino, Policy Counsel, Google Italy
Supporting Israel’s “start-up nation”
Monday, December 10, 2012
Cross-posted with the
Official Google Blog
In March, we launched
Campus London
to help support the vibrant start-up community there and help energize the U.K. Internet economy. Today, we’re launching Campus Tel Aviv—a one-floor event & community space and pre-accelerator program in downtown Tel Aviv, made available to early stage start-ups and developers.
With the Internet economy contributing
6.4 percent
of Israel’s GDP and with the world’s second largest center of tech start-ups after Silicon Valley, it’s no wonder that Israel is commonly referred to as “
start-up nation
.” For some time now, we’ve been supporting Internet and mobile entrepreneurs in Israel with tech talks, events and hackathons. We hope that Campus Tel Aviv will enable us to do more to support local innovation.
The Campus space will be used by start-ups and partners for events, a “device lab” will give developers the chance to try out projects on a range of devices, and entrepreneurs will get access to Google’s teams and other experts. We’re also working with tech incubators, accelerator programs and other
partners
to bring their start-ups to Campus for a pre-accelerator initiative called “Launch Pad.” It’s a two-week “bootcamp” for more than 100 start-ups each year, aimed at enhancing existing accelerator programs by providing expertise in user experience and design, product strategy, global marketing, business development and more.
At the launch of Campus Tel Aviv—from left to right, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu (Israeli Prime Minister), Meir Brand (Managing Director, Google Israel, Greece, South & Sub-Saharan Africa), Yossi Matias (Head of Israel R&D Center).
In 1998, when Larry and Sergey founded Google, we were a start-up in a garage. In many ways, we remain a start-up at heart, and we’re committed to helping new
entrepreneurs
and developers around the world succeed. We hope that Campus Tel Aviv will contribute to future Israeli tech innovation and, in doing so, make the web and the mobile space better. You can find out more about Campus Tel Aviv on our
website
.
Posted by Amir Shevat, Developer Relations Manager & Eyal Miller, New Business Development - Co-leads, Campus Tel Aviv
Boosting the Egyptian economy
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Egypt long has been a leader in the Arab region and it now has the opportunity to become an Internet leader. According to a new Google-supported Boston Consulting Group study entitled
“Egypt at a Crossroads: How the Internet is Transforming Egypt’s Economy,”
the country has the largest population of Internet users in the Middle East - 31 million as of July 2012.
The Internet contributed an estimated 15.6 billion Egyptian pounds to the Egyptian economy which constitutes 1.1 % of GDP and is comparable to the GDP share of other sectors in Egypt including health services (1.3%), education (1.1%) and oil refining (1.1%).
While the report shows that Egypt is making progress in terms of infrastructure and usage, vast unlocked opportunities and much potential remain to capture the Internet’s full potential. Egypt’s Internet economy could grow substantially over the next five years at an estimated 22% per year in nominal terms to reach more than 52 billion Egyptian pounds by 2017.
“Egypt’s Internet economy is now at a crossroads. The choice is whether to continue with business as usual or to take bold steps now to unlock the potential of e-commerce and energize online business-to-business transactions, thereby driving substantial growth in the Internet’s contribution to Egypt’s GDP” says David Dean, Senior Partner and Managing Director at the Boston Consulting Group.
By commissioning this report, Google aims to providing a better understanding of the economic impact of the Internet. One opportunity Google has embraced is investing in enhancing the quality and quantity of Arabic content on the Internet. The Arabization of the Internet represents a crucial component of Google’s strategy in the Middle East and North African region and is part of Google’s commitment to educate users in their own language.
Posted by Samir ElBahaie, Head of Public Policy & Governmental Relations in Middle East and North Africa
Celebrating online entrepreneurs who 'shine online'
Friday, November 30, 2012
What do you get if you combine a
Chinese language school
based in Spain and run by an Italian, a
travel information company
from the UK and a
German online tennis shop
? The answer: the winners of the
euronews Business Awards competition 2012
, which were sponsored by Google.
The three winners were in Brussels yesterday evening for a prize-giving ceremony. Each received a trophy, a Galaxy Nexus phone and a Chromebook, as well as training about how to make the most of the web from Google experts. And best of all, euronews made a mini-documentary about each of the winners, which will be aired on the euronews network and on
YouTube
.
Back in
September
, we launched the competition to find interesting stories of small and medium sized businesses using the internet to successfully attract customers, grow their market share or go global. From
pig farms
to
cooking schools
, more than 100 small businesses sent in their video submissions, reminding us of the vast array of businesses benefiting from the web.
A panel of expert judges whittled down all the video entries to a final shortlist of 15, it was up to members of the public to vote for their favourite videos in each of the three categories: Growing Online; Going International; and Women in Business. Over 4,000 people across Europe participated in the competition by watching the videos and voting for their favourites.
Times are tough across Europe but in Rostock, a town with one of the highest unemployment rates in Germany,
centercourt.de
has thrived online for over 12 years.
Orientalmente
's story demonstrates how the web helps entrepreneurs get new ideas off the ground quickly, creating new jobs in Spain, where finding work is very tough at the moment. And
MyDestination.com
shows how it's possible to build a global business in double quick time thanks to the Internet. All three winners are a timely reminder of how the internet helps small businesses in any part of Europe grow.
Posted by Al Verney, Senior Communications Manager, Google Brussels
Big Tent Paris - digital revolution or bust?
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Concrete, not canvas, was the backdrop for our first Big Tent in Paris. We held the event in the imposing Palais d’Iéna, home of our hosts the
Conseil économique, social et environnemental
. The President of the CESE, M. Jean Paul Delevoye, pointed out that concrete was the great symbol of progress when the palace was built in the 1930s.
Today, the Internet represents progress and the day’s theme was to ask how the digital revolution can bring economic growth back to France and Europe. According to a
new OECD study
, the Net already accounts of 13 percent of American business output, impacting every industry, from communications to cars, and restaurants to retail. OECD economist Taylor Reynolds called on other countries to collect data in order to make comparable estimates in other countries. In a video message, the French digital economy minister
Fleur Pellerin
said digital companies grow faster and are more profitable than others in Europe. That’s why, she said, digital companies must be at the heart of future French economic growth.
While that idea sounds uncontroversial, it provoked a series of hotly debated questions during the course of the day. Does the digital revolution create or destroy jobs? How do we balance the value of data and the protection of consumers? Why do investors in digital startups prefer London or Berlin to Paris? We heard about the size of the opportunity for France, as in this
film.
We also heard about the scale of France's competitive challenge, as in this film promoting London, not Paris, as a home for start ups.
For France, will it be a digital revolution, or bust?
Posted by Elisabeth Bargès, Public Policy Manager, Innovation, France
Slovakia’s Online Opportunity
Monday, October 15, 2012
The Internet is a motor for economic growth, particularly in times of financial crisis. In Slovakia, a new Boston Consulting Group report entitled
"Slovakia’s Online Opportunity"
reveals that the Internet is already making a big contribution to the economy and to employment - and that the country has the potential to become an Internet powerhouse in coming years.
In 2011, BCG says, the Internet contributed EUR 2.3 billion to the Slovak economy (equivalent to 3.3% of GDP) - which makes the Internet a bigger contributor to GDP than traditional sectors such as telecoms and banking. Internet-using businesses provided around 30,000 jobs (approximately 2.3% of overall Slovak employment).
Looking ahead to 2016, the net’s impact is expected to grow by 12% - one of the fastest growth rates of any country surveyed by BCG - reaching 4% of Slovak GDP by 2016. As a small, open economy, Slovakia is dependent on exports for growth. BCG says that because the Internet allows exporters to promote themselves more easily around the world, it could be a game-changer for Slovakian companies, and that exports will account for around 30% of the Internet’s enlarged contribution to Slovak GDP by 2016
More than 100 guests gathered in Bratislava recently for the study’s launch and a debate on the importance of the Internet to Slovakia’s economy. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Director of Research at the National Bank of Slovakia, and the Deputy Finance Minister Pellegrini all participated in the debate, along with well-known business leader
Peter Littmann
, CEO of Brandinsider.
Minister Pellegrini confirmed that stimulating the Internet economy and encouraging innovation are a key part of his Government’s policies for the coming years - and announced that he is creating a new Digital Champion Advisory Committee to help develop Slovakia’s Internet economy. The group will bring together politicians, SMEs and Internet companies - and he extended an invitation to Google to be one of the founding members.
We warmly accepted the invitation and we look forward to helping Slovakia take advantage of it’s “Online Opportunity”.
Posted by Ondrej Socuvka, Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager, Slovakia
Debating the future of Europe’s Single Market
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
“Europe wake up! We will only return to growth and prosperity if we complete the Single Market.”
This motion will be
debated tonight at 19:00 CET
, live via Google+ Hangout on Air and on YouTube.
European Commissioner
Michel Barnier
will open the debate. Four EU experts - from the left and the right of the political spectrum and each with an axe to grind - will argue for and against the motion. Via Google+ Hangouts, the experts will cross-examine witnesses - including
journalists
,
academics
,
economists
and
entrepreneurs
from Ireland, Poland, Germany, France and Greece - to convince you they’re right. Veteran journalist and broadcaster
Christine Ockrent
will moderate.
The debate takes place just a few days before the EU marks the
Single Market’s 20th anniversary
. When it was launched in 1992, the Commission’s bold attempt to construct a seamless, truly tariff-free, pan-European market stimulated a wave of ‘Europtimism’. Now, with Europe facing challenging economic times, the Single Market’s importance to Europe is being re-examined.
You can have your say by voting on the motion - both before and after the debate - via
youtube.com/versusdebates
.
You can also join the discussion by adding your comments and questions to the
+Versus Google+ page
during the debate. The best questions, as decided by the debate organiser, Intelligence Squared, will be put to the panel, live on air.
Posted by Al Verney, Senior Communications Manager, Google
Democratising high speed Internet access in Senegal
Monday, September 24, 2012
A decade ago, Senegal was one of the most promising African countries in adopting the Internet, with more than double the Internet penetration than in Nigeria. Yet today Nigeria have leaped ahead with 30% of its population enjoying access to the web versus only 16% for Senegal.
In order to find out what went wrong, we commissioned a study being published today. Produced by the consulting firm
Balancing Act
, the report is titled
"Obstacles and Opportunities for the democratization of broadband in Senegal
."
Many obstacles exist in Senegal. Because of rigid licensing and weak regulation, the incumbent operator holds a de facto monopoly on access to the national fiber infrastructure and the copper lines into households. This lack of competition keeps prices high - it costs $400 to get 1 Mbps/km capacity in Senegal, but only $20 in Kenya.
In contrast, the study shows that the introduction of liberal licensing regime in Kenya and South Africa has increased competition. In Kenya, for instance, the number of infrastructure licences doubled over the past three years and now counts 30 providers. Similarly, in South Africa the number of ISP soared to 726, up from 326.
Balancing Act proposes several key changes. Internet suppliers must be authorized to build their own infrastructure and compete against incumbents. Government should encourage competition and transparency in international capacity by enforcing existing but until now ignored regional regulation.
We believe it is important to have a conversation on how to improve Internet access in Senegal. Please download and read the
report
and share your comments, observations, questions and contributions via this
form
. Next month, we will organize a feedback workshop.
We look forward to hearing from you - and hopefully, sparking a vigorous debate.
Posted by Seydina L. Diop , Policy Analyst, Francophone Africa
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