The year is 2025. While entire industries are being reinvented in California with artificial intelligence and start-ups are working on the next technological revolution, some German companies are still testing which fax machine works best. Sounds like a bad joke - but it's a bitter reality.
How did it get this far? And what can you do to really drive the digital transformation in your environment?
The contrast could hardly be greater. In Silicon Valley, the courage to take risks reigns. New ideas are implemented quickly, prototypes are tested and lessons are learned from mistakes. Research, business and entrepreneurship are closely intertwined there. Innovation is not only allowed there - it is expected. Investments in disruptive technologies are the order of the day, and young founders are encouraged rather than held back.
In Germany, on the other hand, the principle of security still dominates over speed in many places. What counts here is stability, not experimentation. Especially in the public sector, people prefer to rely on the tried and tested - even if it is technically outdated. Fax machines are symbolic of this attitude: reliable, secure, but no longer up to date.
Of course, it's not just the technology itself, but also a cultural issue. In Germany, too many digitalization projects fail due to overly complicated processes, a lack of courage to change and often also due to political hurdles. Bureaucracy is not digital, but digitalized - and that is a crucial difference.
But something is happening. More and more start-ups are emerging here too, shaking up the market with innovative ideas. Funding programs, tech hubs, accelerators and digital education initiatives are on the rise. Many companies are finally realizing that digital transformation is more than just a few new tools - it starts in the mind.
Now it's up to you. Whether you work in administration, in a medium-sized company, in a corporation or in a start-up - you can be part of the solution. This includes: boldly breaking new ground, questioning processes, trying out technologies, thinking ahead. And above all: networking, learning, acting.
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