Domi's favourite Things - Issue #9

👩‍💻 Cyber Estonia a real Thing in Lean Citizenship 🇪🇪

Read time: 4.50 Minutes

Servus Friends,

hope you had fun with the french Way to Expand, in the last Issue. 🇫🇷

This one, as promised, we focus entirely on Estonia, the baltic State with just 1,3 Million Citizens. 🇪🇪

During my visit last week, I got a great overview of how they think in terms of Policy and How they approached the rough Circumstances after the break down of the iron Curtain.

Also hold fast for next Week's 10th Issue, this will be truly a special one. ⭐

So enjoy and learn more about our cool baltic Neighbours...

The Things we are digging in Today:

  1. 🛣 "X"-Road - the smartest Way I ever seen in how to handle your Citizens 🙋‍♂️

  2. ⚡️ A lightning "Bolt" out of Estonia's Middle (another Example to f*cking forget the First Mover Advantage) 🚀

  3. #Twitter-Box: A Glimpse of Markus Villig's approach to Thinking 🤔

  4. #Domi's favourite 5 - Estonia Edition 🇪🇪

# 1 - 🛣 Building the "X"-Road of the Future (or Why I hated flying back to Germany)🛫

When I flew in to Tallinn last Week, I had high expectations about their digital Government-System and Tech-Sector. But what I saw there was just mind-blowing from that little Country in the East of Europe.

Here are some cool Stories from my visit...

Estonia became free of the Sowjet Occupation in 1991 and found an empty as well as bankrupt Country with nearly no industry. The Estonians used this to their Advantage and decided already in the mid 90's to go full digital.

They issued a new Passport-ID with online capabilities and had a computers with Internet in every Classroom from the early 2000's. (Germany was still in a medieval state then 😅)

But of course not everything went perfect from the Beginning. They also learned from Failures a lot like the 2007 Cybersecurity Breach by Russian Attackers.

Also important were the Values and Idea's behind their approach to build a working digital Infrastructure. Because of the limited amount of Funding they build a lean and cheap to run System, to connect all citizens with the Government.

They showed proof that trusting young people, a "Keep-it-Simple-&-Easy"-UX and the Once-Only-Principle in terms of entering you Data, is a wining combination. Just have a look at their Life-Events-System here...

This was really Mind-blowing for me last week... That's real Customer-Centric.

To give you a better Understanding of their Idea behind their famous "X"-Road-System, here is a little Intro...(less than 2 Mins)

Estonia shows how a deep connected Public and Private-Sector can drive a whole Country's success. Of course limited to their Size (1.3 Million People) and their Funding (Household of ca. 37 Billion €), I still think we will see Estonia being a rising Star for the EU in the next Decades. (They run "X"-Road with just around 5 Million € a year...)

# 2 - ⚡️ "Bolt" is showing us how to be bold the right Way 🚀

Estonia is employing a strong Tech-Industry and is a shining Example that under the right conditions you can start building big Businesses from everywhere and not just the expensive Silicon Valley.

One of the best is Bolt, with a current Valuation of aprox. 7.6 Billion € and a Workforce of around 3000+ Employees around Europe.

Bolt started in 2013 under the Name of Taxify with 50 Drivers recruited manually by Markus Villig on the Streets of Talllinn. Markus saw that there was a needed overhaul of Tallinn's Taxi System and just started with 5000€ borrowed from his Parents. (another Founding Story which shows the Importance of parental Trust 🙃)

It's crazy how Bolt is even winning in already saturated Markets and beats its competition. (Here an Interview with Markus at Slush Festival)

Markus is a hell of a Founder and shows what spirit is needed to succeed. The following Video is explaining in great Fashion how this is possible from the little baltic Estonia.

So learn more from Markus and have fun...

A great Story that shows "First-Mover-Advantage" is not really necessary. Bolt is currently winning big chunks of the Mobility Market Shares against Uber and the others. Strategy and more important Execution beats everything.

# Twitter-Box: A Glimpse of Markus Villig's approach to Thinking 🤔

As we covered the estonian Success-Story of Bolt above, here are some thoughts of Markus Villig and how he is defining Bolt's Mission.

Another proof that shows Purpose and Meaning can drive huge Business Models and attract great Talent. (here is Bolt's Company Spot)

So may give him a Follow and enjoy...

Okay it's a thread with a boring topic, but this Tweet from Bolt Founder Markus shows his way of thinking & how he sees problems. Don't forget he's Europe's youngest Billionaire.

# Domi's favourite 5 - Estonia Edition 🇪🇪

My 5 to understand the estonian Way of Innovation better.

Feedback please! Help me to improve for more fun Stuff.

Click on a link to vote:

Meme of the Week

True State of Germany right now...

🤣😂 Thanks for reading the 9th Issue.

Please share with your Friends and have an epic Week. 👊