Back-office automation tools are everywhere in Belgium. Most SMEs have a stack that includes accounting software, a social secretariat portal, payroll tooling, time tracking, expense management, invoicing, and a growing list of “one more app” solutions that promise to save time. And yet, the back office still feels manual. Data still gets copy-pasted between systems. Finance still reconciles mismatched numbers. Payroll still depends on emails, exports, and last-minute fixes. Management still struggles to get a simple, trustworthy view of cash, margins, and payroll.That’s the paradox of Back-office Automation Tools Belgium: automation exists, but the back office isn’t truly automated, because the tools are not connected. When software is implemented one piece at a time, it creates local improvements but breaks the end-to-end flow. A new invoicing tool speeds up sending invoices, but creates a new reconciliation task for accounting. A time tracking tool helps operations, but produces exports that payroll can’t use without manual work. A portal makes compliance easier, but becomes yet another place where the same data is entered again.In Belgium, this pattern is especially common because back-office ecosystems are shaped by external partners and obligations. SMEs work closely with accountants, and payroll often runs through a social secretariat. Compliance requirements push companies to adopt specific flows, such as e-invoicing, but these are often added as separate tools rather than integrated processes. The result is what many teams experience as islands of automation: each tool works fine on its own, but moving information between tools becomes the real job.From Spreadsheets to Islands of Automation: The Reality of Back-office Automation Tools Belgium SMEs FaceSpreadsheets don’t disappear when new tools are introduced. They just change roles. Instead of being the main system, spreadsheets become the glue that holds the process together. They turn into trackers for invoices that don’t match the books yet, mapping tables between payroll and accounting, cost allocation sheets used for management reporting, or workarounds when two tools export differently.This happens because tools were bought for their individual value, not for how they fit into one connected operating model. Over time, the company ends up with multiple “mini automations” that don’t connect. Each tool saves time somewhere, but the time reappears somewhere else as reconciliation, checking, exporting, fixing, and chasing missing information.Accounting, Payroll, Time Tracking and E-invoicing: Where the Fragmentation StartsFragmentation usually starts in predictable places. Invoicing and accounting drift apart, and suddenly VAT codes, payment terms, and customer references become inconsistent across systems. Payroll and time tracking fail to align, because the logic needed for payroll—absences, contract types, overtime rules—rarely matches what the time tracking tool outputs by default. Social secretariat portals are essential in Belgium, but they weren’t designed to integrate neatly with modern cloud stacks, so companies fall back to manual uploads and emails. E-invoicing adds pressure to standardise, but if it’s implemented as “one more portal,” it increases operational complexity rather than reducing it.Over time, the typical Back-office Automation Tools Belgium setup becomes a landscape of portals, exports, and reconciliation steps that no one planned, but everyone now depends on.The Risks of Unconnected Back-office Automation Tools in Belgium: Double Entry, Errors and Blind SpotsThe cost of unconnected tools is not just inconvenience. It creates structural risk. Double entry becomes normal: employee data, supplier data, cost centers, invoice references, and payment statuses are entered in multiple places and maintained inconsistently. Errors become harder to detect because each system looks “correct” in isolation while the overall picture is wrong. A small mismatch can lead to incorrect VAT coding, payroll mistakes due to outdated employee information, or misallocated costs that distort profitability.The biggest damage is the blind spot it creates for leadership. When numbers differ across dashboards, people stop trusting reports. Decisions slow down. Month-end becomes a firefight. Instead of gaining control through automation, the organisation loses confidence in its own data.Step 1: Back-office Mapping – Make Your Tool Landscape Visible Before Adding Anything NewThe way out is not buying yet another tool. The way out is visibility and connection. The first step is back-office mapping, because you cannot fix what you cannot see. A mapping exercise makes the current tool landscape visible: which tools are in use, who owns them, what data each tool creates or needs, where manual transfers happen, and where errors or delays repeat.Most SMEs discover that what they thought was an “automation problem” is actually a set of integration gaps. And once those gaps are visible, it becomes obvious where the real effort is being wasted.Step 2: Designing a Simple Integration Blueprint for Back-office Automation Tools BelgiumOnce the landscape is visible, the next step is to design a simple integration blueprint. “Simple” matters, because the goal isn’t architectural perfection. It’s operational relief. A blueprint clarifies what becomes the source of truth for customers, suppliers, employees, and invoices. It defines which data must flow between accounting, payroll, and operations, and how frequently.For many Back-office Automation Tools Belgium stacks, the most valuable early flows are invoices into accounting, time and absences into payroll and then into accounting, and payment and bank sync into cash reporting. These are the flows that create the most manual work and the most risk when they are fragmented, so they typically deliver the fastest return when connected.Step 3: Building a Lightweight Integration Layer Between Accountant, Social Secretariat and Cloud AppsBelgian SMEs often get stuck here because they assume integration requires replacing systems. In practice, you can connect what exists by building a lightweight integration layer. This layer can use standard connectors when available, scheduled sync when real-time isn’t necessary, API-based integrations when tools support them, and controlled file-based integration when portals are simply the reality.The point is not to be “pure.” The point is to reduce manual transfers, make responsibilities clear, and create repeatable flows that don’t depend on one person’s memory. When accountants and social secretariats are part of the ecosystem, this clarity is crucial, because integrations need to work across organisational boundaries as well as technical ones.Step 4: Data Mapping and Quality Checks – Creating One Source of Truth for Your Back OfficeIntegration only becomes valuable when data is defined and enforced. Data mapping is where you decide how identifiers match across systems, how cost centers and projects are structured, how payroll categories map to accounting accounts, and where VAT codes are maintained.Then quality checks make those decisions real. Duplicates detection, validation of mandatory fields and formats, and exception reporting ensure that when something breaks, you see it immediately, understand why, and know who fixes it. This is how you create one source of truth in the back office. You don’t declare it; you enforce it.Step 5: Adding Workflow and AI Automation on Top of Connected Back-office ToolsOnce tools are connected and data is reliable, workflow automation becomes genuinely powerful. Invoice approvals can be routed automatically based on supplier, cost center, or amount. Reminders can trigger when timesheets are missing or expenses are overdue. Exceptions can be handled systematically when payroll inputs don’t match contract rules. Accounting entries can be generated from operational events instead of created manually.This is also the stage where AI becomes practical. AI can categorise invoices consistently, extract fields from documents when needed, summarise anomalies, and answer internal questions using validated back-office data. Without integration and data quality, AI tends to accelerate chaos. With a connected foundation, AI becomes leverage.Step 6: One Management Cockpit Instead of Five Portals – Reporting on Cash, Margins and PayrollMost leaders don’t want more tools. They want answers they can trust. They want to understand cash and cash risk, profitability by customer or project, and payroll cost trends without waiting for manual reconciliations.When your Back-office Automation Tools Belgium stack is connected, you can move toward one management cockpit. That doesn’t mean one monolithic system. It means one consolidated view with consistent definitions, faster month-end close, fewer reconciliations, and confidence in the numbers. Instead of five portals and five versions of reality, you get one view of cash, margins, and payroll that supports decisions.Why a Managed Integration Service Beats DIY Back-office Automation Tools in BelgiumMany SMEs try DIY integration and some succeed, but the same breakdowns appear again and again. Ownership is unclear, fragile automations fail after software updates, and there is no monitoring so issues are discovered too late. Logic lives in undocumented scripts or one person’s head. Security and access become messy as quick fixes accumulate.A managed integration approach is often more effective because it treats integration as an operational capability, not a one-time project. It includes design that fits business processes, secure implementation, monitoring and alerting, maintenance when tools change, and continuous improvement as the business evolves. For Belgian SMEs operating with accountants, social secretariats, and multiple cloud tools, that reliability usually beats heroic DIY.How Sigli Helps Belgian SMEs Move from Tool Chaos to a Connected, Automated Back OfficeSigli helps Belgian SMEs turn Back-office Automation Tools Belgium from a fragmented stack into a connected operating system. We start by mapping the current landscape and the manual bottlenecks that drain time and create errors. We design a simple integration blueprint focused on the flows that matter most, then connect accounting, payroll ecosystems and cloud tools through a lightweight integration layer. We standardise data mapping and add quality rules so the business has one source of truth, not five competing versions. Then we automate workflows and add AI where it actually reduces work, not where it adds complexity. Finally, we consolidate reporting into one cockpit that leadership can trust.The result isn’t a bigger toolset. It’s a back office that runs with fewer manual steps, fewer errors, and better visibility, so your team can focus on running the business rather than reconciling systems.Book a call with Sigli to discuss your current setup and see what a connected back office could look like for your business. In one conversation, we can map the key friction points, confirm where integration will have the biggest impact, and outline a realistic path to consolidate your back-office operations without replacing everything.

If you run an SME in the Benelux, you probably recognize the pattern: reporting lives in Excel, critical numbers are spread across tabs and versions, and “the truth” depends on who refreshed the file last. It works—until it doesn’t. The moment your team grows, your tools diversify, or your customers expect faster answers, Excel-based reporting starts to slow decisions down instead of enabling them.That’s where operational reporting dashboards Benelux SMEs can rely on become a turning point. Not as a big, expensive “data transformation program,” but as a focused starter pack: a clear KPI model, a minimal modern data stack, and a first set of live dashboards that replace fragile manual reporting with trusted, shared insight.Why Operational Reporting Dashboards Matter for Benelux SMEs Right NowBenelux SMEs are operating in a market where speed and transparency are no longer “nice to have.” Customers expect quick turnaround times, teams work hybrid, and margins are watched closely. At the same time, many businesses are running a growing mix of systems—an ERP, a CRM, a ticketing tool, e-commerce, marketing platforms, finance tools—each with its own definitions and reporting logic.Operational reporting dashboards help you run the business daily and weekly, not just review it monthly. Instead of waiting for an end-of-month PDF, you can see what’s happening in operations, sales, and service as it unfolds. That changes the quality of decisions: fewer gut-feel debates, fewer “I think” conversations, more alignment on what to fix and where to invest time.Most importantly, operational dashboards create consistency. When leadership, operations, and sales all use the same definitions and the same numbers, you stop wasting hours reconciling reports and start using reporting as an engine for action.From Excel to Operational Reporting Dashboards Benelux: The Gap Small SMEs FaceThe jump from Excel to real dashboards is not just a tooling upgrade. It’s a shift in how reporting is defined, produced, and trusted.In Excel, reporting often depends on individuals. Someone exports data, cleans it, merges it, updates formulas, and sends it around. Even when done carefully, it’s hard to avoid broken links, manual mistakes, and version chaos. When questions appear—“Why is this number different?”—the team ends up auditing spreadsheets instead of solving business problems.With operational reporting dashboards Benelux SMEs aim for something else: a shared reporting layer built on stable sources, consistent KPIs, and automatic refresh. But many smaller organizations feel stuck because “real BI” sounds like enterprise work: long timelines, high costs, heavy data engineering.The gap is real, but it’s not inevitable. You don’t need a perfect data platform to start. You need a sensible scope, the right KPI decisions, and a minimal stack that fits your systems and your reality.Introducing Sigli’s BI Starter Pack for Operational Reporting Dashboards in the BeneluxSigli’s BI Starter Pack is designed specifically for smaller Benelux SMEs who want clarity fast without overbuilding. The idea is simple: deliver operational reporting dashboards that replace the most painful Excel processes, establish trusted KPIs, and set up a modern but minimal data stack that can grow later.We focus on what makes dashboards useful: what questions the business needs answered, what decisions those answers should improve, and how to make the data reliable enough that teams actually use it.The starter pack typically results in 3–5 live dashboards for management, operations, and sales, delivered in a practical timeframe often 4 to 8 weeks depending on complexity and data readiness.Step 1: Landscape & KPI Workshop, Choosing the Right Systems and MetricsOperational dashboards fail when KPIs are unclear or politically negotiated after the build. So we start where clarity starts: a workshop that maps your reporting landscape and your decision-making needs.We look at which systems actually contain the data that matters, where the current reports come from, and which numbers are causing friction today. Then we define a KPI model that is both meaningful and feasible: metrics that reflect how your business operates, that can be refreshed reliably, and that can be owned by the teams who use them.This step is not just “requirements gathering.” It’s how you avoid building dashboards that look good but don’t get adopted. When teams agree on definitions early, dashboards become a shared language instead of another reporting artifact.Step 2: A Minimal but Modern Data Stack for Operational Reporting Dashboards BeneluxA common misconception is that you need a large data warehouse project to get started. In reality, operational reporting dashboards Benelux SMEs need most often can be delivered with a minimal modern stack: just enough structure to ensure reliability and refresh, without unnecessary complexity.The exact stack depends on your systems, volumes, and constraints, but the principle stays the same. We set up a clean path from source systems to a trusted reporting layer, with clear ownership and refresh logic. We prioritize a setup that can expand later, but doesn’t force you into a six-month infrastructure roadmap before you see value.This step is about stability. It makes sure dashboards don’t depend on manual exports and that the numbers can be reproduced and explained when someone asks, “Where does this come from?”Step 3: Delivering 3-5 Live Dashboards for Management, Operations and SalesOnce the KPI model and data path are in place, we build dashboards that match how teams actually work.Management dashboards typically focus on performance overview, trends, and key drivers enough to spot risks early and steer priorities. Operations dashboards focus on throughput, bottlenecks, workload, quality, and delivery performance. Sales dashboards focus on pipeline health, conversion, cycle time, and forecast hygiene.We don’t aim for “everything in one place.” We aim for a small set of dashboards that are used weekly and become part of routines. Adoption matters more than quantity. A few dashboards that teams trust will beat a BI library that nobody opens.Step 4: The De-Excel Step, Rebuilding Trusted Reports in Power BI, Looker or TableauIn many Benelux SMEs, Excel isn’t just a tool,it’s a habit. People trust their spreadsheets because they’ve used them for years, even if the process is fragile.The de-Excel step respects that reality. Instead of forcing teams to abandon familiar reporting overnight, we take the reports they rely on most and rebuild them in a modern BI tool (Power BI, Looker, or Tableau) so the output remains familiar, but the production becomes reliable.This is also where trust is earned. When teams see that the dashboard matches the report they already believe in, without the manual work, they start switching naturally. The goal is not to demonize Excel. The goal is to remove Excel as the reporting engine while keeping it available as an analysis tool when needed.What Benelux SMEs Gain in 4–8 Weeks: From Monthly PDFs to Near Real-Time InsightThe shift isn’t just speed. It’s a different operating rhythm.Instead of waiting for monthly reporting cycles, teams get visibility throughout the month. Instead of arguing about which spreadsheet is correct, they work from shared dashboards. Instead of discovering issues after the fact, they notice patterns early enough to act.In practical terms, SMEs often see faster reporting cycles, fewer manual hours spent on preparation, improved KPI consistency across teams, and clearer accountability. Even more valuable is the decision quality: when data is accessible and trusted, leaders spend less time chasing numbers and more time solving the right problems.How Sigli Makes Big-Company BI Accessible to Small Benelux SMEsLarge companies invest heavily in BI because the cost of poor decisions is massive at scale. But SMEs feel the same pain just with fewer resources to fix it.Our approach is built around practicality: small scope, fast value, and a stack that fits your organization. We combine KPI clarity with modern delivery, but we keep the build grounded in what your team can maintain. We don’t sell complexity for its own sake. We focus on making operational reporting dashboards Benelux SMEs can actually use and keep using without needing an internal data department.That’s what makes the starter pack work: it’s not a “BI project.” It’s a business enablement package that turns reporting from a monthly headache into an operational advantage.Next Steps: Getting Started with Operational Reporting Dashboards Benelux at Your SMEIf your reporting still depends on Excel exports, manual consolidation, and last-minute checks, it’s a good moment to consider a starter pack approach. The fastest path forward is not building everything it’s choosing the few reports that matter most, defining KPIs properly, and delivering a first set of dashboards that teams trust.Operational reporting dashboards Benelux SMEs rely on don’t have to be complicated. They have to be consistent, accessible, and tied to real decisions. If you want to move beyond Excel without turning it into an enterprise-scale program, Sigli’s BI Starter Pack is designed to get you there quickly, clearly, and with a foundation you can build on.If you’d like to see what this could look like for your SME, book a call with Sigli. We’ll walk through your current reporting setup, identify the fastest wins, and outline a realistic 4–8 week path to your first operational dashboards.

Business process automation is rising on the priority list for UK SMEs for a simple reason: teams are busy, but too much of that busyness is manual work that shouldn’t require people at all. Costs are up, hiring is harder, customers expect faster responses, and compliance overhead keeps growing. Many organisations aren’t looking for a big “digital transformation” programme. They’re looking for relief. They want fewer repetitive tasks, fewer errors, and a smoother way for work to move through the business without being trapped in inboxes, spreadsheets, and handoffs between systems.Why UK SMEs Are Searching for Business Process Automation Services UKWhen UK SMEs search for business process automation services, they’re usually reacting to specific pain. Work takes longer than it should because steps are repeated or unclear. Information gets retyped from one tool into another. Approvals are slow and scattered across email threads. Reporting takes days because data is inconsistent. Support queues grow because requests aren’t routed properly. People do heroic work to keep things running, but the system itself creates friction. Automation becomes interesting when leaders realise that the problem isn’t effort or motivation; it’s the way the process is designed and executed.What Business Process Automation Services UK Actually Mean for Your OrganisationIn practice, business process automation services are not a single product or platform. They’re a combination of process understanding, workflow design, and implementation that makes routine work more reliable. For an organisation, this usually means taking a process that currently lives across emails, chat messages, documents, and scattered tools, and turning it into something clear, repeatable, and measurable. It also often means connecting systems so that information doesn’t have to be copied manually between your CRM, finance tools, service desk, data sources, and internal documentation. When done well, automation doesn’t just make tasks faster; it reduces variability. The same request is handled the same way, the required fields are captured, the right people are notified, and the status is visible without chasing.Where Business Process Automation Services UK Deliver Quick WinsThe quickest wins typically come from processes that happen often, follow consistent rules, and create frustration when they go wrong. Admin-heavy workflows are a classic example. Approval chains, data entry routines, invoice and purchase flows, and internal requests tend to generate a lot of wasted time because they include multiple handoffs and repeated checks. Sales operations is another area where small automations can have a big effect. When lead routing, follow-up tasks, and customer handover rely on memory and manual logging, pipeline quality suffers and teams lose momentum. Customer support and service delivery processes also benefit quickly, especially when requests can be categorised and routed automatically, internal escalations can be triggered when needed, and response times become more predictable. HR and onboarding can see similarly fast improvement, because onboarding often involves the same set of actions spread across several departments and tools. The common thread in all of these areas is that you’re removing daily friction, not building an abstract “future-state” vision.How Our Business Process Automation Services UK Work – From Discovery to Live AutomationA practical way to approach automation for UK SMEs is to start with discovery rather than jumping into build. Many automation initiatives fail not because the technology can’t do the job, but because the organisation starts developing before it agrees on what the process should be, what exceptions exist, what data is required, and what success looks like. A discovery-led approach brings structure to that. It begins with a focused exploration of where work is slowing down, where errors occur, and which systems are involved. It also clarifies constraints such as security, compliance, and ownership, because automation without ownership quickly turns into confusion. Discovery should end with a clear view of the best quick wins, what they will change, and how results will be measured.Once discovery has clarified the priorities, the next step is turning the selected processes into a blueprint that people can validate before anything is implemented. This is where the workflow is defined in plain language and translated into the steps, rules, data fields, and integrations needed. It is also where edge cases are captured, because most processes don’t behave perfectly every time, and automation must handle the reality, not the ideal. With a blueprint in place, implementation becomes less risky. You’re not “building to find out.” You’re building what the business has already agreed is needed.From there, automation work moves into development, integration, and testing. The goal is to implement workflows in a way that is stable and maintainable, and then roll them out with real users and real scenarios. Testing isn’t just technical; it’s about whether the automation matches how the team actually works. A good roll-out avoids disruption and aims for adoption. Post-go-live support matters because processes evolve, tools change, and new requests appear. Automation should be treated as an operational capability you refine over time, not a one-off project that is “completed” and forgotten.Augment In-House Development Team UK With BPA SpecialistsFor many UK SMEs, another strong use case for business process automation services is augmenting an in-house development or IT team. Even when organisations have capable developers, automation work often sits behind core product priorities and urgent maintenance. BPA specialists can help bridge that gap by leading discovery, translating operational pain into clear requirements, implementing workflows and integrations efficiently, and providing documentation and handover so the solution doesn’t become dependent on one person. This kind of augmentation works well when internal teams want results but don’t have the capacity to do the operational engineering work that creates those results.Business Process Automation Services UK – Case Studies & Real OutcomesA good example of the kind of operational impact you can expect from structured process and system modernisation is Sigli’s legacy system upgrade for a telecoms SaaS provider. The client needed to modernise an outdated platform so it could support new customer and admin features, improve performance, and stay competitive, while also ensuring existing users could be migrated safely to the new application. The work focused on bringing core infrastructure up to modern software standards, introducing new functionality, and providing ongoing testing and support. On completion, the upgraded solution included a multi-tenant platform for mobile service and device management, a customer-facing portal for managing services and tracking activity and expenditure (including support tickets), and a dedicated admin portal for managing customer services.Crucially, the project also covered the managed transition of users to the new platform, which is where many upgrades fail in real life. The result was a future-proofed system with improved scalability and access controls, better user and admin experiences, and stronger operational efficiency—without losing existing functionality during the modernisation. What You Get From Our Business Process Automation Services UKA well-run business process automation engagement should leave you with tangible deliverables, not just a promise. You should walk away with clarity on which processes to automate first, why they matter, and what impact they will have. You should have documented process understanding, an agreed blueprint, implemented automations and integrations, and a plan for adoption and ongoing improvement. You should also have a way to measure whether the work actually achieved what it was supposed to achieve, because automation is only valuable if it changes outcomes, not just tooling.Is Business Process Automation Services UK the Right Move for Your Organisation?Business process automation services are typically the right move when a significant share of time is spent on repetitive work, when handovers depend on inboxes and spreadsheets, when rework is increasing, and when systems don’t connect cleanly. It may not be the right first step if the process is still undefined or changes weekly, because automating instability creates more confusion, not less. In those cases, discovery and stabilisation come first. Likewise, if there is no process owner, automation is hard to sustain. The best results happen when there is a clear owner and a measurable goal, such as reducing cycle time, reducing error rates, improving response times, or freeing up a defined number of hours per week.If you’re dealing with manual processes, slow handovers, or legacy systems that make every change feel risky, a short discovery call can clarify what to automate first and what outcomes you can realistically expect. Sigli will help you identify quick wins, map the right workflow and integration approach, and turn it into a practical delivery plan your team can execute. Book a call with Sigli to discuss your processes and get a clear next step toward measurable operational efficiency.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to building a startup amid rapid advances in AI and increasing competition in the business environment. Every project has its own approach and unique story of success. However, it is always crucial to draw on the experience of other businesses when shaping your own unique strategy.In the latest episode of the Innovantage podcast, its host and Sigli’s CBDO, Max Golikov, speaks with Jerome Cloetens, co-founder and CEO of Palau, about what it takes to survive and grow today.Palau operates in the area of ESG and sustainability reporting, where regulation and enterprise expectations evolve faster than most early-stage companies can adapt. Jerome also shared his vision of the trade-offs between bootstrapping and fundraising, the discipline required to sell to enterprises, and why enterprise sales can become a strong competitive edge for a startup.How AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for Startups Can Address Climate and Compliance Challenges: The Story Behind PalauThe Palau project was built to solve a problem that closely mirrors financial reporting, but in the domain of climate and sustainability. Large corporations today face growing pressure from banks, investors, and regulators to be fully transparent about their environmental impact. Palau addresses this challenge with an AI-driven reporting platform. The system helps companies collect sustainability data, standardize it, and transform it into the specific formats required by regulators and investors. As a result, it helps reduce manual work and turn complex ESG data into structured reports.Climate and sustainability have lost political momentum in the US following recent regulatory shifts. However, global demand continues to rise. Europe, Asia, Brazil, and parts of the US, such as California, are introducing stricter reporting requirements. As many San Francisco-based startups pivot away from climate-focused solutions, Palau has the possibility to benefit from a temporary competitive window.Palau was founded by a four-person team. One co-founder was Jerome’s cousin. Another founder, who is now the CTO, brought deep technical expertise and built the core platform. The fourth person has experience in working directly with complex sustainability compliance requirements at a large European firm. Thanks to this, she can contribute regulatory and domain expertise. The initial version of the product was built to solve real problems that she faced in her role.As for the right timing for the project, Jerome believes that it is more about execution, not about perfect conditions only.The team adopted a fast-moving approach. They launched small experiments, tested ideas quickly, and relied heavily on market feedback. Bootstrapping vs. Raising Capital: Funding Strategies for AI-driven Sustainability Reporting StartupsJerome initially chose to bootstrap Palau. This allowed the team to experiment efficiently during the first year and, at the same time, maintain tight focus and cost discipline.The strategy shifted once Palau reached 15 to 20 enterprise clients, including companies generating more than $300 million in annual revenue. At that point, speed became a constraint. Hiring engineers purely from operating cash flow was possible but slow. This increased the risk of losing momentum in a fast-moving AI market.External capital provided a financial buffer and enabled faster execution without abandoning a lean operating mindset.Today, engineering remains the company’s core investment. There is no dedicated marketing or sales team yet. Jerome personally handled the first 20 customers and plans to onboard up to 100 before scaling sales. According to him, maintaining direct relationships with customers at early stages is crucial as it helps understand their needs and shape the product.Building Efficient Teams for AI-driven Sustainability Reporting Startups: The Role of AI and Human ExpertiseJerome views AI as a powerful accelerator for engineering. But it is still not a replacement for human expertise (at least at the current moment). Lower-level tasks are increasingly supported by AI tools. However, core engineering work requires experienced developers.At the same time, in his conversation with Max, he highlighted the advantage of small, focused teams. Even without AI, lean teams can outperform larger organizations as they move faster and make clearer decisions. AI strengthens this dynamic by allowing teams to stay small while increasing output.Lessons from Early Startup Decisions: How AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for Startups Drives Focused GrowthLooking back, Jerome would largely follow the same path. As he was a first-time founder, mistakes were inevitable. But starting with a single, real customer proved to be the right approach. The team built a focused solution for one enterprise where a co-founder worked. It means that the product already solved a real-life problem before attempting to scale. That initial success created a repeatable foundation for acquiring additional customers. And it’s much more efficient than raising capital around an untested idea.The early strategy was simple: talk to customers and build a product. There was no emphasis on pitch decks or long-term forecasts. Daily work revolved around customer calls and shipping code. This approach accelerated learning and product-market fit.Financial control was another lasting lesson. Bootstrapping forced strict visibility into the runway and recurring revenue. Even now, after raising external capital, that mindset remains at Palau. Winning Enterprise Clients Through Community: Leveraging AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for StartupsEnterprise sales are typically slow and complex, as such businesses are often resistant to change. Decision cycles are long, while stakeholders are fragmented. Moreover, new vendors often face high credibility barriers. Despite this, Palau set an ambitious target of serving 300 enterprise clients by the end of 2026.The core insight was a widespread knowledge gap. Most large companies were facing climate and sustainability reporting requirements for the first time. They had limited internal expertise around risk assessments, transition planning, and regulatory disclosure. Instead of leading with a product pitch, the Palau team first built a practitioner community where in-house sustainability leaders and consultants could exchange knowledge and learn from one another.That community became a trust engine and a distribution channel. The role of partner and community reputation in accelerating enterprise sales can’t be underestimated. Without established reputations, closing a single client can take six months of meetings, pilots, and internal approvals. With community partners who have worked with these companies for years, Palau can reduce that timeline to just a week.Community-led Growth as a Go-to-Market Strategy for AI-driven Sustainability Reporting StartupsThe community exists first as a learning environment, not a sales funnel. One of the key goals of its creation was to show sustainability teams that with automation, they can work faster and take on more ambitious initiatives. This bottom-up approach contrasts with the dominant top-down enterprise sales model. But it has proven more effective in building trust within complex organizations.Enterprise adoption is typically preceded by a 30-day pilot. During this period, the team gathers rapid feedback, iterates quickly, and adjusts direction where needed. Community members are not always direct buyers. But their sustained participation builds familiarity and credibility, and, as a result, makes future enterprise conversations significantly easier to initiate.Leveraging Enterprise Feedback for Product Evolution in AI-driven Sustainability Reporting StartupsDirect feedback from early users led to meaningful changes in product scope and positioning. The team initially targeted smaller companies but quickly identified a larger need among enterprises that generate $200 million to $300 million in annual revenue. These organizations faced the highest regulatory and investor pressure. That’s why they require more robust reporting capabilities and governance controls.Initially, the Palau company lacked the full enterprise-grade IT security and compliance frameworks expected by large corporations. Early sales cycles were slow due to security reviews and risk assessments. Nevertheless, this situation demonstrated the necessity of investment in cybersecurity and access controls to meet standard enterprise requirements.Meanwhile, sustainability reporting remains highly customized, as each enterprise interprets regulatory and stakeholder demands differently. That’s why flexibility is a must.Adapting Strategy for Global Enterprise Markets with AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for StartupsAs Jerome explained, early attempts to scale across industries highlighted a structural challenge. A single team couldn’t hold deep domain expertise for every regional and sector-specific regulatory regime. Instead of building all AI workflows internally, Jerome’s team introduced a protocol that allows external experts to design their own AI-driven workflows with a set of provided tools and frameworks.This approach enabled rapid expansion into different markets, where local consulting partners with established credibility could tailor solutions for various industries, such as the pharmaceuticals. The same model now supports clients across semiconductors, manufacturing, construction, and other sectors, and reduces dependence on a single vertical.How products can change communities and transform enterprise workflowsThe platform has reshaped how consulting partners and enterprises handle sustainability reporting. Manual, low-level tasks (document review, gap assessments, data validation, etc.) are now largely automated. As a result, human experts can focus on higher-value, strategic work. This shift greatly supports highly ambitious project scopes.AI plays a central role as it can process vast amounts of regulatory and corporate documents, identify compliance gaps, and flag issues for expert review. Consultants then need to verify the AI’s output, while subject-matter experts provide final recommendations. Non-financial Data as a Strategic Asset in AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for StartupsNon-financial data (climate, water usage, social metrics, etc.) is becoming increasingly critical for enterprise decision-making. Financial reports guide planning and forecasting. Meanwhile, structured environmental and social data allows companies, insurers, and investors to assess risks and make informed strategic choices.For instance, large corporations like Nike already provide transparent reporting on carbon footprints and resource consumption. This information enables stakeholders to evaluate impact and identify gaps. Governments and pension funds can use these datasets to screen partners and make policy decisions more quickly.Right now, this standardized non-financial data may seem to be a niche sustainability concern. But in the future, it will transform into a core tool for financial and operational decision-making.The Myth of Sustainable Businesses: Integrating AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for Startups into Profitable GrowthJerome noted that sustainability is not about certificates, activism, or greenwashing. It is backed by the idea of making data-driven decisions that respect planetary boundaries and, at the same time, allow running a profitable business. The real goal is to integrate non-financial data into everyday enterprise decision-making and ensure compliance, risk management, and operational efficiency.Here, the balance is important. Sustainability should not compromise business growth. Measuring Real Impact: How AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for Startups Drives Meaningful ChangeFor Jerome, success isn’t measured by the number of clients onboarded superficially. As he explained, it’s much more important to have companies that actively use the platform to advance their sustainability transition. Many organizations start with compliance just to check boxes to satisfy stakeholders. But the real value emerges when enterprises leverage the data to drive meaningful change and uncover business opportunities.The platform focuses on supporting companies willing to take action. It helps them track progress toward long-term targets such as Europe’s 90% emissions reduction goal over the next two decades. Navigating Regulation in Sustainability with AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for StartupsEuropean climate regulations are evolving, but clarity remains a key challenge. Companies often want to comply voluntarily. But they need to keep processes lean and transparent and avoid bureaucratic hurdles. California’s climate laws are a good example of how localized enforcement can outpace federal action.Many guidelines in Europe are unclear and written in legalistic formats. As a result, companies need to invest significant effort just to understand compliance requirements. Palau addresses this issue by using AI to rephrase regulatory text into readable, actionable guidance.The Palau team also encourages regulators to join its community, learn from its members, share feedback, and iterate on guidelines. The Toughest Challenge for a Founder: Overcoming Market Shifts with AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for StartupsThough Palau is growing quickly today, its journey was not without pitfalls. January of 2025 was the most difficult period for the team. A sudden regulatory change disrupted their prior business model, and a loan repayment left the startup deeply in the red.The team faced low morale. The market shift compounded the pressure. To survive, they quickly pivoted to a protocol-driven approach that empowered experts to manage AI workflows. Intensive work over six weeks helped secure new clients and stabilize cash flow, which brought the company to a positive financial position.Motivation from Client Impact: How AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for Startups Fuels Business GrowthDaily engagement with prospects and clients provides ongoing encouragement. AI tools capture key insights from client interactions. This information allows the founders to see the product’s real-world impact. Securing deals with large, bureaucratic enterprises is challenging. However, it offers a unique sense of accomplishment that fuels continued momentum.Palau’s largest client generates around $10 billion annually and proposed a five-year contract. Jerome resisted signing long-term deals in the first year, as the product is expected to improve significantly over the next few years. At the moment, he views such contracts as premature. The solution should evolve before committing to extended agreements.Agentic Browsers and the Next Wave of Disruption: Impact on AI-driven Sustainability Reporting for StartupsAccording to Jerome, AI will reshape how startups are built and how software is used. While we still can observe the hype cycles and risky bets in the space, the overall trajectory is unstoppable. Ignoring the speed and momentum of AI progress, especially agent-based systems, is a strategic mistake.For startups that rely on third-party AI models instead of owning them, the risk of being replaced is real. Palau’s response is to stay model-agnostic and focus on what others can’t easily replicate. In its case, it is a strong community, proprietary workflows, prompts, and domain-specific data. Today, agentic browsers are among the major breakthroughs. These AI agents can autonomously move across platforms, log into systems, and complete complex tasks end to end. The use cases of such agents can go far beyond standard business applications. For instance, Jerome shared his personal example where an AI agent completed an entire online scuba diving certification exam on his behalf.With such solutions that can act across tools and websites, the way users interact with software is fundamentally changing. Products are not isolated anymore. They are becoming part of a broader workflow across the internet.AI Disruption and Market Hype: Navigating the Risks and Opportunities for AI-driven Sustainability Reporting StartupsAt the end of their conversation, Max and Jerome talked about the transformative potential of AI. The technology has clear societal benefits and a range of important real-world applications. For example, AI-driven tools for education and dyslexia can make a tangible difference.At the same time, the overvaluation and hype surrounding AI companies look worrying. The recent $5 trillion valuation of Nvidia is a good illustration of how market logic can diverge from reality. Financial and strategic decisions around AI are often driven by cycles of irrational enthusiasm, instead of coherent analysis. This brings new risks to the market.Critical thinking and rational evaluations are a must to leverage the technology responsibly.Want to learn more about emerging technologies and the changes they lead to? Here’s what Max Golikov will discuss with his new guests in the next episodes of the Innovantage podcast. Don’t miss them!

Most “digital transformation” efforts don’t fail because the technology is wrong. They fail because the organisation never builds a shared way of working around that technology, so the change fades as soon as the project team moves on.That’s exactly why Sigli created a digital transformation guide designed for leaders who want transformation that actually sticks. It’s built around actionable insights, real case studies, and a proven roadmap for adaptive digital transformation.This article explains what “lasting change” really means, what a practical digital transformation guide should help you do, and how to use Sigli’s guide to turn strategy into execution.Why Digital Transformation Still Stalls in Real CompaniesDigital transformation often starts with the right intentions: modernise systems, improve productivity, become data-driven, use AI and automation wisely. But in practice, many initiatives get stuck in familiar traps: tool-first decisions, siloed ownership, unclear priorities, and a lack of measurable outcomes.Sigli’s perspective is simple: digital transformation isn’t just about introducing new technology, it’s about fostering a mindset that embraces ongoing change and adapts to new challenges. When that mindset isn’t present, organisations revert to old habits. New tools become “extra work.” Teams build workarounds. Leaders lose confidence in the data. Adoption becomes a constant push.That’s why the most useful starting point isn’t “Which platform should we buy?” but “How do we align people, processes, and tech so the change survives real life?”What a Good Digital Transformation Guide Should Actually DoA digital transformation guide shouldn’t read like a trend report. It should help you make decisions and move. In a practical sense, it should do three things well.First, it should help you align leadership around a shared definition of success. Not vague ambition, clear outcomes you can observe and measure.Second, it should give you a roadmap that fits real constraints: limited time, limited capacity, competing priorities, and the need to show progress without rewriting everything at once.Third, it should help you build transformation capability inside the organisation: the culture, habits, and governance that keep the change going after the initial momentum.Sigli’s guide is positioned exactly for that: a practical guide to leading digital transformation focused on aligning people, processes, and technology for transformation that works.What’s Inside Sigli’s Digital Transformation GuideSigli’s Digital Transformation: A Guide to Lasting Change brings together expert perspectives and a roadmap you can apply with your leadership team. It explicitly focuses on practical implementation and building a future-focused mindset, not just adopting tools.The guide also features insights from several “top industry experts,” including leaders and practitioners connected to Sigli, such as a Flemish Government official, Estonia’s Government CTO, and a professor from Vlerick Business School.If you’re trying to drive change in a mid-market environment, where progress matters more than perfection, this combination is valuable: strategic clarity, real-world lessons, and a roadmap that is meant to be used, not admired.How to Use This Digital Transformation Guide in the Real WorldIf you download a guide and it sits unread in someone’s inbox, it won’t change anything. The fastest way to turn a digital transformation guide into action is to use it as a working document with your leadership team.Start by using it to create shared language: what “transformation” means in your context, what outcomes matter most, and what will not be prioritised right now. Then translate that into a roadmap with clear ownership: who drives which part of the change, how decisions get made, and how progress will be tracked.This matters because transformation is not a one-time event. As Sigli’s own blog content emphasises, long-term success depends on how well your culture adapts, how leaders support the change, and whether continuous learning is built into daily work.Download the Digital Transformation Guide From SigliIf you’re leading change and want a clearer roadmap that connects strategy to execution, download Sigli’s digital transformation guide here.Reading is a great start. Turning it into a focused plan is where results happen.If you want, book a call with Sigli and we’ll help you translate the guide into a practical first step, typically by mapping one critical workflow, agreeing on measurable outcomes, and shaping an execution plan your team can actually sustain.

On the Innovantage podcast, its host and Sigli’s CBDO Max Golikov and his guests often talk about technology from a business perspective. In this episode, the focus is shifted to the role of technology in political and social life. What are the risks of online anonymity? And how can it harm democracy?To find answers to these questions, Max invited Belgian politician and former State Secretary for Digitalization Mathieu Michel to join him for a conversation.Today, Mathieu is a member of the Belgian parliament and focuses on innovation and emerging technologies, including blockchain, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. His work centers on how these technologies shape democracy, economic development, and the daily lives of citizens.As Mathieu explained, his core mission is to ensure that technological progress is grounded in trust. According to him, innovation can create positive opportunities only when citizens have confidence in the systems behind it. And politics plays a critical role in establishing this trust and guiding technology toward the public good.Today, Mathieu is one of the leading voices behind Europe’s digital identity initiatives, such as eIDAS 2.0 and the Declaration of Leuven. He emphasized that digital tools must reinforce democratic values. However, at the same time, technology carries risks, and society should be ready to face them. Role of technologyMathieu views technology as a tool to improve human life. Being a liberal and an optimist, he believes deeply in people’s ability to create positive change. What motivates him is humanity’s constant capacity to invent new solutions that make life easier and better.Today’s major challenges, like climate, mobility, healthcare, and others, require forward momentum. However, when societies face uncertainty, many instinctively look backward.Though emerging technologies inevitably raise hard questions and introduce new risks, according to Mathieu, that is not a reason to slow down. It is a reason to stay creative and find solutions.The EU AI Act and its impact on technologyCurrently, we can observe the growing influence of artificial intelligence on democratic systems.Europe began discussing AI regulation four years ago. But the AI Act took effect only three years later. This illustrates how slowly governance moves compared to technological progress. Nevertheless, as Mathieu stressed, regulation is essential for establishing trust. But it must not become a barrier to innovation.Policymakers need a deeper understanding of emerging technologies and a more proactive mindset. Instead of slowing innovation, governments should guide and support it. As a result, AI will be able to develop in such a way that strengthens society and expands opportunities.Europe’s habit of limiting technologyEurope often responds to emerging technologies with excessive caution. Though the AI Act’s risk-based approach has its value, the final framework imposes more restrictions than necessary. According to Mathieu, Europe underestimates the global competitive landscape, particularly against regions moving faster on AI development.Overregulation could leave Europe technologically behind. The solution is not to suppress or fear new tools, but to guide their deployment responsibly. While some regulations prohibit innovation, it’s important to support it, especially on issues like misinformation and online harm.There are proposals that resemble “ministries of truth,” where authorities decide what is true or false online. Such initiatives could undermine democratic principles and even lead to dystopian scenarios.Fake news: Real threatFighting misinformation starts with strengthening people’s ability to think critically. And education here is central. Citizens need practical tools that will help them verify identity and understand who they are interacting with online. As a result, they will be able to apply the same judgment they use in the physical world.The core problem is that the online environment was built differently from the real world. Anonymity and unclear accountability are among the core characteristics of the online space. Reintroducing basic trust mechanisms would help people navigate AI-generated content, fake news, harassment, and social platforms more safely.As philosopher Hannah Arendt stated, without facts, genuine opinion becomes impossible. Fake news eliminates the possibility to create shared reality for all citizens, which weakens the foundation of democratic life. Freedom and responsibility in the digital ageMathieu noted that digital identity must balance two core pillars of human existence: freedom and responsibility. In the physical world, individuals exercise their freedom with the understanding that their actions have consequences for others. The introduction of the internet enabled access to information but also weakened accountability.When people operate anonymously, responsibility often disappears. This leads to harassment, misinformation, and harmful behavior online. At the same time, our real-world interactions rely on knowing who we engage with. Freedom of expression remains fundamental, but users must have the ability to evaluate who is speaking and whether they have relevant expertise. Today, there are a lot of examples of fake videos produced by AI. Some of them look quite realistic. This signals a shift to a world where digital content is false by default. It means that individuals now need to verify authenticity, instead of just assuming it.Verifying who we areIt is necessary to build efficient methods to bring responsibility back into the digital world. The first step is to understand how responsibility works in the real world.In real life, as citizens, we are accountable to our country and to society. If we commit a crime or break rules, we are responsible because our actions are tied to our citizenship.How do we reconnect responsibility in the digital world? The answer is simple: we need to know people who are online. This doesn’t mean everyone must be identifiable all the time, but when we want accountability, digital identities must be linked to real people.Technological standards make this possible. The EU regulation called eIDAS provides standards for applications that verify digital identities. This ensures that online, the person you are interacting with is real and accountable. For example, you can sign a digital contract knowing the other party is a real person, or verify that an article or research is signed by an actual expert.This approach doesn’t prevent people from speaking freely online. It simply allows verification when needed. Governments and private platforms can adopt these standards. For instance, Belgium has introduced a digital wallet, MyGov, where verified digital identities can be used across multiple applications.In Europe, the Declaration of Leuven standardized three types of online profiles:Verified profilesVerifiable profiles (like in blockchain-based systems)Anonymous profilesBeing anonymous is still allowed. But platforms can choose to apply these standards to differentiate profiles. For example, on Facebook, you could filter content to see only verified users or choose to include anonymous users. The experience changes completely when you can tell who is behind a post, message, or email.This also applies to AI and digital content. You could sign an algorithm, an AI output, or even a photo, to guarantee that you are responsible for it. Identity vs. profileIt’s important to distinguish between a profile and an identity. When you are on PlayStation, Facebook, or any forum, you are using a profile. A profile doesn’t make you responsible. It is just a representation of yourself online. You can be anyone you want.An identity, on the other hand, links you to responsibility. It allows others to verify who you are and keep you accountable for your actions. An identity doesn’t prevent anonymity entirely. But if you want to be responsible, there must be a way to trace actions back to you.When people know their actions are tied to a real identity, it can reduce aggression and help restore social norms from the real world into the digital space.Digital acceleration and its impact on democracyIn the real world, it took centuries to balance freedom of speech, social control, and responsibility. Laws and social norms evolved slowly over time.Digital technology, however, accelerated this process dramatically. The internet’s early anonymity temporarily removed personal accountability, which boosted unrestricted freedom of expression. While this allowed new voices to be heard, it also fueled polarization and misinformation.We can see the effects in modern politics, for example, in the United States, where digital dynamics have amplified divisions and challenged shared truths. The rules of the strongest or loudest voices dominate online discourse. If unchecked and not managed properly, it could threaten the foundations of democracy, as such a situation undermines trust and accountability.Democracies won’t be saved by a single action or the push of a button. They require ongoing reflection and effort.Bringing responsibility back into the digital world is key to slowing polarization. This isn’t just a problem in the United States. It is also visible in Italy, France, Belgium, and other countries. People often prefer black-and-white thinking as they don’t want to consider the nuances and shades of gray.Identity verification for privacy and securityAccording to Mathieu, identity verification tools should not just impose obligations. They should open new opportunities for people. The goal is to know who people are interacting with online and leave the choice of using verification to the individual. For instance, a platform like Facebook could offer verification, and users could decide whether to participate.Verified identities can improve online interactions and strengthen communities. Nevertheless, anonymity also has value, as it preserves freedom of speech when necessary. People might choose to be verified in some situations and anonymous in others. Flexibility is key.In certain cases, partial verification may be required, such as confirming a user is over 18 to access age-restricted content. These tools can provide security and accountability without limiting personal freedom.Building trust in digital identityMany citizens have some concerns about sharing personal data online. They may have fears of misuse, data leaks, or the implications for vulnerable groups, like immigrants. These concerns are valid and must be addressed carefully.The solution lies in building trust through secure, standardized identity verification. The eIDAS framework establishes technical standards for authenticating identity while prioritizing privacy by default. It is designed not to control people. Instead, it is aimed at confirming facts about them, such as age, citizenship, or other credentials. As a result, online interactions can be trusted.Trust is the foundation of digital innovation. People may trust different institutions, governments, banks, or companies like Google. But what matters is that they trust something.In Belgium, Mathieu led the MyData project. This platform allows citizens to see who accessed their data and for what purpose. This transparency is crucial for building confidence in how personal information is handled.Rethinking trust in social media platformsToday, all major platforms that Europeans use are American. But can people trust such platforms with their data? There is no simple answer. What matters is introducing digital tools that enhance user responsibility and experience.If platforms like Facebook choose not to adopt such tools, new European services that respect accountability and provide better experiences for users could emerge. Mathieu mentioned examples like Twitter’s transition to X, where changes in policy pushed many users to leave. Similar dynamics could occur across Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Snapchat. By enabling users to choose how they are identified, Europe could foster new social media models that prioritize responsibility and trust.Why startups should invest in digital identityDigital identity regulation creates significant opportunities for innovation. Startups can develop secure, verifiable channels and even physical devices to store and manage digital identities.Many users avoid online markets simply because they don’t trust the system. If startups introduce reliable authentication tools, they can unlock a huge, untapped market.The eIDAS standards allow any company to build solutions that help users verify their identities. This could range from social media applications to secure email plugins that guarantee the sender’s identity.It would be a missed opportunity if only tech giants like Google, Facebook, or Microsoft dominated this space. Startups have the potential to lead the way and create innovative tools for the digital world.European values as a business opportunityAs Mathieu highlighted, Europe’s shared values can become a foundation for new business models. Many people prefer to engage with services that respect European principles, such as human-centered technology and personal data ownership.In the US, data often belongs to companies. In China, the government owns it. In Europe, it should belong to the people. This perspective opens opportunities for European companies to offer alternatives where users control their own data.How regulation can fuel startup growthAccording to Mathieu, the economy and startups should thrive through ideas and private investment, not government intervention. The government’s role is to create a positive environment and rules that unlock the potential of startups.Good regulation is more effective than incentives alone. Europe’s regulations, like GDPR and NIS2, protect citizens and human-centered values. But they can be heavy and challenging for startups. Lighter, well-designed regulations would help startups innovate while safeguarding essential principles.However, the main investment challenge in Europe isn’t for startups or early-stage scale-ups. In this region, companies transitioning to a larger scale have the biggest issues. At this stage, securing funds becomes difficult, and many promising European startups end up relocating to the United States.This isn’t a problem of subsidies. It’s a lack of investors willing to commit at this level. Europe nurtures seeds of innovation, but the gap in late-stage investment drives its most promising companies abroad. As a result, European success is often measured by exits to American companies.Investments in the future of technologies Ten years ago, companies like OpenAI and Nvidia were small or unknown. But they managed to become global leaders because they are ready to innovate. European startups can achieve the same, but only if they focus on the next generation of technologies.Blockchain can be a good example here. While some hesitate to adopt it due to financial risk or uncertainty about its future relevance, due to a lack of experimentation, Europe will always lag behind. The same applies to other emerging fields like quantum computing.Digital literacy: A cornerstone of democracyRapid digitization has outpaced society’s ability to adapt. Now, it is vital to address this gap in education, not just for young people, but for everyone.The impact of AI has grown very quickly, which makes it essential to help people navigate these technologies for themselves. Mathieu compared digital literacy to swimming. Just as physics behaves differently in water than on land, actions in the digital world have unique consequences that require understanding.Today, Belgium has a program on digital citizenship. The country also cooperates with the Council of Europe to create educational initiatives that can be very helpful. They focus on essential skills, like managing identity, passwords, and privacy online. Thanks to them, individuals can engage responsibly and freely. As Mathieu explained, digital identity and secure standards are not about restricting freedom. They are designed to restore the balance between freedom and responsibility that allowed democratic societies to flourish before the internet existed.Want to learn more about the future of technologies and the new challenges that they bring? Don’t miss the next episodes of the Innovantage podcast.

Business app creation without coding in Benelux has moved from a “nice productivity hack” to a serious operating model for many SMEs. Teams can ship workflow apps quickly, automate approvals, and reduce manual work, often without waiting for IT capacity. The catch is that as these apps start processing employee and customer data, the organization inherits GDPR, security, and continuity responsibilities that informal builds are rarely designed to meet.Why Business App Creation Without Coding in Benelux Is Booming and Getting RiskyAcross the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, SMEs are under constant pressure to digitize processes without adding large engineering teams. No-code platforms fit that reality: they shorten delivery cycles, make iteration easier, and let domain experts translate requirements directly into working tools.Risk enters because adoption tends to be organic. A small internal app becomes widely used, more fields get added, integrations appear, and suddenly you have a business-critical system that was never designed with role-based access, retention, logging, or clear accountability. In the Benelux market, this matters even more because GDPR expectations are operationally mature and enterprise customers often ask SMEs to demonstrate vendor and security due diligence.From Quick Wins to Compliance Headaches: The Dark Side of No-CodeThe “dark side” is rarely dramatic at first. It looks like success: more teams adopt the app, more data moves into it, and the app becomes the default place to work. Then the questions start, usually after a customer questionnaire, an internal audit request, or a data subject deletion request.Typical failure patterns tend to cluster into a few themes:App sprawl and unclear ownership (nobody can confidently say who owns which app or who approves changes)Sensitive data creeping in (personal data copied for convenience, then retained indefinitely)Access drift (too many admins, broad sharing links, offboarding gaps)Vendor/DPA blind spots (tools adopted quickly without processor terms and sub-processor clarity)New silos (each app becomes its own dataset, harming reporting and future AI initiatives)The core problem is not no-code itself. It is the absence of a repeatable operating model that matches how quickly business app creation without coding in Benelux can scale.Introducing Sigli’s No-Code Governance & Compliance Framework for Benelux SMEsSigli’s framework is built to preserve speed while introducing proportionate controls. It is not “enterprise bureaucracy for SMEs.” Instead, it standardises a few essentials such as visibility, risk-based approvals, GDPR-by-design defaults, production hardening for critical apps, and monitoring. This way, teams can keep building without creating avoidable exposure.Think of it as a set of reusable patterns. Builders get clear guidance and templates. Leadership gets accountability, auditability, and predictable risk management. IT and security get fewer surprises.Step 1: Map What You Already Have: App & Data InventoryYou cannot govern what you cannot see. The first step is an inventory that is quick to assemble but consistent enough to be actionable. Each app should have a named business owner, the platform it runs on, its user audience, and a short statement of purpose. From there, you add what matters most for risk: the types of data processed and the integrations that move data in and out.A simple Green / Amber / Red risk label works well for SMEs:Green: low-risk internal productivity appsAmber: apps processing personal data with limited scopeRed: business-critical apps, sensitive categories, or broad sharing/integration footprintsThis label becomes the engine for approvals and hardening later.Step 2: A GDPR-by-Design Blueprint for No-Code in BeneluxFor business app creation without coding in the Benelux, GDPR-by-design must be practical. The aim is to make the compliant approach the easiest approach by embedding good defaults into templates: minimal data collection, clear purpose, retention rules, controlled sharing, and deletion workflows.Allowed vs. forbidden data in citizen-built appsInstead of forcing every team into legal interpretation, classify data in plain language.Generally acceptable data is what you truly need to run the workflow: business contact details used for routing, operational status fields, and basic internal references.Restricted data — such as employee performance context, absence details, customer financial identifiers, or identity-document-related information—should trigger review and stronger safeguards.Typically off-limits (unless formally approved with robust controls) includes special category data and any form of high-impact profiling or automated decision-making that materially affects individuals.This approach keeps innovation moving while preventing the most common mistake: placing highly sensitive data into apps that were never designed for it.Data minimisation, retention defaults, and vendor/DPA checklistData minimisation is easiest when it is structural. Templates should encourage builders to collect only what the process needs and to avoid open-ended free-text fields where sensitive information tends to appear.Retention should be standardised as well: if nothing is configured, data often lives forever, which is both risky and unnecessary.Vendor due diligence can be lightweight without being optional. A short DPA and vendor checklist should confirm (at minimum) processor terms, sub-processor transparency, deletion/export procedures, breach notification expectations, and practical support routes. This is especially important when apps rely on multiple connectors and automation tools, because your data footprint can expand quickly.Step 3: Hardening Critical No-Code Apps: From Prototype to Production-GradeThe moment a no-code app becomes critical—supporting revenue operations, customer delivery, finance controls, or HR workflows—it needs production-grade discipline. Hardening is the transition from “useful tool” to “managed system,” and it reduces both security incidents and business disruption.A compact hardening checklist is usually sufficient for SMEs:SSO and MFA where supported, to centralise identity and reduce account sprawlLeast-privilege roles (viewer/editor/admin) with periodic admin reviewSecure secrets handling (vault/secure variables, never stored as fields)Audit logging enabled so access and changes are traceableControlled exports and integrations to reduce uncontrolled data replicationDeletion and retention enforcement that is tested, not assumedIf downtime or data loss would materially impact operations, this checklist should be non-negotiable.Step 4: Central Data Hub—Stopping No-Code from Creating New SilosNo-code can unintentionally fragment data. When each team builds an app with its own version of “customer,” “order,” or “employee,” reporting becomes inconsistent and confidence erodes. Over time, this becomes a major blocker for analytics, and especially for AI, which depends on reliable, well-defined data.A central data hub approach reduces this risk by establishing systems of record and encouraging apps to reference authoritative data rather than copying it. In practice, that means consistent identifiers, standard entity definitions, and controlled interfaces for reading and writing data. The result is fewer silos, stronger reporting, and a cleaner foundation for future automation and AI readiness.Step 5: Governance Guardrails That Don’t Kill InnovationGovernance fails when it treats every app like a high-risk system. SMEs need a fast lane for low-risk solutions and deeper review only when it is justified. A risk-based operating model makes that possible while improving visibility.App catalogue, traffic-light approvals, standard roles, short playbook trainingAn app catalogue creates a single source of truth: what exists, who owns it, what data it touches, and whether it is business-critical.From there, a traffic-light approval model keeps teams moving:Green apps follow pre-approved patternsAmber apps complete a short reviewRed apps require formal security/privacy inputTo make this work in real life, roles must be explicit. At minimum, someone owns the business purpose and risk, someone administers the platform controls, and reviewers exist for higher-risk cases.Finally, training should be brief and practical, focused on data classification, retention, access control, and safe integration patterns, so adoption is high.Step 6: Continuous Monitoring and Support: Staying Benelux-Compliant Over TimeEven well-built apps drift. People change roles, access accumulates, integrations expand, and new data fields appear. Continuous monitoring prevents “compliance decay” by making changes visible and reviewable.Use monitoring where it adds the most value:Periodic access reviews for critical apps (especially admins and external sharing)Change awareness when new fields, exports, or integrations affect data sensitivityVendor/DPA touchpoints aligned with renewals and major platform changesA clear support route so citizen developers can ask before shipping risky patternsThis keeps governance lightweight while ensuring it remains real.Turning No-Code Chaos into a Governed, AI-Ready App EcosystemWhen you combine visibility (inventory), safe defaults (GDPR-by-design), targeted hardening (for critical apps), and disciplined data patterns (central hub), business app creation without coding in Benelux becomes scalable. You reduce surprises, improve audit readiness, and raise the overall quality of your data landscape. Just as importantly, you keep delivery speed high because builders reuse proven templates instead of reinventing decisions and controls each time.How Sigli Helps Benelux SMEs Scale No-Code Safely and ConfidentlySigli helps SMEs across the Benelux operationalise no-code safely without killing momentum. That typically includes establishing the app and data inventory, implementing GDPR-by-design templates and review paths, hardening business-critical apps, designing central data patterns that reduce silos, and setting up monitoring routines that keep compliance stable over time.The practical outcome is consistent: faster delivery with fewer risks, clearer accountability, and a stronger foundation for analytics and AI initiatives.Ready to put governance in place without slowing delivery? Book a call with Sigli to assess your current no-code landscape and get a practical, risk-based plan for scaling safely.

A HubSpot to Pipedrive data migration is usually planned around moving contacts and deals. But the real risk for Benelux sales teams is losing the conversation history that explains what actually happened in the pipeline: emails, calls, meetings, notes, and the files attached to them. When that history is missing or no longer linked correctly, operational reporting dashboards stop being trustworthy. Trends break on the migration date, response-time reporting becomes meaningless, and sales cycle analytics suddenly looks better or worse for the wrong reasons.Why Conversation History Matters for Operational Reporting Dashboards BeneluxConversation history matters because most operational dashboards are built on activity data and timestamps. If you track time-to-first-response, number of touchpoints per stage, stage velocity, or handover quality between SDRs and Account Executives across the Netherlands and Belgium, you rely on a clean trail of activities connected to the right people, organisations, and deals. Once those links are gone, you don’t just lose context for the team. You lose the ability to report accurately and make decisions based on real performance.The Risk: What Gets Lost When You Move from HubSpot to PipedriveThe biggest mistake companies make when moving from HubSpot to Pipedrive is treating conversation history like a nice-to-have. In practice, it’s the hardest part to migrate because it’s not only data, it’s data with relationships. A single email might need to appear on a contact record and on a deal record. A meeting might involve multiple contacts. A note might have an attachment that should remain accessible later. If you only export the core records via CSV and import them into Pipedrive, you can end up with a CRM that looks complete at first glance, while the timeline of work is gone or disconnected.Step 1 – Scope the Migration: Which Conversations Must Survive the Move?Start by defining what you actually need to preserve. Keeping everything forever sounds safe, but it often creates cost and complexity without improving reporting. A practical approach is to decide which activity types must survive—emails, calls, meetings, tasks, notes—and what time window is required to keep dashboards and management reporting consistent. For many Benelux SMEs, keeping the last 12–24 months fully intact is enough to preserve the operational view, while older history can be archived externally if needed.Step 2 – Clean Up HubSpot Associations Before Touching Any DataBefore you export anything, fix broken links and messy associations in HubSpot. Conversation history only stays meaningful if it stays attached to the right objects. Duplicated contacts, deals linked to the wrong company, and activities logged only on a contact but not the deal are common problems. If you move that mess as-is, you will import confusion into Pipedrive, and you won’t be able to reconstruct accurate timelines later.Step 3 – API vs CSV: Choosing the Right Export Method for Reliable HistoryCSV exports are useful for static CRM objects such as contacts, companies, and deals. But conversation history often requires API-based extraction to be complete and reliably linked. If you care about preserving email and activity timelines, you need an export that captures the activity content, timestamps, and the associations that connect each activity to the correct contact, deal, and company. This is where many migrations silently lose fidelity because the export method simply doesn’t include all the relationships you need to rebuild the story.Step 4 – Build a Staging Layer: One Place to Reconstruct Deals, Contacts and ActivitiesOnce you have the data out of HubSpot, treat the migration like an engineering project, not a file upload. The safest approach is a staging layer: one place where you store raw exports, normalize them into a consistent structure (people, organisations, deals, activities, files), and build mapping between HubSpot IDs and the new Pipedrive IDs. That mapping is what lets you import conversation history into Pipedrive and still connect each email, call, meeting, or note to the right deal and the right person.Step 5 – Import into Pipedrive with Full Links: Deals, People, Organisations and ActivitiesImporting into Pipedrive should follow a simple logic: create the objects first, then bring in the timeline. Organisations and people come first, then deals linked to them, and only then activities and notes, so the links can be created correctly. If you import activities too early, you’ll either lose the linkages or spend time manually repairing them after go-live.Step 6 – Don’t Forget Files and Attachments: Contracts, Proposals and Key DocumentsFiles and attachments deserve special attention. Contracts, proposals, and key documents are often attached inside CRM timelines rather than stored in a separate document system. If you forget these, your team will feel it immediately after go-live—especially when they need to reference a signed agreement, confirm what version of a proposal was sent, or review key details in a handover.Step 7 – Quality Assurance: How to Prove Your Sales History Is IntactQuality assurance is where you prove the migration worked. Don’t rely on a couple of spot checks. Compare activity counts for a sample set of deals, verify that activities appear in the right timelines, and check that reporting still behaves as expected. If your dashboard previously showed average time-to-first-response or average stage duration, those numbers should not suddenly change because of the migration. If they do, the data may be present but the links or timestamps are not preserved in a way your reporting can use.How Preserved Conversation History Strengthens Operational Reporting Dashboards in the BeneluxWhen conversation history is migrated and linked correctly, Benelux operational dashboards stay reliable. You retain continuity in trend reporting, analyze pipeline velocity and conversion by segment, and track SLAs and team performance without the migration cliff that makes year-over-year comparisons impossible. More importantly, your sales team keeps the context they need to run deals and hand over accounts smoothly.How Sigli Can Help: A Practical HubSpot → Pipedrive Migration Checklist for Benelux SMEsSigli can help you run a HubSpot to Pipedrive data migration with reporting continuity as a primary requirement, not an afterthought. In practice, that means scoping the history that matters, cleaning up HubSpot associations before extraction, choosing the right export method for activities, using a staging layer to reconstruct links, importing into Pipedrive in the correct order, and validating the outcome with measurable QA checks tied to your dashboards. If your team relies on operational reporting for pipeline management across the Benelux, preserving conversation history is not optional. It’s the difference between a clean cutover and a CRM reset.