Prison Entrepreneurship Program.

Thugs and thieves are some kind of entrepreneurs. I am a firm believer of people taking the faith in their own hands and creating a future for themselves. That’s why I think it’s not such a bad idea to start prison entrepreneurship programs. Dealers and healers appear to be great salesmen, others have a talent for organising logistics and distribution channels, and some others do miracles with finances… It seems to me that if these people want to get a decent chance in society after they are released and regained freedom, the best way is to take matter into own hands. No job interviews where they will be refused because of their criminal record… As founders of a company, their past doesn’t really matter. It’s all about the things they are going to do. They can prepare and start their business from prison. Maybe a prison VC fund can support this…

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Workplace Change Agents.

Workplace Change Agents is a dedicated team of workplace interior designers and change managers who create the perfect working environment for enterprises and startups that reflect the (desired) corporate culture of the company. They do this by entering the firm for a three-six months analysis period and recommend both improvements in the structure, processes and people needed to be more effective and productive using all the current (and state-of-the-art) technologies and best practices. They don’t just deliver, they participate and make things better in close collaboration with the people and always in respect with the current context.

Remote Office Robot

The remote office robot is a simple robotic WIFI connected vehicle with an arm that contains two screens and something to push the elevator button. The goal of the remote office robot is to run around the office and connect remote workers that can steer it with people in the office.

What if the Railways were run as a public/private club? #oipd

I have to admit I’m a real fan of traveling by train to work and back. I’m a forenzer who enjoys those 45 minutes to prepare some work, enjoy the Metro newspaper, catch up on my social media streams, watch people and make up stories around them or simply write this blogpost. Two days ago I took a new 1 year subscription and I was wondering why it did cost me so much. The service is quite often ok but not tremendous. Every now and than, I prefer going by car and not by train because of tight scheduled meetings in several cities. And I take holidays… I also believe i get my tickets inspected only around 30% of my rides.

What if the railways were run as a public/private club?

For the public part of service, everybody could come and get a transport ticket (not a guaranteed seat!) and take the train immediately to the destination of their choice.  The private part however is the subscription formula in which people pay a membership fee for using the services the railways offer (wifi, workspace, waiting rooms indoor, daily coffee …) In return the members of the Railways can reserve a guaranteed seat of the train of their likes and get the invoice of at the end of the month.

Although there are a lot of points to consider in this railway experience innovation, technology and infrastructure are the two main areas to invest in.

For instance; You can work with small screens in the seats or ceilings pointing out a seat is taken by mr(s) x or not at all. A small sensor in the seat notices whether a seat is taken and can be billed. The build-in mechanisme triggers a message to the member asking whether he has missed his train and would like to reserve a seat on the next one. Being a Railways member guarantees you your favorite spot at the bar while you can drink as much or as little as you like in benefitting from the extra services.

I would believe this is the vision Belgian Public Railways (@nmbs) and its new boss, Jo Cornu should aim for.
And I believe @kodel could help them with that!

Wallscreens: ‘Big is the new small’-projectors. #oipd

The idea is simple. Tablet and phone projectors in mobile devices and laptops so you can give presentations, see movies or just work large screen whenever a wall is near. Even tiny rooms, such as toilets, become screens. While we wait for more intelligent nanotechnology materials, we could combine these projectors with gestures based handling capacities to make use of programs we project. Just like this great tool; The Maptor, but integrated in a mobile device. Pretty awesome!

Apple, Google, Samsung, Sony, what are you waiting for?!

A new way of education, work, life and retirement. #oipd

I was just pondering and wondering about life in general and how you get where one wants to get.

I just came across this sheep and it made me smile. so mèèèèèèèèèèèh!

Wouldn’t it be a nice idea that everyone got a general education where personal interests and talents get developed for 15 years after which, people are obliged to continue to study, learn something practical (plumbing, painting, …) or try out entrepreneurship for 5 more years. In these 5 years they can experiment between all these possibilities and thus discover what they really like to do. At 20 years, they start their first professional life that lasts till they’re 40. Between 40 and 45, they get their pension sabbatical period. After that sabbatical, their second professional life starts. You are only presented with a real retirement (pension) proposition at 70. You can however choose to continue to work for 5 more years or go straight into retirement.

The idea is just that when living fast and furiously, you need to have a perspective in which you can really enjoy life fully. For me, this could and would probably work.