Article by Amardeo Sarma, Chairman of TDL
In 2009, Trust in Digital Life (TDL) introduced its successful Sprint initiative to stimulate the development, promotion and acceptance of trustworthy ICT. Those who have participated in these short projects over the past eight years have found them to be the perfect vehicle to quickly take their innovation – that is an isolated prototype or product – to one that is integrated and proven to work in a wider ecosystem.
Next week, during a half-day seminar at NEC Labs in Heidelberg, Germany, we will be kicking-off our 2017 Sprint series. We are inviting producers and consumers of secure digital technology from across Europe including SMEs and Universities planning a spin-off, to join us and find out how they can put forward a successful proposal and provide their feedback. Crucially, this year we are for the first time, encouraging proposals from non TDL members.
One of the most exciting aspects of our Sprints is the diversity of each project. However, every successful Sprint shares some commonality. Typically, research will have already been completed and there will already be an early product prototype, that has yet to be validated in a wider environment. Providing access to this vital technical support is an area in which TDL offers a major contribution, as every Sprint is supported by our members such as Microsoft, to help demonstrate that the innovation is not an isolated product, but rather runs in a connected environment.
Some examples of organisations that have benefited from completing TDL Sprints in recent years include Microsoft, KU Leuven, Trustseed, Miicard, TClouds, Flightmap and the Student Identity Card.
When we say Sprint we really mean it, as our target is to have unfunded Sprints running within six weeks! Ideally, the project should last between one and three months, with six month sprints being an exception. However, we also look for a commitment to supporting operation for a self-defined period following the completion of the Sprint.
I would strongly encourage anyone interested in getting involved in a Sprint to join us at our half-day kick-off in Heidelberg. We will give you all the information needed to submit a strong and successful proposal.
For further details and to register for the Sprints kick-off event, please email the TDL office at: office@trustindigitallife.eu. More information about TDL is available at: www.trustindigitallife.eu