HighTech Innovators

Today Adrian Piels @ HighTech Innovators inspired me (https://lnkd.in/d8Rin3Qp) to write about something that touches every European business—whether they realize it yet or not. This topic starts with AI and cloud costs but quickly turns into something much bigger: geopolitics, security, sustainability, risk, and negotiation power. The way we think about cloud infrastructure is changing fast, and if we don’t adapt, we risk falling into the same traps we’ve seen before—traps that lock us in, limit our flexibility, and ultimately make European businesses dependent on decisions made outside of Europe. Because here’s the reality: US-based cloud providers operate under US laws, no matter where their servers are located. The US Cloud Act means that American authorities can demand access to data, even if it’s stored in the Netherlands. Export controls can cut off European companies from critical cloud infrastructure overnight if political tensions rise. AI sovereignty? It’s meaningless if European businesses are running their AI workloads on infrastructure that isn’t truly theirs. And yet, we’ve been here before. We’ve seen how vendor lock-in starts with convenience and ends with a lack of control. First, pricing is attractive. Then the ecosystem becomes essential. Before you know it, switching becomes almost impossible. The same thing happened in enterprise software. The same thing happened in telecom. And now, it’s happening in cloud computing. But we have a choice. That choice is open-source, federated, and European-first cloud solutions. Frameworks like OpenStack, Sovereign Cloud Stack, and Gaia-X are proving that there is another way—one where businesses keep full control over their data, maintain compliance with GDPR and EU cloud regulations, and don’t have to fear the next geopolitical conflict dictating their cloud access. This isn’t just an IT conversation anymore. It’s about long-term business resilience, cost efficiency, sustainability, security, and having real leverage in negotiations. Cloud decisions are business-critical, not just technical choices. The companies that understand this now will be the ones defining the European digital economy for the next decade. At HighTech Innovators, we help companies navigate this complex landscape with strategies that optimize for sovereignty, security, cost, and compliance. Whether you’re looking at vendor lock-in risks, cloud cost reduction, AI infrastructure, or regulatory challenges, we’re here to help. Let’s talk. Contact us here: https://lnkd.in/e67SsBeA #geopolitics #innovation #sustainability #greenit #greensoftware #softwaredevelopment

Wat als je cloudinfrastructuur ineens een geopolitiek risico wordt? Steeds meer bedrijven kiezen voor een Europese cloudprovider. 🌍☁️ In het licht van recente discussies over digitale soevereiniteit en geopolitieke spanningen overwegen steeds meer organisaties de overstap naar een Europese cloudprovider. Maar wat komt hierbij kijken? 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐣𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧: 🔹𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘢-𝘴𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘪𝘵: Het waarborgen dat gegevens binnen Europese jurisdictie blijven, is cruciaal voor compliance en vertrouwen. 🔹𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘶𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘶𝘻𝘦: Moet de infrastructuur fysiek in Europa staan? Welke hardware en software gebruiken we, en waar halen we die vandaan? 🔹𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘢𝘭𝘣𝘢𝘢𝘳𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘥 𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘦: Hoe zorgen we voor een schaalbare en redundante infrastructuur die voldoet aan de behoeften van diverse sectoren? 𝐔𝐢𝐭𝐝𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐧: 🔹𝘚𝘰𝘧𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱 𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘶𝘻𝘦𝘴: Welke tools zijn essentieel voor gedistribueerde dataopslag, workloadverdeling en security? Een robuuste, flexibele architectuur is cruciaal om vendor lock-in te voorkomen en innovatie te stimuleren? 🔹𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘨𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘸𝘦𝘯: Om aantrekkelijk te zijn voor sectoren zoals overheid en gezondheidszorg, moet een Europese cloudoplossing voldoen aan strikte certificeringen en compliance-eisen. Hoe zorgen we ervoor dat bedrijven kunnen vertrouwen op een veilige en juridisch conforme infrastructuur? Het migreren naar een Europese cloudprovider biedt kansen voor versterkte data-soevereiniteit en controle. Maar zo'n overstap vraagt om een slimme aanpak, waarbij we niet alleen kijken naar de technologie, maar ook naar de praktische uitvoering en de invloed van geopolitiek. 🔸 Ben je benieuwd wat een migratie naar een Europese cloudprovider voor jouw organisatie kan betekenen? Ik ga hierover graag met je in gesprek! 📧 apiels@hightechinnovators.nl #CloudMigration #EuropeanCloud #DataSoevereiniteit #Geopolitiek #OpenSource #Infrastructuur #YourSoftwareBetter #AWS #Azure

Hoe kun je ChatGPT op een milieubewuste manier gebruiken? Dat vroeg Radar me recent, het programma van AVROTROS ⚡ Mensen staan er niet bij stil dat AI en ChatGPT enorme hoeveelheden stroom en water verbruiken. Dit heeft schadelijke gevolgen voor het milieu.  ⚡ Om ChatGPT 3 te trainen is 700.000 liter schoon drinkwater nodig en ongeveer evenveel stroom als 500.000 huishoudens in een maand gebruiken. 🔍 Laten we bewuster met AI omgaan. De vuistregel is dat alles wat je met een zoekmachine kunt opzoeken, je niet aan ChatGPT moet vragen. Stel dus geen onnodige vragen.  ⚙️ Maar we moeten het klimaatprobleem niet te veel bij de consument zelf neerleggen. Het is ook de taak van de overheid om bedrijven minder vervuilend te maken en te zorgen dat zij AI beter reguleren en hier transparanter over zijn.  ✈️ Het zou logisch zijn als we in de toekomst gaan betalen voor ChatGPT-gebruik, een soort AI-taks – vergelijkbaar met vliegtaks. AI zorgt namelijk, net als vliegen, voor CO2-uitstoot. Laten we er dus een eerlijke prijs voor betalen. Hoe bewust ga jij om met AI? En wat zou jij een slimme oplossing vinden voor het klimaatprobleem van AI? Het hele artikel van Radar (incl het antwoord van ChatGPT op de klimaatproblematiek van AI) vind je hier: https://lnkd.in/gnkZreVv

https://lnkd.in/emxVHxAH Your devices and software are failing faster than ever, but not for the reasons you think. We’ve been told that saving energy and reducing digital waste is enough, but what if that’s just scratching the surface? The real issue isn’t just carbon emissions—it’s planned obsolescence, throwaway AI-generated software, and technical debt eating away at performance, security, and costs. France is already changing the game with repairability laws and durability indexes. Meanwhile, companies are drowning in fragile AI-driven solutions that cost more to fix than they do to create. There’s a way out. A formula for longevity in Green IT that flips the script on waste and inefficiency. If we don’t act now, we’re looking at a future of endless replacements, spiraling costs, and a digital ecosystem that’s anything but sustainable. Read the full breakdown here: https://lnkd.in/emxVHxAH #greenit #innovation #sustainability #greenertogether #sustainableit HighTech Innovators

🚀 Calling All CTOs, R&D Managers, and Decision-Makers in Tech! 🚀 I want to take a moment to support Marit de Zeeuw, our intern at HighTech Innovators, who is working on an important research project for her thesis. 🔍 What is she researching? Marit is exploring the (online) orientation and decision-making behavior of Decision-Making Units (DMUs) when outsourcing IT and software solutions. In an era of rapid technological advancements, understanding how companies choose the right IT partner is more relevant than ever. 💡 Who is she looking for? She is eager to speak with: ✅ CTOs ✅ R&D Managers ✅ Decision-makers in companies undergoing significant technological innovation Your insights on key factors influencing IT outsourcing decisions could make a huge difference in shaping her research. 📩 How can you help? If you're in one of these roles, consider sharing your experience with Marit in a brief interview. If you know someone who fits this profile, tag them or share this post to help her reach the right people. I’d appreciate your support in helping Marit connect with the right people! 🚀 Having trouble reaching us on LinkedIn? No worries! You can contact us directly here: https://lnkd.in/e67SsBeA #research #innovation #techleadership #networking #support

We're launching a new series highlighting members of the Green Software community! Green Software Champions and Meetup organizers play a vital role in building a green tech culture, both in their daily work and through community initiatives. Wilco Burggraaf, Principal Lead of Green Software Engineering at HighTech Innovators, is a Green Software champion and a Meetup organizer. Passionate about balancing innovation with responsibility, Wilco has been an active community member for over a year. Watch to see how he’s driving the green software movement in the Netherlands. ---  Want to start or grow a Meetup group? Check out our guide ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ez2Fb-7t Curious about the Green Software Champion program? Learn more and apply ➡️ https://lnkd.in/en7eVGQt 

(https://lnkd.in/e-kzY-Az) Two more Green Software Champions have joined Team Green 💚 in the Netherlands! 🌿🎉 A big shoutout to Sophie Vos (Accenture) & Vasco Veloso (ING Nederland) for their outstanding contributions to sustainability & Green IT and driving real impact. Welcome aboard! Green Software Foundation #greenit #greensoftware #greenertogether #sustainbleit #innovation #softwaredevelopment HighTech Innovators

AI-training slurpt gigantische hoeveelheden energie, maar wat als dat radicaal efficiënter kon? Wat als deep learning-modellen 100 keer sneller konden trainen zonder GPU’s en zonder in te leveren op nauwkeurigheid? Onderzoekers van de Technical University of Munich hebben een revolutionaire methode ontwikkeld die backpropagation overbodig maakt. Dit betekent minder energieverbruik, lagere kosten en snellere modellen—een gamechanger voor bedrijven die AI willen inzetten zonder torenhoge rekenkosten en milieubelasting. Wilco Burggraaf duikt in deze baanbrekende ontwikkeling en wat dit betekent voor de toekomst van AI. 👉 Lees hier het artikel: https://lnkd.in/eA8-vpS3 Benieuwd hoe HighTech Innovators dit soort oplossingen kan inzetten binnen bedrijven? Neem dan hier contact met ons op: https://lnkd.in/eb2tuXtu #greenit #ai #innovation #sustainability #greenertogether

Today, Frank, Nikola, and I visited Delft University of Technology to talk with Przemysław Pawełczak. Like every time, with this kind of visit, I walked out with a head full of new perspectives, fresh inspiration, and a stronger sense of direction. There’s something about these deep-dive conversations—whether it’s about sustainability in IT, Rust as a systems language for efficiency, or the latest breakthroughs in battery tech—that makes you realize just how much is happening and how much still needs to be figured out. And today, I think we landed on something important. Sustainability is tough. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be innovation. The entire point is that we’re operating in uncertain territory, where outcomes aren’t always clear. But two things feel non-negotiable this year. First, we need to pinpoint the biggest, nearly impossible-to-solve engineering challenges in software and hardware that directly impact sustainable decision-making. Without mapping out those roadblocks, we’re just guessing. And second, we need to come up with a way to measure and predict the impact of solutions (besides SCI). Whether it’s energy efficiency, reduced waste, or long-term viability, we need a system that quantifies the certainty of an outcome, so we’re not just hoping things work but actually proving it. One of the biggest blind spots right now is how much we ignore so-called “junk” solutions. In corporate operations, new ideas often get dismissed before they’ve even had a chance to be stress-tested. But a lot of those ideas—whether it’s experimental software approaches or Rust-based optimizations for low-power computing—could be developed into reliable, secure, and compliant solutions if given the right focus. We need to stop waiting for the “perfect” answer and start refining what’s already in front of us. This ties directly into the DevOps footprint research we’ve been doing at HighTech Innovators, where we benchmark software builds to understand their efficiency and sustainability impact. From compile times to resource consumption across different architectures, we’re gathering real data to see what works and where improvements can be made. The more we connect the dots between hardware, software, and real-world sustainability, the closer we get to making meaningful change. Massive thanks to Przemysław Pawełczak for the insight, and I’m looking forward to checking in again. At the end of the day, none of this happens in isolation. Academia, companies, governments, and individuals all play a role, and the only way we make real progress is by bringing it all together.

(https://lnkd.in/e8tAEiyG) This is happening in Berlin at GREENTECH FESTIVAL! I’ll be putting this out there a few times because it’s a conversation that matters. From May 21-22, we—HighTech Innovators—will be on the floor, ready to discuss, debate, and brainstorm on the future of Green IT. This conference may be commercially driven, but for those of us committed to sustainable progress, it’s the right place to be. GREENTECH FESTIVAL is all about accelerating change, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and companies driving Green Tech forward. If you're interested in shaping the future of sustainable IT, let’s meet. DM me, and I’ll make sure we connect at the event. Looking forward to great discussions, fresh insights, and the inspiration that comes from seeing innovation in action.