In a recent interview, Ralf Wintergerst, the President of the German digital industry association Bitkom, expressed optimism about the newly established Federal Ministry for Digitalization and Modernization of the State in Germany. He placed great hope in the new Digital Minister, Karsten Wildberger and believes that Germany may ultimately rank among the top three in the EU in terms of digitalization by the end of the current legislative period.
Wintergerst attributed the government’s good start to the establishment of a well-staffed digital ministry and the implementation of initial measures. He hopes that the country’s digital infrastructure will be expanded and businesses will regain trust and invest more, leading to a more digitally advanced Germany.
However, the Bitkom President emphasized that a significant amount of work remains to be done. He lamented that Germany has lost its enthusiasm for technology, citing a lack of digital literacy and inadequate education as major factors. Wintergerst called for digital education to begin early in schools, with IT as a compulsory subject.
The Bitkom President also criticized companies for not investing enough in their digital futures, describing the crisis in the German economy as a crisis of slow digitalization. He proposed a range of measures to get the digitalization process moving, including the expansion of digital infrastructure, the reduction of bureaucratic obstacles for businesses and the creation of a digital identity for citizens, which would enable online government services in the future.
In contrast to a complete deregulation of the tech industry, Wintergerst does not believe that a few giant companies, such as those led by Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg, are necessary in Europe. Instead, he hopes for a new, stable digital middle class, with many companies of a certain size and scope. He would like to see 1,000 German companies with an annual digital turnover of 100 million euros, rather than a few large corporations.
The next few months and years will show whether Germany is indeed moving in this direction, with the necessary steps already taken, according to Wintergerst.