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Where public sector leads, digital society will follow

May 9, 2023

7 min read

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May 9, 2023

By

7 min read

Public sector leaders across Central Europe have been dealing with an unprecedented series of challenges, significant geopolitical and economic volatility in recent years, as well as some unique opportunities for growth and resilience. 

The war in Ukraine has had a tragic human cost, and its impact continues to reverberate across societies and economies in the region and beyond. Major disruption to supply chains, which started with the pandemic, remains high and inflation is fueling a cost-of-living crisis. Managing risk, bolstering resilience and navigating pressure on public budgets have become the most immediate and urgent priorities. Every day brings more questions than answers, but the need to address long-term societal and economic issues remains, even as new ones emerge.  

When EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager was asked if Europe’s digital aspirations are still on track, she replied “If anything, they’ll be accelerated. Neither the digital transition nor fighting climate change can stop.” And I couldn’t agree more.  

Our Digital Futures Index, a data-led exploration of digital development in Europe, established that more digitally advanced countries are greener, more productive, innovative and competitive. Central Europe experienced a spur of technology adoption and digital transformation during the Covid-19 pandemic. It proved the value of digitisation in helping make economies and organizations stronger. And this has continued in recent years. By further advancing digitisation, we will be better equipped to respond to the opportunities and uncertainties of the present, and to build the new capabilities and solutions we need to tackle those of tomorrow.  

The Digital Futures Index showed that public sector digitisation plays a catalyst role, not only improving the resiliency, agility and efficiency of the ‘business of government’, but also creating the conditions for broader digital economic growth and greater digital inclusion. Gaining a deeper understanding of why and how this happens will help leaders make more informed policy and investment decisions. With that in mind, I wanted to share some additional insights from the Digital Futures Index on public sector digitisation and why it is a ‘force multiplier’.  

Digitising public services triggers a spiral of progress 

The Index shows that investment in ICT, cloud, IoT, and AI is a major driver of digital progress and, as a result, of economic and societal benefits. When that investment is used to fuel digitisation of government and the public sector, it delivers outsized gains for a country. 

In particular, there is a very strong correlation with greater productivity (as measured by contribution to GDP per hour worked). Digitised public services are more efficient as well as more convenient for citizens. Estonia, a globally-recognised leader in e-government, has published some fascinating insights which illustrate the point: E-voting is 20x cheaper than regular voting, for example, filling personal tax returns now takes just minutes rather than hours, and registering a new business is 14x faster. 

Malta has become one of the most advanced countries in the world when it comes to delivering digital public services. Key to its successful transformation has been an agile cloud-first strategy developed by the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA), the information and communications technology agency which supports the whole of the Maltese government. With security baked into the very heart of the government’s digital platform, new services can be quickly rolled out knowing that users and sensitive data will be kept safe. Cybersecurity has become a key priority for governments, and provides an essential foundation for accelerated digitisation. 

The Index also showed that higher levels of digital interaction with government encourages greater participation in the digital economy amongst citizens, creating a virtuous cycle of expanding digital skills and creating more demand for digital services.  

Digitising public services is very strongly associated with greater productivity, innovation, lower air pollution and higher average salaries. 

Digital technology alone isn’t enough to drive transformation. Skilled IT professionals are needed to deploy and mainstream it across public sector organisations. The Index showed that having more ICT specialists in the workforce further boosts the benefits of digitisation. No wonder we see the role of Chief Technology Officer being elevated from the backroom to the boardroom – even, in some cases, reporting directly into the Prime Minister. Digitisation is no longer a ‘side project’ but core to building a platform for the future, with data becoming a key asset on government balance sheets. 

The public sector drives digital innovation  

Our data-led exploration found that innovation, contrary to what some may believe, isn’t the result of a few lone geniuses – it’s actually a product of a connected ecosystem: encompassing business, the digital sector, digital infrastructure, start-ups, talent and the public sector itself. Importantly, the public sector isn’t just a bit part in this innovation mix – it’s a major catalyst: From delivering ‘lighthouse’ projects that blaze a trail for others, encouraging private-sector digital infrastructure investment and advancing the country’s technical skills base, or through launching open data initiatives and cultivating a diverse local ICT supplier base, for example (and so the list goes on).  

A great illustration is the Maltese government’s approach to proof-of-concept projects, which help unlock innovation that can be used both for public services and by businesses. One project, for example, saw the Ministry of Tourism and Consumer Protection team up with MITA and Microsoft to run a hackathon to explore the use of AI and satellite imagery to spot waste and litter to help keep the island clean. These technologies have a wide range of other important potential applications for Malta, including managing the impact of climate change on agriculture and carbon offsetting programs. 

A key takeaway from the Digital Futures Index is that policy and investment choices require a holistic approach, factoring in how the public sector fuels broader innovation that drives economic growth.

Planting digital seeds to create a greener society 

The Digital Futures Index found a staggering range of correlations between different areas of digital development and sustainability, which underscores the importance of twinning digitisation and green strategies as part of national recovery initiatives.  

Of all the correlations we found, investment in digital technology and the digital skills of the general population had the strongest positive relationships with environmental outcomes. And here, again, the public sector plays a key role in both. 

Our analysis suggests that investing in digital technology and skills should be a top priority for advancing sustainability. 

One correlation I found particularly interesting was between the use of digital public services and lower air pollution. More people accessing services remotely vs in-person means less traffic on the roads, especially in congested city centers. The Polish Government has even taken things one step further – it’s digitised the environmental grant service that citizens can apply for to fund home improvements to increase energy efficiency and reduce air pollution. A greener, faster and more efficient way to, well, go greener!

It’s also noteworthy that having the right, supportive policies and regulations in place that make it easy to set up and run digital platforms to deliver services to citizens is very strongly associated with how well a country rates on environmental management.  

There are many strategic directions and tactical engagements public sector leaders may decide to pursue based on trends, local and regional requirements and dynamics, as well as national strengths and weaknesses they aspire to explore. However, one key direction stands out as prevalent and common: Investing in designing and digitising government services, including shaping and architecting the resilient cloud infrastructure to enable them, is key for efficient, fast and strategically aligned outcomes. Doing so will help catalyze innovation, stimulate growth and advance solutions to some of the most pressing economic and societal challenges we face.   

Where the public sector leads, society and the digital economy will follow.  

Evangelos Chrysafidis

Evangelos Chrysafidis

Evangelos Chrysafidis is Public Sector Lead, Microsoft Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa.

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Case study: Global technology company

1. The Client

A global technology company operating across EMEA, with a regional HQ in Istanbul. The company manages 20+ markets, handling everything from brand campaigns to strategic partnerships.

Role we worked with: The EMEA Head of Marketing (supported by two regional managers).

2. The Challenge

Despite strong products and a respected global brand, the regional team was struggling with:

  • Misaligned strategy across markets → campaigns executed with inconsistent narratives.
  • Slowed growth → lead generation plateaued despite increasing spend.
  • Internal friction → marketing, sales, and product teams disagreed on KPIs and priorities.

Traditional fixes (more meetings, more reporting) only created more noise.

3. The Sprint

We ran a 10-day Remote Reinvention Sprint with the regional HQ team.

  • Day 1–3: Intake → Reviewed decks, campaign data, and plans.
  • Day 4: Sprint Session (90 mins) → Breakthroughs:
    • Sales and marketing had different definitions of “qualified lead.”
    • 40% of spend was going into low-potential markets.
    • The team assumed the problem was lack of budget, but it was actually lack of alignment.
  • Day 5–10: Synthesis → Insights distilled into a Clarity Brief + Insight Canvas.
4. The Breakthrough

The Sprint uncovered that the issue wasn’t budget, but fragmentation.
Three sharp insights unlocked a way forward:

  1. Unified KPIs bridging marketing + sales.
  2. Market prioritisation → shifting budget to 5 high-potential markets.
  3. Simplified narrative → one EMEA core story, locally adaptable.
By just realigning resources and focus, the client could unlock an estimated £250,000 in efficiency gains within the next 12 months — far exceeding the Sprint’s value guarantee. The path to higher returns was already inside the business, hidden by misalignment.
5. From Sprint to Action (4 Pillars Applied)

With clarity secured, Reinvantage didn’t suggest “more projects.”

Instead, we used the Sprint findings to create laser-focused next steps — drawing only from the areas that would deliver the most impact:

  • Readiness → Alignment workshops for sales + marketing teams. New playbooks clarified “qualified lead” definitions and reduced internal disputes.
  • Foresight → A market-opportunity scan identified which 5 countries would deliver the highest ROI, removing the guesswork from allocation.
  • Growth → Guided the reallocation of €2M budget and designed a phased rollout strategy that protected risk while maximising return.
  • Positioning → Built a messaging framework balancing global consistency with local nuance, ensuring campaigns spoke with one clear voice.

Because the Sprint had stripped away noise, these actions weren’t generic consulting ideas — they were directly tied to the breakthroughs.

6. The Results
  • +28% increase in qualified leads across the region.
  • 30% faster campaign rollout due to streamlined approvals.
  • Budget efficiency gains → €2M redirected from low-return to high-potential markets.
  • Internal cohesion → marketing + sales now use a single shared dashboard.
The client came in believing they needed more budget.
The Sprint revealed that what they really needed was clarity and alignment.

With that clarity, the four pillars became not theory, but practical tools to deliver measurable impact.

The Sprint guaranteed at least £20,000 in value — but in this case, it helped unlock more than 10x that within six months.
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Case study: Regional VC fund & accelerator

1. The Client

A regional venture capital fund and accelerator focused on early-stage tech start-ups in the Baltics and Central Europe.

The fund had raised a new round and was under pressure to deliver stronger returns while also building its reputation as the go-to platform for founders.

Role we worked with: Managing Partner, supported by the Head of Portfolio Development.

2. The Challenge

Despite a promising portfolio, results were uneven.

Key issues:

  • Scattered portfolio support → no consistent playbook for start-ups, every partner did things differently.
  • Weak differentiation → founders and co-investors saw the fund as “one of many” in the region.
  • Stretched team → too many small bets, not enough clarity on which companies to double down on.

The leadership team knew something was off, but disagreed on whether the issue was pipeline quality, market conditions, or internal capacity.

3. The Sprint

We ran a 10-day Remote Reinvention Sprint with the partners and portfolio team.

  • Day 1–3: Intake → Reviewed pitch decks, pipeline funnel data, and start-up performance reports.
  • Day 4: Sprint Session (90 mins) → Breakthroughs:
    • No shared definition of a “high-potential founder.”
    • Support resources were spread too thin across the portfolio.
    • The fund’s positioning was more reactive than proactive — it didn’t own a distinctive narrative in the market.
  • Day 5–10: Synthesis → Insights consolidated into a Clarity Brief + Insight Canvas.
4. The Breakthrough

The Sprint revealed that the challenge wasn’t pipeline quality — it was lack of focus and positioning.

Three core insights provided the turning point:

  1. Portfolio Prioritisation Framework → defined clear criteria for where to double down.
  2. Founder Success Playbook → standardised support model for portfolio companies.
  3. Differentiated Narrative → repositioned the fund as “the accelerator of reinvention-ready founders.”
These shifts alone gave the fund a path to add an estimated £2M+ in portfolio value over the following 18 months, by concentrating capital and resources where they could move the needle most.
5. From Sprint to Action (4 Pillars Applied)

With clarity from the Sprint, Reinvantage created a tailored support plan:

  • Readiness → Coached partners on using the new prioritisation framework and trained the team on deploying the Founder Success Playbook.
  • Foresight → Ran scenario analysis on regional tech trends, helping the fund anticipate where capital would flow next.
  • Growth → Guided resource reallocation across the portfolio and supported new co-investor pitches for top-performing start-ups.
  • Positioning → Crafted a sharper brand story for the fund, positioning it as the reinvention partner for globally minded founders.
6. The Results
  • 10 portfolio companies onboarded to the new Playbook → greater consistency of support.
  • Raised follow-on capital for 3 top start-ups with the new prioritisation framework.
  • +26% increase in inbound deal flow from founders citing the fund’s new positioning.
  • Stronger internal cohesion → partners aligned on where to focus resources.
The client thought the problem was pipeline quality.
The Sprint showed it was actually lack of clarity and focus inside the firm.

By applying the four pillars, Reinvantage helped turn scattered effort into concentrated value creation.

The Sprint guaranteed at least £20,000 in value; here it set the stage for multi-million-pound upside in portfolio growth.
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Case study: International impact Organisation

1. The Client

A large international impact organisation focused on entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
The organisation runs multi-country programmes across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, often in partnership with global donors and corporate sponsors.

Role we worked with: Senior Programme Director, responsible for regional coordination.

2. The Challenge

The organisation had launched a flagship regional initiative supporting women entrepreneurs, but the programme was underperforming.

Key issues:

  • Fragmented delivery → each country office interpreted the programme differently.
  • Donor frustration → reporting lacked consistency and clear impact metrics.
  • Lost momentum → staff energy was spent on administration rather than scaling success stories.

Traditional programme reviews had produced long reports, but no real alignment or action.

3. The Sprint

We ran a 10-day Remote Reinvention Sprint with the regional leadership team and representatives from two country offices.

  • Day 1–3: Intake → Reviewed donor reports, programme KPIs, and field feedback.
  • Day 4: Sprint Session (90 mins) → Breakthroughs:
    • Donors cared about quantifiable outcomes, but reporting focused on stories.
    • Staff were duplicating efforts across countries, wasting time and resources.
    • The initiative lacked a clear theory of change — everyone described its purpose differently.
  • Day 5–10: Synthesis → Insights distilled into a Clarity Brief + Insight Canvas.
4. The Breakthrough

The Sprint revealed that the issue wasn’t donor pressure or programme design — it was a lack of shared framework and alignment.

Three critical insights reshaped the path forward:

  1. One Unified Theory of Change → agreed narrative for why the programme exists.
  2. Core Impact Metrics → clear, comparable KPIs across all countries.
  3. Smart Resource Sharing → digital hub to stop duplication and accelerate knowledge flow.
By eliminating duplicated reporting and clarifying what success looks like, the client saw they could save the equivalent of £100,000 in staff time annually — while also unlocking stronger donor confidence and follow-on funding opportunities.
5. From Sprint to Action (4 Pillars Applied)

Armed with Sprint clarity, Reinvantage proposed a laser-focused support plan:

  • Readiness → Trained programme leads on using the new metrics and integrated them into existing workflows.
  • Foresight → Analysed donor trends and expectations, aligning the initiative with the next funding cycle.
  • Growth → Developed a funding case based on the new unified theory of change, securing higher renewal chances.
  • Positioning → Crafted a regional success narrative and storytelling toolkit, helping them showcase results consistently across markets.
6. The Results
  • 30% less time spent on reporting → freed capacity for programme delivery.
  • Donor satisfaction improved → positive feedback on the clarity of impact evidence.
  • Secured new funding commitment → one major donor increased their contribution by 20%.
  • Stronger internal morale → staff felt they were working with clarity, not chaos.
The client thought it needed better donor management.
The Sprint revealed it needed a shared foundation across its teams.

By anchoring on the four pillars, Reinvantage turned alignment into efficiency gains and fresh funding opportunities.

The Sprint guaranteed at least £20,000 in value; here it unlocked both six-figure savings and future-proofed funding.
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Case study: National digital development agency

1. The Client

A national digital development agency tasked with driving the government’s digital transformation agenda, including e-services, citizen portals, and smart city pilots.

Role we worked with: Director of Digital Transformation, supported by IT and service delivery leads from three ministries.

2. The Challenge

The agency had strong political backing but faced hurdles in implementation.

Key issues:

  • Siloed projects → each ministry developed digital tools independently, leading to duplication.
  • Citizen frustration → services were digital in name, but still required multiple logins and offline steps.
  • Funding pressure → international partners demanded clearer impact in the short term.

The agency wanted to accelerate momentum but struggled to get alignment across ministries.

3. The Sprint

We ran a 14-day Immersive Reinvention Sprint with the agency’s leadership and digital focal points from three ministries.

  • Day 1–3: Intake → Reviewed strategy docs, donor reports, and citizen feedback data.
  • Day 4: Immersive Sprint Session (half-day) → Breakthroughs:
    • Each ministry had different definitions of “digital service.”
    • 20% of budget was going into overlapping pilot projects.
    • Citizens’ top frustrations were known — but not prioritised.
  • Day 5–14: Synthesis → Insights consolidated into a Clarity Brief + Insight Canvas.
4. The Breakthrough

The Sprint revealed that the biggest blocker wasn’t lack of funding, but lack of shared priorities.

Three practical insights stood out:

  1. One Definition of Digital Service → agreed across ministries.
  2. Quick-Win Prioritisation → focus on top 3 citizen pain points (ID renewal, business registration, healthcare booking).
  3. Shared Resource Map → pool budgets to eliminate duplication.
These changes alone allowed the agency to unlock £75,000 in immediate savings and deliver 2–3 visible improvements in the next quarter — meeting donor expectations and building citizen trust.
5. From Sprint to Action (4 Pillars Applied)

Based on the Sprint clarity, Reinvantage proposed a modest, targeted package of support:

  • Readiness → Facilitated inter-ministerial workshops to embed the “one digital service” definition.
  • Foresight → Analysed citizen feedback trends to shape the quick-win roadmap.
  • Growth → Supported the reallocation of funds to joint projects, reducing overlap.
  • Positioning → Crafted a communication plan highlighting early digital wins to donors and citizens.
6. The Results
  • 2 pilot services integrated into the central portal (ID renewal + healthcare booking).
  • Budget savings of £75,000 from eliminating overlapping projects.
  • Citizen satisfaction up modestly → call centre complaints on digital services dropped by 12%.
  • Donor confidence improved → short-term impact report received positive feedback.
The client thought it needed more funding and bigger projects.
The Sprint revealed it first needed clarity and alignment.

By applying the four pillars to a targeted scope, Reinvantage helped deliver visible results within a single quarter — proving progress to citizens and donors and laying the groundwork for deeper transformation.