New Tools for Complex Digital Challenges

As digital technologies reshape our economy and society at an increasing speed, policymakers find themselves navigating increasingly complex systems with inadequate tools. Traditional policy approaches fail to capture the interconnected nature of digital ecosystems, leading to unintended consequences and missed opportunities.

The Leitmotiv School of Thought offers a new framework that breaks the digital economy into its fundamental components—products, technologies, business models, and infrastructure—enabling policymakers to craft targeted, effective interventions that align with societal values.

Already adopted by the Commonwealth and tested with policymakers from Germany, the Netherlands, and the European Commission, this methodology has proven its value in real-world applications. As one German ministry official noted after our summer school in North Holland: "This framework finally gave us a common language to discuss digital infrastructure across departments."

We stand at a critical juncture where the policies we craft today will determine whether digital technology serves our societies or undermines them for decades to come.

This event is a closed-door, invitation-only Masterclass for select policymakers under Chatham House Rules and spots are limited. Together with a group of likeminded think-tanks and NGOs, we will moderate this interactive Masterclass, consisting of an introduction to the methodology and an interactive workshop where you can apply the framework to your specific policy challenges.

Register here to secure your spot →

Supported by the European Policy Centre - Connecting Europe

This Masterclass would not be possible without the support of the European Policy Centre and the Connecting Europe Program. We thank Johannes Greubel and the EPC team for their hospitality and support.

What Policymakers Are Saying

Jan Altgeld, German Ministry of the Environment & Consumer Protection

"From July 5th to 7th, I participated in the "North Holland School on Digital Infrastructure," organized by Leitmotiv and the North Holland region. I learned a lot about the digital sector there, particularly how business models function and how the sector could be designed more sustainably.

Additionally, the summer school was very helpful for exchanging perspectives and developing new ideas for shaping a human-centered and sustainable digital future. [...] Max Schulze, the director of Leitmotiv, is a globally recognized expert in digital infrastructure. He is not only knowledgeable in environmental and financing issues but, as a former software engineer, also in the technical details.

The knowledge acquired during the summer school has been very useful in my daily work, for example, in incorporating sustainability criteria into funding guidelines or identifying additional energy-saving measures in data centers."

Is This Right For You?

This masterclass is designed for:

• Policymakers within economic, energy and industrial policy fields who struggle with questions like: "How do we balance industrial development with sustainability in digital infrastructure?" or "What policy levers can effectively shape AI development while protecting our values?"

• Policymakers within digital and related fields who are frustrated by siloed approaches that fail to address the interconnected nature of digital challenges.

• Regional policymakers and administrators who need practical tools to attract digital investment while ensuring it benefits local communities and aligns with regional values.

Program Outline

The Masterclass is limited to 20 participants to ensure meaningful interaction.

Why you should attend:

• Master a proven framework that has already helped policymakers in three jurisdictions develop more coherent digital strategies.

• Workshop your specific policy challenges with peers facing similar hurdles across Europe.

• Leave with concrete policy approaches you can implement immediately in your jurisdiction.

• Join a growing community of digital policy innovators shaping the future of European digital governance.

What to Bring

• A specific digital policy challenge you're currently working on

• Knowledge of your jurisdiction's current digital economy priorities

• Openness to collaborative problem-solving with peers

Registration

Attendance is by invitation only. To request an invitation or nominate a colleague, please complete this brief application form.

Due to the interactive nature of this Masterclass, spaces are strictly limited to 20 participants. All registrations are subject to approval by Leitmotiv & EPC.

About Leitmotiv

Leitmotiv is an independent think-tank focused on operationalizing values in our digital future. We do this by raising awareness, empowering policymakers and creating knowledge which enables the operationalization of values in digital products, technologies, business models and infrastructure.

Leitmotiv is not affiliated with any commercial interests or industry associations. We pride ourselves as independent thinkers, focused on shaping a values-centered digital future for society. We are European, with representation in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. We are funded through grants & advisory contracts from Dutch and German government entities. Our legal entities are recognized charities in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

We run three dedicated programs, in addition to our policy work: The Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) - a network of regional governments that we support in developing thriving digital ecosystems. S12Y - a program dedicated to creating a market environment in which sustainable digital products are thriving. And Digital Policy Leaders, a program to build the capacity of digital policymakers to shape our digital future.

About EPC

The European Policy Centre (EPC) is an independent, not-for-profit think tank dedicated to fostering European integration through analysis and debate. The EPC works at the "cutting edge" of European and global policy-making, providing its members and the wider public with rapid, high-quality information and analysis on the EU and global policy agenda.