Posts

How dependent is Europe on US services?

Follow-up report: Europe’s digital sovereignty – between wishful thinking and reality

/in , /by
2 Min.

On September 30, 2025, interested parties – both on site in Nuremberg and online – gathered for an intensive afternoon to discuss the current state and prospects of Europe’s digital independence. The event was organized by
Robert Zierhofer
 and
Matthias Brinkmann
 both active members of the Rabbit Hole Group.

The thematic focus & agenda

The discussion round was clearly structured and focused on four central building blocks:

  • Europe’s digital dependence today
  • European alternatives to US-based tools
  • Opportunities & limits of digital independence
  • Conclusion: wishful thinking or realistic objective?

The introduction already made it clear how deeply dependent Europe is on US technology – from cloud services and communication tools to operating systems. Robert and Matthias took a critical look at everyday tools in agencies and companies and presented concrete European alternatives. At the same time, there was an open discussion about the hurdles that need to be overcome – politically, economically and technologically.

Highlights & insights

  • Several examples showed that many companies and institutions today have little choice but to trust US-based services – often for reasons of market power, distribution or compatibility.
  • It was shown that there are already functioning European solutions – albeit often in niches or with a limited degree of maturity.
  • The desire for technological independence is legitimate – but without clearly defined support programs, regulation and joint European action, much remains wishful thinking.

The tone was constructive and forward-looking: The debate was dominated by realism rather than pessimism. The hybrid format (on-site + online) was well received and ensured that even remote participants were able to take part. The presentation was inspired, with plenty of impetus – it was not uncommon for people to put their heads together in the direction of implementation.

Conclusion & outlook

The event ruthlessly revealed where Europe stands today – and at the same time showed that digital sovereignty does not have to be pure wishful thinking. But the road to this goal is an arduous one. The decisive factor will be whether politics, business and society set the necessary course: Strategic investments, promotion of European infrastructure, binding standards and a rethink of the choice of tools for society as a whole.

We would like to thank Robert Zierhofer and all participants for this enriching event!

Curious now?
Our contact persons will be happy to help:

Matthias Brinkmann
+49 911 47494949
brinkmann@twobe.de
LinkedIn

On 1 October 2024, Matthias Brinkmann and Robert Duckstein will demonstrate practical applications and proven methods. Secure your place now and optimise your project management!

Odoo 18 – Unleash project forces!

/in , /by
2 Min.

With increasing digitalization and the possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI), project management has changed fundamentally in recent years. Regardless of the size and structure of organizations, this is particularly evident in the extensive use of modern project management tools such as Odoo. Today, these tools are not only used to structure and automate processes, but also support projects with assistance functions that can significantly reduce the overall workload.

Insights into the possibilities of Odoo 18: Project planning event

In cooperation with our partner manaTec, a hybrid event on “Project planning with Odoo 18” took place on October 28, 2024. The 18 or so participants were given a comprehensive and inspiring insight into the functions that Odoo 18 offers in the area of project management – especially with regard to task management, resource management and scheduling. The event underlined how versatile and flexible the new Odoo can be used to increase efficiency and transparency in projects. During the subsequent discussion round, the audience was particularly interested in the use of integrable AI tools such as ChatGPT to optimize project management. These AI-supported “helpers” offer numerous advantages that go beyond pure text generation. Not only can they create standard texts for reports and documentation, but they can also automatically record entire meetings – in multiple languages if required.

Multilingual call protocols and flexible application options

One of the outstanding features of ChatGPT in Odoo 18 is the ability to automatically log conversations and translate them into different languages as required. This makes collaboration in international teams much easier and increases the accuracy and efficiency of logging. The minutes created can be seamlessly saved in Odoo and made available to team members. In addition to the flexibility in text generation and logging, Odoo 18 offers the option of operating the AI within a closed system – such as on the company’s own servers. This allows the AI to be adapted to the company’s individual requirements while maintaining the transparency of data processing. This option makes it easier to meet the requirements of the GDPR, as sensitive project information is processed securely and compliantly.

The future of project management: now and open to new developments

The event made it clear to participants that the future of project management has already begun. The new features in Odoo 18 set the standard for efficiency and adaptability in project work and show how AI can transform the management of projects. The possibilities offered by Odoo 18 are diverse and flexible – and the development of project management remains open to further innovation.

Curious now?

Our contact persons will be pleased to help you:

Matthias Brinkmann
+49 (0)911 / 47 49 49 51
brinkmann@twobe.de
LinkedIn

Matomo web analysis by Bund-für-Naturschutz

Matomo web analytics from Bund-für-Naturschutz: Our event and the importance of web analytics

/in , /by
2 Min.

On July 25, 2024, our event on the topic of Matomo web analysis by Bund-für-Naturschutz – Travel department took place.
In addition to Google Analytics 4 is Matomo is often the first choice of companies for conversion optimization.
The application provides precise insights into user behavior – be it the acquisition of visitors, the engagement rate or e-commerce data.
Its greatest strength, however, is the recordings of how users actually behave on the website. The goal: to maximize performance.
Tools such as Matomo are important because they allow companies to see exactly what users do on the website, how they get to conversion and what stops them from doing so.
This is exactly what we looked at on Thursday (25.07.2024) together with Bund-für-Naturschutz.

Concrete insights for a better understanding

The event was the third event on the topic.
In parts 1 and 2, we explained the difference between Matomo and Google Analytics 4 to participants – the third event was intended to deepen the previous knowledge in practical terms.
Our customer Bund-für-Naturschutz (travel department) agreed to evaluate the website statistics.
The initial aim was to gain a better overview.
In other words, what users actually do on the website and how the insights can be used to increase engagement and the number of conversions.
For example, we took a closer look at the geography of website visitors, how long a user interacts with the website and how behavior develops in comparison to different time periods.
The feedback from participants: Positive!
This event contributed to a better understanding of Matomo in practice and what needs to be considered for the respective industry or that differences within the industries are generally taken into account, because different key figures are important for each company. Curious? The next events on other exciting topics have already been scheduled. Click here to go to the events As always, our contact person will be happy to help you: Matthias Brinkmann+49 911 47 49 49 51brinkmann@twobe.deLinkedIn