I quickly rushed to Lucerne this afternoon for the ICTimpuls16-track about how to succeed with selling Swiss ICT services and products abroad. And for Bertrand Piccard's keynote – it was worth the time.

Andy Yen of Geneva (and San Francisco) based ProtonMail gave a very encouraging speech about how to present one's company and products in a different market like the U.S. – it's basically all about being way more bold than we are used in Swiss culture, embracing risk, and seeking to fail as fast as possible. By investing in sales in the U.S., ProtonMail actually “got the rest of the world for free”. My question, if ProtonMail is also active in other domains of myData than e-mail, or considering to move into that direction, Andy answered in the affarmative. I am very much looking forward to what's coming there in the future. Thanks, Andy, for your great insights!

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I would have liked to post a picture of one of Andy's slides here, but it's written “confidential” on them – don't know, how serious he is about that.

Bertrand Piccard – on the big stage – managed to catch the attention of the audience masterly. A psychiatrist by formation, and a leader by talent he inspired my thoughts throughout his speech. Betrand advocated for always changing one's altitude to be able to find solutions. Surrounding oneself with less of the same, more divers people surely is supporting that. To be innovative and creative, one has to drop ballast – one's beliefs, certitudes – and try the opposite. Erradicating emotions and applying a pragmatic attitude can help. Being innovative is not tied to achieving something spectacular, but allowing and fostering to think in other directions. “If one accepts a crisis, it becomes an adventure – if one does not, it stays a crisis”. Life is less about what I know, but more about my doubts and being able to ask questions.

Betrand ended with asking the audiance: “What story do you want to tell? What's your dream?” I bet everyone in the room was thinking about what ballast one could drop to reach one's dream. Listening to critical voices helps you in answering that decisive question. Thanks, Bertrand, for your continuous engagement in making our world more energy efficient!

Image: swissICT/Jonas Weibel