Digital Kick-Off Day

The first of our core activities of the year is the Digital Kick-Off Day in March, which offers a packed programme of inspiring examples of creative bureaucracy in action. It is a free online event for everyone across the globe with jury-selected sessions from our global Call for Participation – kicking off a new year of public sector innovation and offering an additional platform for forward-thinking ideas and projects prior to the live festival in Berlin.

The next Digital Kick-Off Day will take place on 21 March 2024. Until 15 December we are calling all creative bureaucrats and innovative changemakers to submit their projects and initiatives to become part of the programme. For the first time you can apply in three different categories – Project Showcase, Digital Workshop and Podcast Episode. Find out more on our Call for Participation page and apply now!

Last year’s Digital Kick-Off Day counted almost 2,000 digital participants from 77 countries, with 40 programme sessions and over 100 speakers from 20 countries, as well as over 10,000 votes cast to elect this year’s community voting winners! You can watch all of the 2023 programme on our YouTube channel here.

About The Day

The Digital Kick-Off Day will take place in both German and English language. The German language part focuses on projects in the DACH region and the English half on projects from all other parts of the world.

For the first time this year the programme will consist of three different formats. Throughout the day we will showcase videos of various projects and initiatives that demonstrate effective bureaucracy hacking in action. Additionally we will offer workshop blocks for different timezones, providing the opportunity to engage with and get inspired by bold, imaginative approaches. And finally we will invite you to discover new ideas, views and learning by listening to brand new podcast episodes focused on public innovation that will be published on the Digital Kick-Off Day. Find out more about the formats and how to submit your proposal on our Call for Participation page.

All jury-selected Project Showcases from our global Call for Participation will be part of a community voting. The voting will be open to our community one week prior to the event and closed at the end of the Digital Kick-Off Day. Three winning sessions per language will be offered a programme slot at the Creative Bureaucracy Festival live in Berlin on 13 June 2024. With your vote you are able to create the programme for the live event together with us! Once all sessions are presented on the Digital Kick-Off Day, we review the votes and announce the winners at the end of the respective programme section.

The full programme with information on all individual sessions and speakers will be published in February 2024. All sessions of the Digital Kick-Off Day are grouped into four programme clusters representing key issues within the creative bureaucracy sphere:

Programme Clusters

Bureaucracy 2045: Thinking Afresh

Taking a systemic perspective this cluster will present sessions that explore the big questions we should be asking to create the ideal public sector in the future. Future visions, the role of the state and how to change narratives around bureaucracy. Get to know projects that not only fix isolated problems, but are gearing up to change the system.

Transforming How We Work

Let’s look at the organisational side of things. Sessions in this block want to find solutions to the problem of how bureaucracies are structured and what needs to change in how they operate. The need for balancing agility with stability as well as creating cultures of trust and continuous learning are essential to face the emerging challenges of our times.

Delivering Collective Impact

To create effective networks and communities of practice, cross-sector and cross-geography collaborations are crucial. Our programme sessions in this cluster will showcase projects working on how to enable and strengthen these ties and how to catalyze collective action on common goals across all divides.

Living Better Together

Changing the system, organisations, and enabling collaboration between everyone. But what about the citizens? This block includes ideas for how to deal with issues of agency and unlock “the good life” for everyone – projects that deal with equal opportunities, a sustainable future and ways to strengthen social cohesion.

Digital Kick-Off Day