At its heart, this project is about building a real European market where entrepreneurs can innovate and scale without being slowed down by borders, paperwork, or fragmented regulation. It is designed as both an ecosystem and infrastructure, connecting policymakers, regulators, innovators and entrepreneurs in a shared mission. With more than 180 public and private organizations involved, this initiative has the potential to benefit millions of businesses and citizens across Europe.
And critically, all of this collaboration and knowledge sharing is being powered by Open Social’s Community Collaboration Platform. From co-creation to alignment across diverse stakeholders, Open Social provides the privacy-first, European infrastructure that enables the consortium to work together openly, securely and at scale.
5 takeaways from the WE BUILD General Assembly
1. Europe’s Digital Identity vision is clear and urgent
Europe is at a turning point. Leaders such as Pieter Waasdorp (Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs) emphasized the importance of supporting entrepreneurs, scale-ups, and EU-based businesses. The European Business Wallet was highlighted as a piece of critical infrastructure: reducing friction, increasing trust and unlocking cross-border growth.
2. Trust, privacy & practicality must go hand-in-hand
The Business Wallet is not about collecting more data: it’s about strengthening privacy, simplifying administration, and empowering entrepreneurs. As Rodrique Engering (Netherlands Chamber of Commerce) underlined, the goal is to make data sharing across borders secure, standardized, and controlled, with entrepreneurs firmly in the driver’s seat.
3. Cross-sector collaboration will make or break it
A key theme of the event was the diversity of stakeholders: policymakers, executive agencies, tech builders, regulators, and innovators working toward a shared goal. This is not a single-vendor project but a pan-European ecosystem that depends on openness, coordination, and shared standards. Success hinges on deep collaboration.
4. Beyond a digital tool: a policy instrument
The Business Wallet is more than just a convenience tool—it’s a policy instrument for digital Europe. It enables secure, standardized data sharing, modernizes public registers, reduces administrative complexity, and supports a shift toward proactive, trust-based governance. This kind of digital-first regulation is exactly what EU governments are striving for.
5. Building an ecosystem, not just a product
The WE BUILD Consortium is creating more than a technical solution. It is laying the foundations for a shared digital business identity across Europe. That means building trust, setting standards, and ensuring real-life implementation so that this initiative moves beyond pilot projects and becomes part of everyday business operations for millions of Europeans.
At the same time, this ecosystem requires continuous communication and collaboration. That is why the consortium works through Open Social’s Community Collaboration Platform, which provides the infrastructure for connecting, sharing knowledge, and coordinating at scale. It ensures that the ecosystem is not just technical, but also cultural and collaborative—helping Europe build a trusted, secure digital foundation together.
Enabling Collaboration at Scale
The General Assembly left participants with a strong sense of both optimism and urgency. What’s being built has the potential to transform how European businesses and citizens operate—making it simpler, safer, and more scalable to grow and thrive across borders.
At Open Social, we are proud to support this growing ecosystem by enabling the collaboration and communication that hold it together. With more than 180 organizations working inside the consortium, alignment and knowledge sharing are critical—all facilitated through the Open Social platform.
Our fully European, privacy-first infrastructure supports data sovereignty while making it easy for consortium members to connect, co-create, and deliver. Open Social is more than just a platform provider: it is a committed contributor to building the foundations of a secure and trusted digital Europe.
