Latest news with #OpenInnovationSummit
Hospitality Net
09-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
EHL Innovation Rewind: Niels de Fraguier on Regeneration, Collective Intelligence, and the Responsibility of Innovation
During the EHL Open Innovation Summit, we spoke with Niels de Fraguier, Founder of Empowering Potential, about the role of innovation in shaping a more inclusive and regenerative future. As an entrepreneur, ideator, and author, he shared his perspective on why technology must be rooted in life-centered thinking, how regeneration goes beyond sustainability, and why building a better future means shifting from individual gain to collective responsibility. Which technology or innovation do you believe will have the biggest impact in our industry over the next 5 to 10 years? Before answering that, we have to ask what we mean by technology and innovation. Why are we innovating and for whom? Much of the progress we see today benefits only a few, not the many. Whether it is social media or artificial intelligence, the power it creates is often concentrated. The real innovation we should focus on now is collective intelligence. We need to bring humans together, and even include non-human perspectives, to think about what kind of world we want to create. Technology should not just serve profit or efficiency. It should be meaningful, inclusive, and regenerative. The challenges we face are enormous, but they also offer an opportunity for personal growth, collective transformation, and a reimagined future that sustains life and the natural world for generations to come. Would you say the priority is less about technology and more about a new kind of governance? Exactly. Sustainability has been about doing less harm, getting to net zero. But the truth is we are already in overshoot. Earth's systems, biodiversity, social and economic balance, are all in crisis. We now owe more to the planet than we take. That is where regeneration comes in. It means giving back more than we take. It means bringing the voice of nature, future generations, and non-humans into our decision-making structures. That is not just environmental care. It is about resilience in the face of uncertainty, creating new forms of value that go beyond financial return. Human capital, natural capital, trust. These are foundational to the future of any organization. Business must be rooted in community and the living systems that make it possible. You mentioned that technology can help us but will not save us. Can you elaborate? Technology is a tool. It is not the goal. Just like profit, it should be a means to reinvest, to support life. AI can help us solve problems, but it cannot save us on its own. It needs to be guided by life-centered thinking. That includes understanding the environmental impact of AI itself, its energy use, its geopolitical implications, its effect on sovereignty and ownership. Most major technologies today are concentrated in a few countries, so we must ask: who owns the tools, and who benefits from them? We need to reclaim ownership, not just of technology, but of our lives and communities. Technology can bring us closer to our collective goals, but only if we keep humanity and life at the center. Would you agree that technology, if used right, is inherently human? Technology is human in the sense that we created it. But the deeper question is why we are using it, and for whose benefit. Right now, the development of AI is dominated by a small group of powerful actors. Mostly white males, no longer young, who dominate individuals by how data is used and who also dominate nature by how resources are extracted. So yes, technology can be human, but only if we remain conscious. Leadership today must be about consciousness. It means recognizing our privilege, understanding our identities, our traumas, our biases, and taking responsibility. I am a white male, and I know I belong to the privileged part of the world. That should not bring guilt. It should bring responsibility. I want to be a better ancestor. I want to help create a future that sustains life for humans and non-humans alike. What do we need to change to build that kind of future? We need to rethink all of our metrics. It is not just about KPIs anymore. It is about both tangible and intangible outcomes. Emotions, trust, balance between masculine and feminine energies, showing up with both strength and vulnerability. We need to cooperate more deeply—with each other, and with nature. Let us build a system where everyone, especially the most marginalized, has not just a voice, but decision-making power. Where every being has the right to be heard, and to shape the future. That is how we move from domination to collaboration. That is how we change the world for the better. About the EHL Open Innovation Summit 2025 This interview was recorded during the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, where Hospitality Net joined as official media partner. The event brought together a global mix of thinkers and doers to explore the future of hospitality, food, and travel through open innovation. What made it special was the mix of ideas, formats, and people. It was not only about tech or talks. It was also about people showing up, working together, and sharing energy in real time. Key Figures 385 participants 48 speakers and contributors from more than 20 countries 7 innovation challenges collectively addressed 45 sessions 25 student volunteers 15 F&B startups letting us taste the future 1.5 days of connection, learning, and co-creation Key Insights from the Summit
Hospitality Net
03-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
EHL Innovation Rewind: Michael Levie on Middleware, Microdata and the Jam Session Spirit of CitizenM
At the Open Innovation Summit hosted by EHL Innovation Hub, we sat down with Michael Levie, Founding Partner at CitizenM. We asked him a few questions about where he sees the biggest tech shifts coming in hospitality and what makes CitizenM stand out in the way they work. Michael talked about middleware, microdata and why moving to the cloud is not enough. He also explained how the culture at CitizenM is like a jam session and how that energy still lives on today. Which technology or innovation do you think will have the most impact in our industry over the next 5 to 10 years? In the digital age, everyone is trying to get their digital connect with their customer and focus on AI. But what I have found is that our legacy systems are not capable of dealing with the golden profile of guests appropriately. Digital and AI applications will be transformative, but we can only get there if we clean up our tech architecture. Middleware will play a major role. Moving systems to the cloud is not enough. Our industry has insufficient data in general and lousy data on our guests. We are not unlocking the power of micro data and general data, and until we do that, we cannot properly support our digital, commercial, and revenue strategies. Is there anything CitizenM did or does that should become an industry standard, and is there something that should remain unique to your DNA? CitizenM is about inclusion. All our constituencies are part of it and excited about our brand. The key component is human interest and human connection. That is the essence of hospitality. Our product is extremely consistent and recognizable, but the service is what brings comfort and kindness. People feel at home. That is not proprietary to us. Many companies express it in their own way. I do not think anything should become an industry standard. I do not believe in that. Let everyone have their own DNA. I am just proud of what we have accomplished. How would you describe the unique rhythm or flow of CitizenM, and how does that contribute to the guest and team experience? It is like a jam session. A jam session still involves instruments that need to be played well. You need to be trained and experienced. But there is freedom for everyone to contribute. We all want to belong to something, to contribute, and to be recognized for our contribution. That is true for guests, employees, suppliers, partners. Everyone finds their own piece of the music. If you do not play an instrument, sing or tap or whatever. It is very inclusive. Yet there are strict rails. That combination is what makes it work and what makes it beautiful. Now that CitizenM is under the Marriott umbrella, how do you keep the rebel DNA intact? Marriott is a big company with a strong culture and values. When I say Marriott family, I do not just mean those with the Marriott last name. Their teams believe in the values. Each child in the family is different. Maybe we are a different child. But they respect that. Kids grow up. We took CitizenM as far as we could as owner-operators. Now the brand is in safe hands and will take on new dimensions. They respect what we have built. Being a rebel is not about being rebellious. It is about being curious. Be humble. Be agile. Be collaborative. We are very excited for this next stage, and yes, we will stay ourselves. About the EHL Open Innovation Summit 2025 This interview was recorded during the EHL Open Innovation Summit in Lausanne, where Hospitality Net joined as official media partner. The event brought together a global mix of thinkers and doers to explore the future of hospitality, food, and travel through open innovation. What made it special was the mix of ideas, formats, and people. It was not only about tech or talks. It was also about people showing up, working together, and sharing energy in real time. Key Figures 385 participants 48 speakers and contributors from more than 20 countries 7 innovation challenges collectively addressed 45 sessions 25 student volunteers 15 F&B startups letting us taste the future 1.5 days of connection, learning, and co-creation Key Insights from the Summit
