At the end of May, we gathered for a very special GovTech4All Café — a retrospective moment to reflect on the past two years. It turned into an afternoon full of insights, laughter, sharp observations, and, most importantly, a chance to look ahead: How can we continue developing this format as we enter the next phase? 

Here are some of the key takeaways and ideas that emerged during the café.

Why the Cafés Matter

Since the start, GovTech4All Café has become a heartbeat in the project. We’ve run 18 sessions so far, with 17 also resulting in blog posts. The topics have ranged widely — from public procurement and digital rights to quantum security, startups, and international collaborations with actors like the OECD and World Bank.

When we asked participants to share personal memories, it was striking how much these gatherings have meant:

• One participant highlighted the Quantum Café — a session that felt like science fiction but led to deep follow-up discussions and even more one-to-one meetings.
• Another emphasized the Christmas Café as a moment to “speak outside the project frame” and appreciated how external guests helped build the sense that we are not working in isolation.
• A third underlined how the cafés provided insights into other pilots and prepared them for the next phase, while a fourth (only two months into the project) already saw them as a key tool for building a shared European ecosystem.

It was clear: the cafés have been both learning spaces, sources of inspiration, and social glue.

Clustered Insights – What Should We Keep, Change, and Start?

To capture the ideas, we grouped the reflections into three clear categories:

Keep – What’s Working Well

• Regular monthly meetings as a routine and gathering point
• A mix of internal and external speakers
• A broad range of topics, from internal knowledge-sharing to external inspiration
• A personal, relaxed atmosphere that builds trust and strengthens collaboration
• The Christmas Café as a valued tradition
• A low-barrier space to understand other work packages and pilots

Change – What Can We Improve

• Clearer planning and topic selection in advance (e.g., by setting up a topic-planning team)
• Better time management — some sessions felt too short, others too long
• More participant suggestions on themes and content
• Dedicated moments to highlight internal achievements or successes, like a 5-minute “inspiration spotlight”
• Explore inviting external guests for feedback and fresh perspectives

Start – What Should We Add

• Workshops and practical moments — not just listening, but doing
• Interactive reflection exercises that prompt participants to think about real-world application
• Role-plays or game-based formats (for example, inspired by e-government simulations)
• Experimenting with creative formats: sprints, case challenges, or problem-solving exercises

Looking Ahead: What Do We Want to Build Next?

This café was more than just a summary — it became a mini idea lab for the future. We now stand before an exciting opportunity to further evolve the café format and make it even more engaging and relevant in the next phase of the project.

My personal reflection? We have something truly valuable here — a space where we build relationships, learn together, challenge each other, and shape a shared understanding of digital transformation in the public sector. If we can preserve the personal, informal feel while bringing in fresh experiments and formats, these cafés can continue to be a powerhouse for the project.

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This blog post captures key takeaways from the latest GovTech4All Café, where the focus was on reflecting on two years of shared learning, connection, and innovation. Participants celebrated the café’s role in building trust, sparking new ideas, and strengthening Europe’s GovTech ecosystem. Insights centered on what to continue, improve, and start doing — from keeping the informal, engaging atmosphere to introducing more interactive workshops and creative formats. Read on to discover how GovTech4All cafés are evolving into a powerful space for shaping the future of digital government collaboration.