If there is one growing economic market in the near future, it is the market surrounding ‘health & life style’. Every human being desires to be in good health and to lead a pleasant, long life. Hence, the demand for innovative products and services in this field will rise. Moreover, consumers will want to be well informed and react proactively to possible physical complaints themselves without constantly needing to solicit the regular medical care. The responsibility of the health-conscious citizen in combination with new products/services will boost the health & lifestyle market.
Typical of this market is that it cannot be placed in just one sector. Rather, a great variety of sectors will be involved. At this moment, forerunners in the food sector, the private health sector, the leisure and media world, have already taken succesful initiatives for innovative products and services.
First of all, BLU wants to be a catalyst to stimulate a great number of innovations in the involved sectors of health & lifestyle to quickly build and solidify the upcoming market. BLU’s ambition however, goes beyond that.
Secondly, a digital environment is developed where the health-conscious consumer, using a special credit card, can purchase articles and products in regular- and online shops. This BLU-card is unique because it also possesses the access code to the consumer’s personal electronic health record (EHR). By means of simple formats, the consumer is able to constantly check and keep his/her own course of life update on health, eating patterns and general well-being. Due to intelligent interaction between the information streams from the card to the personal record the consumer is able to be kept informed anytime.
Thirdly, BLU wants to stimulate intercompany innovations and services between the different leaders of the various sectors in this market. This means that it is necessary for these parties to become acquainted and share knowledge. It is the interaction between various sectors that will be responsible for breakthroughs in the coming years.
The last step BLU wants to make concerns the acceleration of broadband construction in the Netherlands. The broadband infrastructure must be prepared for a rapid increase of digital services and information services. In the coming years these services will utilize more movies and moving images and other applications that require faster download time.
