Evolving Digital

S2E7 - Giels Brouwer: Scope, Scout, Match: a universal data framework for decision making


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In this podcast episode, we speak with Giels Brouwer about the critical gap between data collection and decision-making that hampers many organizations. We explore how his systematic scouting framework can transform how companies identify opportunities and talent. Giels, serial entrepreneur and founder of SciSports and Akela Hub, shares candid insights from his journey that began with a football management game and evolved into a thesis that generated partnerships with over 100 football clubs and €10 million in funding.


In this episode, we cover the following topics:

  • The entrepreneurial journey that led Giels from playing Football Manager to revolutionizing actual football scouting through data analytics.
  • Giels' powerful three-step Akela Scouting Framework (scoping, scouting, and matchmaking) and how it applies across industries beyond sports.
  • Why the difference between market leaders and followers isn't better data, but better decision frameworks for acting on information.
  • How Giels applies his "ship first, perfect later" philosophy to launch ventures with minimal infrastructure but maximum confidence.
  • The art of discovering "hidden gems" in talent acquisition and why most traditional recruitment methods miss valuable candidates.
  • Practical applications of AI tools in both personal and professional contexts as amplifiers of human capabilities rather than replacements.
  • The search-find paradox: why having more data often makes finding the right information more difficult rather than easier.
  • How Akela Hub is transforming talent identification by applying (sports) scouting methodologies to broader business contexts.
  • The balance between data-driven decisions and human judgment in complex decision environments.
  • Why Giels intentionally keeps his teams small to maintain creative energy and decision-making agility.


Links: 

  • LinkedIn Evolving Digital https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/evolving-digital-podcast
  • Instagram Evolving Digital https://www.instagram.com/evolvingdigital.podcast/?hl=en
  • Facebook Evolving Digital https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566815356179
  •  LinkedIn Giels Brouwer https://www.linkedin.com/in/giels
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Evolving DigitalBy Evolving Digital