Concertation and Consultation on Computing Continuum: From Cloud to Edge to IoT

The OpenContinuum consortium, in collaboration with the UNLOCK-CEI and SWForum projects and guided by the European Commission DG CNECT E.2 and E.4 Units, is organizing a 2-day physical event called "Concertation and Consultation on Computing Continuum: From Cloud to Edge to IoT" under the European Cloud, Edge and IoT Continuum initiative, taking place in the Claridge – Brussels, Belgium.

The blurring barriers between Cloud and Edge computing are giving birth to a computing continuum where services and data must be managed and secured efficiently. Especially with new trends like the Metaverse, the demand for (hybrid) cloud computing services and edge computing is expected to skyrocket. As recent studies suggest, new data processing needs are appearing at the edge. This is not only for reducing latency but also to ensure data availability and privacy protection.  Running and managing data analytics and AI where it is more efficient and effective is to be supported in the Cloud-Edge-IOT continuum.

Advancing the IoT can avoid skyrocketing communication and storage costs, and energy consumption and produce benefits for citizens and businesses thanks to the integration of AI and Machine Learning. 

In addition, an open ecosystem built around Open Source and Open Standards is key to unleashing the potential of the European industry in driving green and digital transformation while preserving EU strategic autonomy. Software-defined infrastructures based on Open Source and Open Standards will support the next step in the Cloud-Edge-IOT continuum while preventing lock-in and favouring a competitive economy for the benefit of EU citizens.

These trends have called for a shift towards the technical and business convergence of the so-far formally separated Cloud, Edge and IoT domains, towards an open Cloud, Edge and IoT Computing Continuum. 

In recent years, the European community of researchers and innovators at work on the next-generation Cloud, Edge and IoT computing has been growing in relevance, diversity and impact. For Europe to ensure its technological sovereignty and ground the vision of a computing continuum as the backbone of an open and inclusive society, it is necessary to overcome fragmentation, bring together organisations and individuals from different communities and leverage Open Source. The Concertation and Consultation on Computing Continuum: From Cloud to Edge to IoT meeting is a 2-day physical event organised within the context of the European, Cloud, Edge and IoT Continuum initiative by the OpenContinuum consortium in close collaboration with the UNLOCK-CEI and SWForum projects and guided by the  European Commission DG CNECT E.2 and E.4 Units.

Why should you attend?

• Learn from and exchange know-how with the major EU-funded initiatives and projects on data and computing technologies.
• Showcase and promote your work within the broader European R&I context for further adoption, exploitation and impact of your project’s outcomes.
• Establish liaisons and contacts within the European Cloud, Edge and IoT community to identify common interests and foster synergies and collaborations.
• Learn about industrial best practices/use cases across several industrial sectors where European organisations are playing a significant role.
• Learn about policy/funding plans priorities and help refine the plans to deliver the European Strategy for data grounding the Digital Decade vision.
• Be part of the discussions about future R&I priorities and plans, and help shape agendas and decisions on future investments.
• Contribute to strategic R&I roadmaps to increase the competitiveness of European industry in Europe and ensure EU’s technology independence in Software, Cloud, Edge and IoT domains. 
• The event will group the community of major players in Europe engaged in several EU-funded projects, including the ICT-50-2020 (Software Technologies), ICT-40-2020 (Cloud Computing), ICT-56-2020 (Next Generation IoT), HORIZON-CL4-2021-DATA-01-05 (MetaOS), HORIZON-CL4-2022-DATA-01-02 (Cognitive Cloud), HORIZON-CL4-2022- DATA-01-03 (Swarm Computing), HORIZON-CL4-2022-DIGITAL-EMERGING-01-26 (Open source for cloud-based services). Top representatives and experts from some major relevant initiatives will also be invited (HiPEAC, Gaia-X, European Alliance for Industrial Data, Edge and Cloud, NESSI and AIOTI)

Important note:

• Participation in this event is through invitation only.
• Selected EoIs will also be invited to attend the event.

To learn more about this event, visit the official event page.