Italy’s top industrial and research institutions are spearheading the groundbreaking advancemement of European cloud and edge technologies.
Politecnico di Torino, Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), ENEA, TIM, Tiscali, Engineering, Fincantieri, and Reply have united under the 8ra project. Backed by the European Union’s Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) program, the initiative aims to create a shared testing environment, fostering collaboration to improve cloud interoperability and drive technological progress across Europe.
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Driving Cloud Innovation in Europe
The 8ra initiative aims to enhance cloud interoperability, stimulate investment in edge and cloud technologies, and encourage the entry of new market players to expand the digital ecosystem. In December, 2023, the European Commission approved the first IPCEI, which focused on building a European value chain for Cloud Infrastructure and Services (CIS). This milestone project has been allocated over EUR 1.2 billion in state aid, with approximately EUR 409 million earmarked for Italy.
This collaboration represents a significant step forward for the Italian industry and research institutions. The initiative will pave the way for sector-specific advancements and broader industrial applications by leveraging edge platforms developed by the project partners.
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Creating a Shared Testing Environment
At the heart of the initiative is a shared testing environment that allows partners to pool resources for experiments, feasibility studies, and project validations. This integrated setting fosters efficiency, accelerates technological progress, and facilitates the transition to product industrialization.
The project lays the groundwork for commercialization, offering a scalable model for validating complex technological solutions collaboratively. It also sets the stage for developing and adopting innovative technologies, ultimately driving ecosystem growth and future innovation.
As a cornerstone of European digital policy, the 8ra project highlights the potential of collaborative efforts in advancing cutting-edge technologies and fostering a robust, interconnected European digital landscape.
