The 8ra Initiative is a strategic European endeavour dedicated to establishing a resilient, open and future-proof digital infrastructure. At its core is the Important Project of Common European Interest on Next Generation Cloud Infrastructure and Services (IPCEI-CIS), bringing together 12 EU member states and about 120 industrial and research partners to drive Europe’s digital sovereignty.
Our mission
The 8ra Initiative lays the foundation for a decentralised, interoperable, and secure Multi-Provider Cloud-Edge Continuum (MPCEC), ensuring seamless IT services across providers and national borders. By fostering open source collaboration, interoperability, and technological independence, we enable European enterprises – especially SMEs – to scale, innovate, and remain competitive in the global digital economy.
Why it matters
The European cloud landscape remains fragmented, with a lack of interoperability hindering seamless service integration. Meanwhile, the market is largely dominated by a few non-European providers, raising concerns about compliance, transparency, and data sovereignty. Without a coordinated effort, Europe risks falling behind in key technological fields such as AI, industrial IoT, the metaverse, and cybersecurity.
The 8ra Initiative is addressing these challenges by:
- Developing a federated, resilient, and sustainable cloud-edge ecosystem
- Enabling seamless cross-border data and service exchange
- Providing a secure, transparent, and vendor-neutral alternative
- Maximising resource efficiency through dynamic workload distribution
Our vision
The 8ra Initiative envisions a future where European businesses, public institutions, and citizens benefit from sovereign, accessible, and high-performance cloud-edge infrastructure. By connecting providers and users across Europe, the 8ra Initiative fosters innovation, strengthens economic resilience, and accelerates the continent’s technological leadership.
Through its open source approach, the 8ra Initiative eliminates vendor lock-in and ensures that all stakeholders – from large enterprises to small compute-resource providers – can engage, contribute, and benefit. This inclusive framework empowers European industry to harness cutting-edge digital technologies without dependency on non-European platforms.
How we work
The 8ra Initiative is built on collaboration, transparency, and community-driven governance. Under the IPCEI-CIS framework, about 120 partners work together to develop open, interoperable cloud-edge solutions.
The initiative is structured around:
- Four horizontal workstreams, laying the technological foundation for the Multi-Provider Cloud-Edge Continuum
- Specialised clusters, addressing sector-specific challenges and applications
- Two cross-cutting workstreams, focused on sustainability and security
To ensure long-term impact, open-source development is at the heart of the 8ra Initiative, allowing for continuous community contributions beyond the initial IPCEI-CIS scope.
Join the movement
The 8ra Initiative welcomes all who share its vision for a resilient, open, and independent European digital infrastructure. Whether you are a policy maker, industry leader, or researcher, you can play a role in shaping Europe’s digital future.