From 21 to 23 May 2025, Berlin hosted the very first GITEX Europe, bringing together innovators, industry leaders, and policymakers from across the continent and beyond. Known for its dynamic showcases of emerging technologies and pivotal discussions shaping the digital future, GITEX’s European debut provided an unparalleled platform for collaboration and new ideas. Among the many important discussions, the 8ra Initiative featured prominently, highlighting its role in forging Europe’s path toward digital sovereignty.
Driving Europe’s Next-Generation Cloud Infrastructure
The 8ra Initiative was a significant topic throughout the event, including two panel discussions that garnered considerable attention. The panel ‘8ra: Shaping Europe’s next generation cloud infrastructure’ offered diverse perspectives on the Initiative’s broad impact. Participants from Deutsche Telekom, Siemens, the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy, and RESULT joined the discussion. Ernst Stöckl-Pukall, Head of the Digtalisation and Industry 4.0 Division at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, described 8ra as a ‘federated infrastructure for a new data economy’, emphasising its fundamental importance.
Strengthening Competitiveness with Decentralised Edge AI
Another impactful session, ‘Strengthening competitiveness of Europe with decentralised and distributed edge AI continuum’, began with an insightful keynote by Slovenian Minister for Digital Transformation, Ksenija Klampfer. This panel, featuring 8ra partners and representatives from the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy, delved deeper into further 8ra use cases and exciting new opportunities.
Engaging Demonstrators and Collaborative Discussions
The 8ra booth was a lively spot for conversations, inviting visitors to explore the Initiative’s core concepts. Attendees had the chance to experience an interactive table showcasing a cross-border manufacturing and logistics scenario, collaboratively developed by SAP, Siemens, and Deutsche Telekom. Simultaneously, the DB InfraGO Cloud4Rail also drew interest by showcasing a flexible, multi-redundant computing environment tailored for railway control systems.
Discussions at the booth covered the needs of European industries, concrete use cases, the overall architecture of 8ra, and the contributions of its partners. Various green data centres showed interest in 8ra’s open stack. Furthermore, visitors from other global regions also expressed strong interest, recognizing common challenges and opportunities that resonate beyond Europe’s borders.
GITEX Europe proved to be a valuable platform for 8ra, affirming its significant contribution to shaping a resilient, sovereign, and innovative digital future for Europe and beyond.
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