The 8ra Initiative is entering a new phase as it opens up to new partners across Europe: a broader, industry-driven ecosystem designed to carry Europe’s cloud and edge ambitions beyond the IPCEI-CIS funding period.
The move marks an important step in the evolution of the initiative. Member States and industry are working together to secure the long-term, industry-driven continuation of 8ra and to support its transition from an IPCEI-CIS-funded project into a sustainable European ecosystem. Opening the initiative to additional European partners is a central part of that effort.
Beyond the original
IPCEI-CIS framework
The expansion is intended to bring new organisations into the ecosystem beyond the original IPCEI-CIS context. The goal is to broaden collaboration across Europe, enable new joint offerings and create momentum for the next stage of development. Just as importantly, it is about building a durable foundation for cooperation beyond the funding period.
Built around shared principles
The next phase of 8ra remains rooted in the principles that define the initiative: industry-driven development, openness and collaboration, support for European digital sovereignty and a strong commitment to open-source technologies. For the 8ra Initiative, open source is essential to promote transparency, interoperability and resilience while helping to avoid structural dependencies and vendor lock-in.
European digital sovereignty, in turn, means giving organisations greater control, choice and resilience across their digital infrastructure and services. Together, these principles help shape a vendor-neutral ecosystem built on trust, shared standards and collaboration.
How to get involved
Organisations ready to join the 8ra ecosystem and help shape its next phase are invited to reach out at welcome@8ra.com.