8ra Initiative Attracts International Attention
At this year’s Hannover Fair, the 8ra Initiative made a lasting impression on a diverse audience with exciting projects and innovative demonstrators. International delegations, as well as leading representatives from business, industry and politics showed particular interest. Many were enthusiastic about the new approach of a scalable multi-provider cloud-edge continuum and its wide range of application possibilities.
Video: Highlights of 8ra@HMI 2025
Powerful Demonstrations
The 8ra Initiative showcased several projects, impressively demonstrating the technological breadth and innovative strength of the network. An interactive demonstrator — jointly developed by SAP, Siemens, and Telekom — illustrated how the solutions developed within the 8ra Initiative enable new logistics concepts in industrial settings and lay the foundation for dynamic communication solutions.
Rheinmetall’s ProQuasia project used a teleoperated vehicle to highlight the importance of secure communication. Cloud4Rail from DB InfraGO AG presented a functionally secure and certifiable edge and cloud infrastructure for future digitalised rail operations—including a demonstrator visualising redundant rail network operations. Lindner’s BiGreen project featured a cryptographically secured edge node that can be utilised as a heater through innovative liquid-cooling.
Overall, the projects offered an impressive overview of the 8ra Initiative’s potential across a wide range of application scenarios. Visitors could also explore the initiative’s concept, vision, and more than 100 individual projects through an interactive overview.
High-Level Visits and International Engagement
We were particularly pleased to welcome numerous international delegations, including partner countries such as Italy and the Netherlands, as well as interested nations such as South Korea, Japan and Canada. Discussions centred on digital sovereignty and international cooperation. High-ranking political representatives also visited—including State Secretaries Philipp and Kluttig from the BMWK and Hironori Tateishi from the Japanese METI, to name just a few.
The large number of visitors reflected the broad interest in the initiative. Key questions focused on the architecture, partner structure, and opportunities for collaboration and participation in the initiative. At the same time, intensive political discussions were held on Europe’s digital sovereignty and the role of the 8ra Initiative in shaping it.
The strong interest and consistently positive feedback at Hannover Fair clearly demonstrate that the 8ra Initiative increasingly positions itself as a central player in Europe’s digital sovereignty and a cornerstone of Europe’s industrial future.
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