8ra: the turning point of European digital sovereignty
May 19, 2026 — 02:00 pm - 02:30 pm
CDO Innovation Hub
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Description
Europe is accelerating its push for digital sovereignty through the IPCEI-CIS initiative (“8ra”), which aims to build a federated, interoperable cloud-edge infrastructure to reduce dependence on non-EU hyperscalers. With over €3.5 billion in investments and more than 150 stakeholders involved, the goal is to strengthen technological autonomy, data control, and resilience, in line with the European regulatory framework. However, the main challenge remains turning this infrastructure into real-world usage. In this context, Villanova acts as an enabling layer: through generative AI, multimodal models, and a low-code/no-code framework, it allows companies and public administrations to develop concrete applications on the European cloud-edge. By validating real-world use cases, Villanova helps bridge the gap between research and adoption, making digital sovereignty operational and scalable.
8ra Initiative is a European initiative created to strengthen digital and data sovereignty in Europe by building a cloud-edge infrastructure alternative to major non-European hyperscalers. It brings...
Villanova is an ambitious and innovative initiative in the field of Artificial Intelligence, selected and funded by the European Union through the IPCEI-CIS program, alongside 120 companies and...
