Concertation and Consultation Meeting on Computing Continuum: Uniting the European ICT community for a digital future

Last week, leading researchers, policy makers and industry experts came together for the much-anticipated two-day event, Concertation and Consultation Meeting on Computing Continuum: From Cloud to Edge to IoT.

The “Concertation and Consultation Meeting on Computing Continuum” was orchestrated by Martel Innovate within the Open Continuum project, with the support of Unlock CEI and SWForum,  under the strategic direction of DG Connect. Open Continuum, where  Martel acts as coordinator and communication leader, is one of the Coordination and Support Actions managing the EUCloudEdgeIoT.eu initiative. Indeed, aside from leading the event organization Martel had several roles during the two days.

Held on 10-11 May 2023 in Brussels, the event was a significant gathering for the European ICT community, fostering discussion and planning on the future of research and innovation directions.

The event, moderated by Martel’s CEO Dr. Monique Calisti, focused on the intersection of Cloud, Edge, and IoT computing, discussing the management of services and data across the computing continuum. As the demand for cloud computing services and edge computing is projected to grow rapidly, the event recognized the importance of addressing new data processing needs at the edge and emphasized the integration of AI and Machine Learning.

“This event brought together ICT experts to share insights and shape the future of research for 2025-2027. Our focus on cloud, edge, and IoT computing reflects the evolving needs of the digital landscape in Europe. As we navigate this space together, it’s our shared knowledge, our collaborative spirit that will help us build a digitally inclusive future,” said Monique Calisti, CEO of Martel Innovate.

Concertation, collaboration and knowledge exchange

The first day of the event was concertation oriented, featuring numerous presentations and networking opportunities. There was an opportunity for Martel BV director Albert Seubers to present EUCloudEdgeIoT.eu, as Open Continuum’s coordinator.  Horizon Europe RIAs that started in 2023 pitched their projects and introduced future plans, while more mature projects shared their success stories and lessons learned. These presentations facilitated knowledge exchange and set the stage for future collaborations. A number of projects that Martel coordinates or manages the communications were present, such as FluiDOS, TardIS, Teadal, INCODE and ACES. Additionally, the cooperation mechanisms of EUCloudEdgeIoT (called “Task Forces”) were also presented, where Catarina Pereira, Martel BV Senior Dissemination and Communication Specialist, highlighted the importance of participating at the Communications’ Task Force, co-led by Open Continuum. Finally, the day ended with individual panels of three H2020 CSAs that nurtured the relevant communities before merging into the EUCloudEdgeIoT.eu initiative, with Giovanni Rimassa, Martel Innovate’s Chief Innovation Officer, moderating the HUB4CLOUD panel, as previous coordinator.

Guiding the future of Horizon Europe

On the second day, the focus shifted to consultation, with a goal to guide the thinking for the next Horizon Europe Work Programme (2025-2027). Short papers were selected through a Call for Expressions of Interest, showcasing research and innovation trends across academic researchers, industrial players, policy makers, and SMEs. The day concluded with discussions on future R&I priorities and plans, contributing to strategic R&I roadmaps. Martel Innovate’s CTO, Massimo Neri, also had the opportunity to present Martel’s expression of interest to the audience.

The event was a valuable opportunity for participants to learn from EU funded initiatives, showcase their work, establish contacts within the European Cloud, Edge and IoT community, and learn about industrial best practices. Attendees were able to contribute to shaping agendas and decisions on future investments, increasing the competitiveness of the European industry in the Cloud, Edge, and IoT domains.

The Concertation and Consultation on Computing Continuum event has undoubtedly advanced the conversation on the future of Cloud, Edge, and IoT computing. It is clear that as the boundaries between these domains blur, an open and inclusive society leveraging these technologies is within reach. At Martel, we are excited to walk this path with all our partners.