european economics at the 8ra Annual Summit 2026 in Rotterdam
The european economics team attended the 8ra Annual Summit 2026, held on 19 and 20 March 2026 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Dedicated to the 8ra initiative and its role in developing the next generation of cloud infrastructure and services in Europe, the event brought together partners from the IPCEI-CIS, representatives from the European Commission, Member States, cloud providers, industrial players and key stakeholders from the European digital ecosystem.
Over two days, the summit provided a strategic forum for discussions on the cloud-edge continuum, digital sovereignty, European competitiveness and the public funding mechanisms required to support large-scale technological projects.
A summit dedicated to the future of cloud and edge in Europe
The 8ra Annual Summit 2026 was part of a clear momentum to accelerate the development of a European cloud and edge ecosystem capable of addressing sovereignty, interoperability, performance and competitiveness challenges.
The first day, 19 March, was dedicated to the IPCEI CIS General Assembly, a session reserved for IPCEI-CIS partners, representatives of the European Commission and Member States. Discussions focused on project progress, key updates and the strategic roadmap for IPCEI initiatives.
The second day, 20 March, was open to a broader audience as part of the 8ra Open Conference. It brought together IPCEI-CIS partners, cloud providers, technology companies, public decision-makers and other European stakeholders to explore the potential of the 8ra initiative and its deployment perspectives.
The 8ra initiative at the heart of the European cloud-edge continuum
The 8ra initiative aims to contribute to the development of a multi-provider European cloud-edge environment, capable of supporting the growing needs of businesses, public administrations and industrial sectors in terms of data, computing, connectivity and advanced digital services.
Sessions, project pitches and interactive workshops highlighted several key topics: digital sovereignty, European cloud policies, synergies with other EU funding programmes, future digital IPCEIs, exploitation of IPCEI-CIS results and cooperation between public and private stakeholders.
These discussions confirmed the importance of a coordinated approach to build a more competitive, resilient and sovereign European digital infrastructure.
A strong track record in IPCEIs and public funding
Since 2009, european economics has supported strategic projects across Europe, with recognised expertise in structuring innovative projects, State aid, IPCEIs and securing public funding.
To date, european economics has helped secure more than €43 billion in funding, supported 250 strategic projects since 2009, and secured €16 billion in IPCEI State aid for 150 supported projects across 11 IPCEIs in 13 Member States. With a 100% success rate on individual notifications.
In the context of cloud, edge and critical digital infrastructure, our expertise enables companies to transform technological roadmaps into fundable projects aligned with European priorities.
Concrete discussions on cloud and edge investments
For european economics, the 8ra Annual Summit provided a valuable opportunity to engage with public decision-makers, industrial players, cloud providers and digital innovation stakeholders on the conditions for successful cloud-edge projects in Europe.
Discussions notably covered public funding mechanisms, IPCEI frameworks, large-scale investments in digital infrastructure and cross-border cooperation between companies and Member States.
By bringing together IPCEI-CIS partners, European institutions, Member States, cloud providers and industrial stakeholders, the 8ra Annual Summit 2026 provided a concrete platform to strengthen the European cloud community and advance strategic projects essential to the continent’s digital sovereignty.
Would you like to assess the public funding potential of your cloud, edge or digital infrastructure project in Europe? Contact us to arrange a meeting.
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