The FI-PPP demos in the ECFI Brussels exhibition attracted considerable interest
More than 200 participants from all over Europe gathered in Brussels on 2-3 April 2014 for the 1st European Conference on the Future Internet, ECFI. The Future Internet PPP had invited industry stakeholders and political stakeholders to discuss central socio-economic and technological topics of Future Internet infrastructures and services in Europe.
Opening session (from left): Ilkka Lakaniemi, FI-PPP chairman; Ajit Jaokar, EIF; John McSweeney, ESB; Juanjo Hierro, FI-WARE
One of the insights from the event was that Europe is quite competitive in the digital arena. In his opening presentation, Ilkka Lakaniemi, Chairman of the Future Internet PPP, presented study results by ETLA, the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy, according to which 7 out of the 10 most advanced countries in regard to digitalisation of business are from Europe. Based on this, he expects a considerable impact of the FI-PPP on European growth and competitiveness an called the FI-PPP an engine for growth.
Panel discussion on how the Future Internet will drive innovation in Europe (from left): David Kennedy, Eurescom; Mario Campolargo, EC; Patrice Chazerand, Digital Europe; Ilkka Lakaniemi, FI-PPP chairman
This set the tone for the 12 conference sessions, in which speakers from the nine FI-PPP projects and from a variety of political and industry stakeholder organisations, including Digital Europe and the European Internet Foundation, presented and discussed results and foresight on how Europe can achieve global leadership in ICT by 2020 through innovative Internet technologies. As proof of the high business relevance of the FI-PPP, several speakers from SMEs alreading using FI-PPP technologies explained how these technologies help them become more competitive.
Smart Grid demo at the stand of FI-PPP project FINESCE
At the 8 project stands in the exhibition, the participants got first-hand insights into the cutting-edge research results on the European Internet infrastructures and services of the future, which have been developed in the Future Internet Public-Private Partnership (FI-PPP).
Further information
Videos interviews from the exhibition
ECFI reflections by Peter Fatelnig, EC, and Ilkka Lakaniemi, FI-PPP chairman
Interview with Eurescom Director David Kennedy on the FI-PPP
Presentations slides from ECFI conference sessions in pdf format
Please access the respective session page and click on the session titles to access the pdf files
