Digital Innovation Networks are multi-disciplinary and multi-sector networks of people, technologies and enterprises aiming to advance Internet technology and innovation processes to address key socio-economic challenges and opportunities.

A major challenge for the Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative is to understand how progressive digitisation and the evolution of the Internet affect society – what existing and future opportunities there are to be exploited, and what threats need to be defended against. The EC has already identified some concerns regarding the current situation of the Internet, e.g. power is concentrated in a few large corporate organisations; citizens cannot control their own personal data in the Internet; and restrictions on Internet access to some groups of citizens because of geographical, economic or cultural reasons (European Commission Futurium, Next Generation Internet). These are valuable starting points, but to be sure that the NGI initiative is and continues to be effective, these concerns need to be explored alongside further emerging challenges and opportunities.

Experience has shown that the Internet evolves through widely adopted experimentation approaches that engage active users and communities rather than through purely technological advances invented in closed laboratories. The NGI initiative needs to understand how progressive digitisation and the evolution of the Internet influences these experimentation approaches as well as Digital Innovation Networks, how they all can combine to shape the process of innovation itself, and how successful products and services can emerge as a result.

The Digital Innovation Networks Forum aims to create a strongly connected pan-European ecosystem that collectively understands what is needed to build digital innovation networks for the NGI, and how they can operate to address the major challenges for society as a result of progressive digitisation and the evolution of the Internet.

This will be achieved by gathering leading Internet Researchers and Innovators to share their NGI vision, opportunities and concerns through presentations, debates and interactive round tables. Technical, socio-economic and innovation topics will be covered leading to identification of the research challenges ahead and recommendations for digital innovation network structure and policies.

The Forum is part of wider consultation programmes from the FIRE STUDY and HUB4NGI support actions, whose results will inform the EC’s NGI initiative.

Main Goals of the Digital Innovation Networks Forum

• To identify the major opportunities and challenges for society as a result of progressive digitisation and the evolution of the Internet.
• To identify the vision for the NGI initiative.
• To build consensus on challenges, aspirations and research areas that the NGI should prioritise through opinions and knowledge from experts.
• To help establish and grow the NGI ecosystem.
• To engage all stakeholders needed for successful NGI digital innovation networks.
• To support transition of current research communities such as FIRE, CAPPS, FIWARE etc. towards the NGI.
• To give guidance on how to get involved in the NGI initiative.

   

Why should you attend the Digital Innovation Networks Forum?

• You will participate in debates injecting needs, opportunities and research topics into the NGI R&D priorities and agenda.
• You will engage with the NGI ecosystem, networking with leading researchers and innovators in Europe, and building contacts for collaborations.
• You will find opportunities to get involved in NGI research and innovation

   

Who should attend?

Internet Researchers and Innovators, SMEs, Start-ups, Internet technology providers, Policy Makers, Investors.

Co-location with the Net Futures 2017

The Digital Innovation Networks Forum will be a pre-event of the Net Futures 2017 and will be held in Brussels on the 27th June (13:30h – 17:30h).

Registration is free, but places are limited so don’t forget to book your spot!