Powering Europe’s tech future: from Quantum to Digital Skills

From digital skills and quantum strategy to groundbreaking innovation calls and inclusion in ICT, explore the latest initiatives shaping Europe’s technological future.

Author

BluSpecs
September 30th, 2025

🚀 From awards to expert panels: three days that matter for digital skills

This November, Brussels will host a landmark three-day gathering aimed at accelerating Europe’s digital transformation. The European Digital Skills Summits bring together policymakers, industry leaders, educators, and innovators to tackle one of Europe’s most pressing challenges: the digital skills gap.

With the EU targeting 20 million ICT specialists by 2030, up from just 10.3 million in 2024, these summits are crucial.

  • 12th of November with the European Digital Skills Awards Ceremony.

  • 13th of November, the Advanced Digital Skills Summit will feature the launch of the ADS State-of-Play report, expert panels on high-level skills demand and interactive networking opportunities.

  • 14th of November, focuses on the Connecting Women in Digital Summit, culminating in the exclusive WiD Forum Assembly.

Read the full agenda: https://20x30.advancedskills.eu/

These summits aren’t just about discussion, they are a catalyst for concrete action. Attendees leave with insights, partnerships, and a roadmap to drive digital skills development across Europe.

Be part of Europe’s digital future. Register today and join the conversation shaping the continent’s innovation landscape.

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AIOTI Days 2025: driving collaboration and innovation for cities 5.0 🏙️

How can AI, the continuum, and virtual twins reshape urban living into something more human-centric, sustainable, and resilient? That’s the central question driving AIOTI Days 2025, taking place on 22–23 September at Colegio de Aparejadores, Madrid. This flagship event brought together industry leaders, researchers, policymakers, and innovators to explore collaboration, standardisation, and green enablement, with a programme featuring thematic sessions, project showcases, and the GIECS Scientific Conference.

Tanya Suárez, CEO & Founder of IoT Tribe, took the stage as a Keynote Speaker. Alongside Damir Flipovic, she presented the INSTAR Standards initiative, a groundbreaking EU project strengthening Europe’s role in shaping global standards for AI, cybersecurity, digital identity, quantum, 5G, 6G, and IoT.

Learn more and register now: https://aioti.eu/aioti-days-2025/

Let us help you turn challenges into opportunities and unlock your business’s potential in a rapidly evolving world.

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💡 Thirty-three challenges. Eight pilots. One opportunity to shine.

The O-CEI Horizon project has opened its first Open Call, inviting SMEs and startups across Europe and Horizon Europe Associated Countries to submit their Cloud-Edge-IoT (CEI) solutions. This initiative targets companies working in the energy, automotive, and agrifood sectors, aiming to accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge digital solutions and strengthen Europe’s industrial leadership in connected technologies.

The Open Call offers up to €100,000 per selected project, alongside a 7-month support programme divided into three stages, providing technical mentoring, business guidance, and integration support. Selected projects will extend the functionalities of eight large-scale O-CEI pilots, tackling 33 innovation challenges ranging from energy efficiency and greener transport to smart mobility and sustainable agriculture. Eligibility requires TRL 6–7 solutions, posting metadata to the O-CEI marketplace, and contributing to open standards and cross-domain interoperability.

An informational webinar will be held on 17th October 2025, 10:00 CET to guide applicants.

Don’t miss out: submit your application by 19th November 2025, 17:00 CET and join a pioneering initiative shaping the future of Cloud-Edge-IoT in Europe.

Don't navigate strategic decisions alone. Connect with us for expert support and guidance!

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💻 In Madrid, the Open Source Community came together to shape Europe’s digital future

The Open Source Community Day 2025, co-organised by the Eclipse Foundation and the CEI-Sphere project, brought together Europe’s open source community in Madrid for two days of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation.

A central theme, voiced by the European Commission’s Rolf Riemenschneider, was the urgent need to build a sovereign Euro Stack to strengthen Europe’s autonomy and resilience. Across sessions, speakers highlighted that open source is not just about technology: it’s about community, interoperability, and strategic independence.

The event showcased EU-funded projects tackling some of Europe’s most pressing challenges. Highlights included:

  • O-CEI Horizon: creating an open CEI platform for energy efficiency

  • SPADE EU: leveraging AI and drones for sustainable agriculture

  • TwinEU: building a Pan-European Digital Twin for energy

  • CONNECT: advancing trust in cooperative and automated mobility

  • LICORICE: developing tools for self-sovereign digital identity

The message was clear: open source is a strategic enabler for Europe’s sustainable, secure, and sovereign digital future.

Ready to make informed decisions? Connect with us now and tap into our expertise!

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🤝 Inside the Dublin meeting shaping Europe’s ICT future

The LEADSx2030 consortium gathered at Trinity Business School, Dublin, for a pivotal meeting aimed at reviewing progress, refining strategies, and setting the stage for the year ahead.

The meeting opened with a detailed review of project milestones, deliverables, and upcoming objectives, ensuring that all partners remained aligned as the initiative moves into its second year.

A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to the project’s core engines: Ecosystem, Recommendation, and Data. Partners explored best practices, refined the ADS State-of-Play report, and shaped next-generation data dashboards to provide actionable insights.

Dedicated discussion sessions allowed partners to identify opportunities for maximising impact, from improving user engagement to enhancing cross-sector collaboration.

Stay connected and informed: read the full blog post and discover how LEADSx2030 is shaping Europe’s digital future.

Start a conversation today to see how our expertise aligns with your strategic goals.

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🌐 Quantum is here: Europe’s strategy is taking shape

On September 19, the QWave webinar, focusing on the QuIC Position Paper—a strategic roadmap aimed at establishing Europe as a global leader in quantum technologies.

The session featured key contributors to the Position Paper: Cécile Perrault (Alice & Bob), Tanya Suarez (BluSpecs) and Rober Harrison (Sonnenberg Harrison). These experts highlighted the critical need for coordinated governance, smarter investment strategies, and robust talent development to secure Europe's position in the quantum race.

Key Recommendations from the Position Paper:

  • Centralised Coordination: Establish a European Quantum Coordination Office to align national strategies, facilitate collaboration, and ensure efficient resource use.

  • Smarter Investment: Introduce transparent funding instruments, a dedicated European scale-up programme, and streamlined acquisition rules to support innovation.

  • Intellectual Property: Build open, collaborative ecosystems with trusted partners, strengthen legal frameworks, and leverage Europe's "quantum culture history" as a competitive edge.

  • Winning the Talent Race: Develop accessible resources, structured internship programmes, and university outreach to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

This comprehensive strategy underscores Europe's commitment to leading in quantum technologies, encompassing governance, investment, intellectual property, and talent development.

Reach out and tap into our expertise to fuel your strategic success.

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🧠 Quantum Europe: turning science into sovereignty by 2030 

The European Commission recently unveiled the “Quantum Europe Strategy: Quantum Europe in a Changing World”, aiming for Europe to become a global leader in quantum technologies by 2030. In response, the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC) released a detailed Position Paper, backed by nearly 60 industry experts, scientists, and policymakers, outlining how Europe can turn research excellence into industrial strength and technological sovereignty.

QuIC stresses that leadership requires more than lab breakthroughs. Europe must convert innovation into competitive products and industries, balancing top-down programmes with space for startups and SMEs, and providing access to specialised facilities to scale solutions. Success should be measured not just by qubit counts but by reliability, speed, scalability, and a robust “Made in Europe” value chain.

The paper calls for bold initiatives: a €2 billion per year Quantum Sovereignty Growth Fund, harmonised tax incentives, stronger IPO and merger pathways, and public anchor contracts to stimulate early demand. Skills, sustainability, and governance are central: expanding the European Quantum Skills Academy, fast-track visas, circularity in design, and a European Quantum Coordination Office to unify strategy across Member States.

Quantum technologies are a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Europe. Acting now could secure global leadership, economic growth, and innovation sovereignty.

Connect with us today and unlock the potential of our strategic expertise to drive your company forward.

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👩‍💻 From skills to careers: explore best practices that work

The Connecting Women in Digital’s Best Practice Repository is now live: a dedicated platform for sharing strategies that boost women’s participation in ICT and STEM careers.

The Repository brings together policymakers, NGOs, educational institutions, and private companies to explore proven approaches that create measurable impact. Key focus areas include:

  • Skills Development & Training: Programmes that upskill women in high-demand digital competencies.

  • Digital Career Pathways: Initiatives that guide women from education to employment in ICT sectors.

  • Equity & Access to Opportunities: Policies and projects that remove barriers and promote inclusive participation.

The Repository provides a practical resource for organisations looking to implement effective strategies, improve retention, and enhance career progression for women in digital roles.

If your organisation has launched an initiative with proven impact, you can submit your best practice to inspire others and help build a more inclusive digital ecosystem.

Sharing knowledge accelerates systemic change. The Repository not only highlights what works but also creates opportunities for collaboration across sectors, ultimately contributing to a stronger, more diverse, and competitive European digital economy.

Team up with us and explore the strategic pathways that will accelerate your company's success.