Gaia–X Hub Slovakia is a leader in Digital Transformation and Data Economy in Slovakia, organising events and meetings to explain what is happening in Data Economy abroad. For Slovak companies and public sector, we present the best way to understand well Data Spaces, Data economy, Digital Decade and how data could help the twin transition. This strong network around the Gaia – X brings the new ideas, innovations, and creativity from abroad to Slovakia ´s companies, universities, and other stakeholders.
Our main aim is to make understand and to accelerate digital transformation in Slovakia by involving the companies, universities, and public bodies in creation of Data Spaces’ projects supported by different programmes as Horizon Europe, Digital Europe Programme, and others.
It is very challenging journey for several reasons:
- the majority understands Gaia–X as a European Cloud, not as a framework.
- most of the people are not familiar with open source.
- and the last one, it is quite complicated to understand Data Spaces and the whole European ecosystem.
So, Gaia – X Hub Slovakia is a mentor and motivator to be a part of this big momentum around the Gaia – X. As Slovakia is motivated to pass successfully Digital transformation, organisation such as Gaia–X, initiated by Europe could help Slovakia and whole European Single market to be successful in this way forward.
Gaia – X Hub Slovakia, which was established by Industry Innovation Cluster and Ministry of Investment, Regional Development, and Informatics of the Slovak Republic (MIRRI) in 2021, now is also the bridge between another European initiatives and sectors. As for example, we were the catalysator for the creation of EIT M Slovakia – X Fund, which has for the aim to support Slovakian ecosystem in digital transformation of manufacturing sector. There are the activities with the State dedicated budget which should be increased with other possible activities and funds. The possibility to add another ministry such as the Ministry of economy is also open. This is a nice example how Europe and members State could create and be a strong supporter of Digital transformation by a strong, transparent cooperation. Only by the real cooperation between all of us, we could reach the twin transition successfully.
Even Slovakia produces the highest numbers of the cars by habitant in the world, we remain a small country and addressing the complexity of the world with the actual wave of crises generates several issues. Consequently, Gaia–X Hub Slovakia can also participate to bringing knowledge, expertise, and information about this whole ecosystem in data economy.
So, we take this role seriously demonstrated by real facts such as for example by becoming also the IDSA Hub Slovakia in October this year, which will promote the common cooperation between Gaia–X and International Data Spaces Association (IDSA). This will strengthen Slovakia in understanding data economy ´s network and opportunities for business, life, and society.
So, good luck to Gaia–X and other organisations to create our digital open, human centric, secure, and FAIR future.