The third edition of the Data Spaces Symposium wrapped up in Warsaw last week. Co-organised by the Data Spaces Business Alliance (Big Data Value Association, FIWARE Foundation, International Data Spaces Association, and Gaia-X) and the Data Spaces Support Centre, the event was a huge success with over 800 participants from 40 countries. Taking place at the Hilton Hotel, many topics were discussed including the path to market for data spaces, the role of AI as a catalyst, and the critical need for data infrastructure rooted in European values.
Key Messages
From Blueprint to Implementation: 2025 is the Year to Deliver
- The DSSC Blueprint 2.0 and DSSC Toolbox was launched, providing 17 business, organisational, and technical building blocks and a catalogue of corresponding solutions to accelerate the deployment of data spaces.
- DSBA deliverables, providing complementary specifications and technology to implement the building blocks required to operationalise a data space, are ready for adoption. Let’s make use of these tools and enter the performing phase of data spaces!
Data Spaces have Arrived Globally
- With 800+ participants from 40 countries, the Symposium showcased the global adoption of data spaces with presentations on data space initiatives from China and Japan.
Data Spaces & AI: Strengthening the Connection
- Data spaces are a fundamental enabler for trustworthy and federated AI, with integrated datasets and models across Europe while preserving data sovereignty.
- AI and data space initiatives must collaborate to create real-world solutions. CitiVerse EDIC, for example, will use AI-driven insights to enhance urban planning through the European Data Space for Smart Communities.
Trust & Governance: The Foundation for Data Sharing
- Governance highlighted as key challenge to operationalisation—data can only move at the speed of trust.
- Automated conformity assessment and compliance mechanisms, such as the Gaia-X Trust Framework, will be key to enabling secure and scalable data sharing.
- The Internet Protocol serves as a model for how global agreements and common standards can drive interoperability at scale.
Economic Potential & Scaling Data Spaces
- The economic potential of data spaces is clear— Cross-border use cases and global value chains will be crucial in proving the business case for data sharing.
- Cross-data space/cross-sector interoperability is a key challenge to accelerate European competitiveness.
- Scaling data spaces requires clear business models, value propositions, and sustainability beyond public funding, providing real value (ROI) to participants so they actively engage.
- Easy onboarding is critical, particularly for SMEs, to ensure broad participation and prevent monopolistic control of data.
Public Sector Leadership & the Role of the EU
- Data spaces can break down silos and drive innovation, particularly in public administrations and strategic industries.
- Success requires not just technical frameworks but also a cultural shift—governments and organisations must increase visibility, raise awareness, and foster engagement at the national level.
- The European Commission’s EDIB (European Data Innovation Board) will play a key role in fostering EU–Member State collaboration to accelerate deployment.
- EDICs (European Digital Infrastructure Consortium) as a potential route for sustainability of European Common Data Spaces. For example, European Language Data Space shared how they will connect (as an evolution) with The Alliance for Language Technologies (ALT-EDIC)
Resources from the event:
- Day 1 photos and Day 2 photos
- Recordings (more to be added soon)
- Presentations