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In our tech-driven world, data is everywhere, with the potential to support decisions and make life better. But sharing data between industries to improve services is difficult – factors such as cultural understanding of data, privacy, rights, and security often get in the way. Enter DS2, a fresh project funded by the European Commission, which commenced January 2024 to build Europe's innovative modular system for connecting different industry data spaces. The goal of DS2 – DataSpace DataShare? Make data sharing across sectors easy, secure, and compliant with EU and other regulations.
HELSINKI, FINLAND, January 18, 2024 – DS2, a new project funded by the European Commission (+7M EUR), is on a mission to break down industry silos and unlock collaborative innovation by revolutionizing cross-sector data sharing. Led by VTT, the technical research center of Finland, the project brings together researchers, developers, and policymakers to create a standardized solution for sharing complex data between industries seamlessly and responsibly.
DS2 envisions the creation of a European, modular environment for connecting diverse industry dataspaces. Focusing on urban planning, precision agriculture, and air pollution sectors, the project aims to develop and test an Inter-sectoral Toolkit with common standards and tools for dataspace federation. The innovative approach will empower industries to overcome challenges related to sovereignty, interoperability, portability of data, and data protection, fostering a robust, secure, and connected data infrastructure across Europe.
The new network of linked dataspaces will facilitate faster and more complex collaboration across sectors, enabling actors to work together effortlessly to share, access, and utilize data for new applications, personalized services, and seamless experiences tailored to people's needs.
Specifically, DS2 will:
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Connect Everything: DS2 will create a toolkit to link up different data spaces, forming an interconnected ecosystem.
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Define Data Sharing Challenges: DS2 will determine the data sharing barriers between sectors and create a solution to solve them.
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Protect Data Owners: Tools and processes will be built to safeguard data owners' rights and comply with European data rules.
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Include Everyone: DS2 will use chatbot technology to keep humans involved in decision-making about data sharing when automation isn't the best solution.
Juha-Pekka Soininen, DS2's coordinator from VTT, states,
"In the ever-expanding realm of data, DS2 represents Europe’s commitment to forging a future where the sharing of data, including collaboration, innovation, and respect for data sovereignty, converge. Together, DS2 embarks on a transformative journey, building a foundation for responsible and interconnected cross-sector data sharing that empowers individuals, organizations, and society as a whole.”
The inaugural project meeting brought together partners from 17 organizations across 9 European countries, preparing the team for three years of hard work and collaboration on turning ideas into reality.
DS2 invites researchers, data specialists, policymakers, and the public to contribute to its solution. By working together, across different areas and cultures, DS2 will create a fair approach for sharing data seamlessly and responsibly. Join at www.dataspace2.eu.
Notes:
DS2 has received funding from the EU Horizon Europe Research and Innovation program CL4-2023-DATA-01 under grant agreement No.101135967, and by UK Research and Innovation under the UK government's Horizon funding guarantee.