EDIH Summit 2026: Strengthening the AI Innovation Ecosystem | Live From Brussels
The European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) Summit 2026 opened in Brussels with a focus on “AI continent Europe” – a concerted effort to cement the EU’s AI innovation ecosystem. Hosted by the European Commission’s tech‑sovereignty office, the agenda combined fireside chats, panels, awards and a keynote on turning experimental AI into scalable business value. Organizers highlighted that AI adoption by European companies jumped 50 % in 2025, yet 83 % of small firms and 70 % of midsize enterprises still do not use AI. The network of more than 200 hubs has already delivered 100 000 services to 50 000 entities and performed 30 000 digital‑maturity assessments, underscoring both progress and the remaining gap. Commissioner Henne Virkinen stressed that Europe leads in AI diffusion but must avoid complacency, while Gosia Nikowska noted the hubs’ role in the new Tech Sovereignty Package and the forthcoming Cloud and AI Development Act. A keynote from Ulla Kruse Lehtonen echoed Bill Gates’ view that “how well” companies use AI will determine competitive advantage. The summit calls for deeper collaboration, scaling of successful pilots, and a sustainable financing model as the EU negotiates its multi‑annual budget. With the launch of European AI Innovation Month and the Apply AI summit slated for November, the next phase aims to turn the 83 % non‑adopter figure into widespread, trustworthy AI uptake across Europe’s economy.
ARIA Wisecow Estonia
ARIA Wisecow Estonia unveiled its WCO platform, a dual‑track solution aimed at digitizing livestock management. The system splits into WCO Find, a workflow tool that tracks animals in real time, and WCO Health, a precision‑health monitor that attaches a skin‑implant sensor during...
ARIA Bodenkoffer Austria
The video introduces the "Bodenkoffer," a portable field kit developed in Austria’s Oberinviertel Mattigtal region. Designed for farmers, the device conducts physical, chemical, and biological soil analyses directly on the ground and links to a mobile app for instant digital...
SEA-SPINE: High-Speed Submarine Backbone for Islands of the Aegean Sea
The CPIN (Connectivity for the Islands of the North) project aims to lay a high‑speed submarine backbone linking eleven Greek islands across the northern, central and southern Aegean Sea. The plan calls for seven new undersea fiber‑optic cables spanning roughly 563 km,...
Digital Skills and Jobs Platform: Find or Share Digital Skills Training Opportunities in Europe
The European Commission has unveiled the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform’s Training Catalogue, consolidating hundreds of courses in AI, cybersecurity, data, cloud and related fields for learners across Europe. The catalogue serves both individuals seeking upskilling and training providers looking...
Digital Skills Talks 19th Episode ''GovTech: Skills for the Next Generation of Public Services
The 19th episode of Digital Skills Talks focused on GovTech and the skill gaps hampering the digital transformation of European public administrations. Host Nathan Kvalo interviewed Stefanos, a programming manager at the European Commission, and Jan Luca, scientific director of...
CEF Digital Funding for Cable Projects of European Interest CPEIs
The European Commission unveiled a €347 million SEF Digital programme aimed at bolstering the security and repair capacity of submarine cable backbones deemed Cable Projects of European Interest (CPEIs). The move follows an assessment that cable incidents are set to increase...
Apply AI Sectoral Deep Dive - Agrifood, Climate & Environment
The European Commission’s Apply AI webinar highlighted the rollout of its AI‑first strategy within the agri‑food sector, aiming to boost competitiveness, sustainability and public‑good outcomes. Speakers from DG Agri and DG Connect explained how the policy encourages businesses to embed AI...
Croatia’s Quantum Communication Project Advances Ultra-Secure Connectivity
The video announces Croatia’s launch of a quantum communication testbed in Zagreb, the first node of a pan‑European ultra‑secure network envisioned by the European Commission. The initiative aims to create a quantum‑enabled layer that safeguards data transmission for governments, banks...
Growing up Online: Youth Dialogue with EVP Henna Virkkunen
The session, titled “Growing up online: Youth Dialogue with EVP Henna Virkkunen,” brought together European youth, policy‑makers and tech leaders to discuss how artificial intelligence and digital platforms are reshaping daily life and European sovereignty. Participants highlighted that AI now mediates...
Celebrating One Year of the AI Pact Community
The video marks the one‑year anniversary of the AI Pact, a voluntary coalition of more than 3,200 organizations committed to early adoption of the European Union’s AI Act provisions. The community brings together a cross‑section of industries to share practical...
Connecting Women in Digital | International Women's Day 2026
The European Union convened a high‑profile forum on International Women’s Day to examine the persistent gender gap in the digital sector. Speakers from the European Commission, Parliament and industry highlighted that women account for just 19% of ICT specialists, a...
Digital Skills Talks 18th Episode '’Learning and Teaching in the Age of AI"
The Digital Skills and Jobs Platform hosted its 18th Digital Skills Talk on 30 January, focusing on learning and teaching in the age of artificial intelligence. The session featured Dr. Marjana Prifti Skenduli, AI Albania founder, and Simona Petkova, a...
5G4LIVES: Protecting Lives and the Environment in Riga and Turin
European municipalities in Riga and Turin are piloting the 5G4LIVES initiative, a hybrid private 5G network designed to boost public‑safety capabilities and environmental monitoring. The project tackles divergent topographies—flat lake‑level terrain in Latvia and hilly, mountainous zones in Italy—by tailoring...
PISCES: A Subsea Cable System Connecting Portugal, Ireland, France and Spain
The Pisces subsea cable system is a new 3,000‑kilometre, 16‑pair fiber network that directly connects Ireland’s west coast with Portugal, and via branching units, with Spain and France. Designed as an open‑access, multi‑user platform, the system offers six distinct routes—Ireland‑Portugal, Ireland‑Spain,...