NOUS is a Horizon Europe–funded initiative that aims to build a federated, sovereign European cloud ecosystem that seamlessly blends edge computing, High-Performance Computing (HPC) networks, and quantum resources. By enabling compute and storage capability from IoT devices to supercomputers, and managing data across the full lifecycle with trust, privacy, and governance, NOUS empowers researchers, public organizations, and enterprises to process and share large-scale data workloads across Europe without dependence on external cloud providers. The project's open-source architecture, secure "darknet" overlay, and interoperability with leading EU initiatives (Gaia-X, FIWARE, EOSC, Data Spaces) make it a cornerstone of Europe's digital sovereignty.
The goal of this conference is to bring together researchers, industry experts, and policymakers to explore the emerging landscape where HPC, edge computing, and quantum technologies converge. This interdisciplinary event provides a platform to discuss both the technical breakthroughs and the societal challenges associated with building the next generation of European cloud and data infrastructures. Participants will gain insights into recent progress in cloud-native architectures, blockchain-based data governance, distributed AI, and sustainable computing models that optimize energy efficiency across the computing continuum — from IoT devices to quantum processors. By fostering dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange, the conference aims to accelerate the development of a federated, secure, and sovereign digital ecosystem in Europe. It will also highlight how emerging technologies can reinforce digital autonomy, enhance data interoperability, and support Europe's leadership in trustworthy, sustainable, and open computing infrastructures.
Topics
- Edge and cloud computing for federated architectures
- High-performance computing integration and orchestration
- Quantum computing for hybrid cloud environments
- Decentralized data management and governance
- Standardization and interoperability in data and compute ecosystems
- Cybersecurity and zero-trust infrastructures
- AI across the computing continuum
- Federated and distributed machine learning
- Fog computing and multi-layer interoperability
- Blockchain and distributed ledger technologies
- Data spaces, data pools and data warehouse
- The economy of data
- Digital sovereignty and European cloud ecosystems
- Sustainable and energy-efficient computing
- Data governance and regulatory frameworks
- Interoperable digital twins and simulation frameworks
- AI-driven orchestration and resource optimization
- Trustworthy AI and explainability in distributed environments
- Data lifecycle management and FAIR data principles
- Cross-domain use cases and innovation ecosystems
