2026 EDITION

Leveraging i-Spaces for data spaces operation, scaling and adoption

May 5, 2026 - 14:00 - 15:30

Room H1

Data Spaces full adoption is challenging. i-Spaces are well settled technology and competence hubs to support companies (especially SMEs) to learn, test and make business out of data economy. They seem the perfect match to feed each other: Data Spaces can use the i-Spaces for helping participants in the onboarding to (or building) Data Spaces; and i-Spaces can feed the Data Spaces with data, technology and services for the participants. This mutual relationship benefits the economical feasibility of both instruments, Data Spaces may scale up in data and participants and i-Spaces may expand their services for Data Spaces participants. i-Spaces are normally focused on a concrete geographical region and specific sectors, so they can be also used by Data Spaces in sectors to spread through the local ecosystem.

The session will include following sections:

Introduction of the journey that a SME should follow to build or get onboarded in a Data Space and how the various i-Spaces services can help it
Show me the journey – Some concrete examples of journeys are invited to the stage to present how in each case the i-Space has supported the SME in their journey towards the specific Data Space.
Interactive dialogue with various i-Spaces about their support to sectorial SMEs to be part of a Data Space – how has been the process, which help was received from the i-Space, where they found the main barriers and which advices they would give to other SMEs.
Your turn – the audience is invited to share their experience and share questions with all speakers.
Wrap up and closing – presentation of the survey results collected in parallel from audience during the whole session and the main wrap up messages.