Exploring the power of open source: empowering collaboration and innovation

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Telekom Data Intelligence Hub had the opportunity to participate in the recent event for the working group “Cloud Services & Digital Ecosystems” by Bitkom, which served as fruitful ground for discussing how open source does not only foster the collaborative development of new software, but also lays the ground for diverse business models.  

Open Source needs open collaboration 

Open Source follows the principles of transparency, collaboration, and user empowerment. At the event, Michael Plagge from the Eclipse Foundation and Michael Leibfried from Red Hat opened the event by emphasizing the relevance of open source. They clarified how open source not only embodies user freedom, but also impulses innovation and progress. However, a fundamental aspect highlighted during the presentation was the indispensable role of open collaboration in realizing the full potential of open source initiatives. They emphasized the need for organizations to come together and cooperate to foster an ecosystem where ideas can grow and advancements can be shared – for many stakeholders to benefit. 

Image 1. Attendees of Bitkom event 

Success of open-source-based business: Catena-X 

Nina Popanton, Business Executive Development at Telekom Data Intelligence Hub and Matthias Buchhorn-Roth, Product Lead at Cofinity-X gave insights on how Catena-X's stakeholders embrace open-source-based business models, fostering collaboration and innovation across the automotive industry. This approach not only accelerated data-driven transformation within the automotive sector but also showcased the potential of open collaboration models to drive efficiency, transparency, and collective progress in complex industries. 

Matthias delved into the operational framework and governance principles of Cofinity-X as operating company for Catena-X. Moreover, he introduced Tractus-X and navigated attendees through the comprehensive offerings of the Cofinity-X marketplace. 

Afterwards, Nina showcased that Catena-X is also easily accessible and usable for smaller enterprises, enabled by managed services (easiest way to join the ecosystem) by Telekom Data Intelligence Hub. By doing so, T-Systems enables companies of all sizes along the supply chain to connect and share data according to Catena-X's data sovereignty protection.  

Image 2. Nina Popanton (TSI) during her session at Bitkom event  

At the end of the session, one success story was shared: the Catena-X sandbox. This product carbon footprint (PCF) pilot, developed in collaboration with Ford, Flex and IBM marks a significant milestone for data-driven innovation. Our pilot demonstrates live how the Catena-X dataspace overcomes the barrier of data sharing across organizations with built-in data sovereignty protection – parties that do not trust each other can protect their data rights and trust a data transaction. 

Interoperability and scalability through projects like IPCEI-CIS 

Later sessions, led by Ernst Stöckl-Pukall and Marco Schuldt of BMWK, underscored a clear message, the era of data silos is behind us, giving way to data sharing and collaborative ecosystems. BMWK shows this vision through its involvement in key projects such as Plattform Industrie 4.0, Manufacturing-X and IPCEI-CIS. This project, launched under the German Council Presidency and backed by collaboration from 12 Member States and over 100 partners, is key in bolstering Europe's digital and technological autonomy. 

At its core, IPCEI-CIS aims to forge a robust and sustainable "Multi-Provider Cloud-Edge Continuum" infrastructure, marking a fundamental shift in the prevailing landscape dominated by third-party providers. By prioritizing interoperability, portability, and scalability, the project seeks to create an advanced digital infrastructure that can seamlessly integrate various data processing solutions within the European Union, supporting emerging applications such as autonomous driving. 

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References 

Telekom Data Intelligence Hub. (n.d.). Telekom Data Intelligence Hub. Telekom Data Intelligence Hub    

Catena-X. (n.d.). Catena-X - Home Page. Catena-X 

Telekom Data Intelligence Hub (n.d.). Tailored-solutions for Catena-X. Telekom Data Intelligence Hub 

Langdon, C. S. (2024, January 23). PCF pilot with Catena-X Technology. Telekom Data Intelligence Hub.  

Eclipse Foundation (n.d.-c). Eclipse Foundation – Home Page.  Eclipse Foundation 

BMWK - Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. (n.d.). BMWK - Service menu. BMWK. 

BMWK - Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. (n.d.). What is Industrie 4.0?. Plattform Industrie 4.0. BMWK 

BMWK - Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. (n.d.-a). IPCEI next generation cloud infrastructures and services. BMWK.  

Bitkom (n.d.). Bitkom – Home Page. Bitkom 

RedHat. RedHatHome Page. RedHat 

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