Data Sovereignty

T-Systems has launched Connect & Integrate “Developer edition”, a streamlined environment designed to accelerate Catena-X application development. By removing barriers such as connector setup, compliance alignment, and semantic validation, the platform provides out-of-the-box connectivity with Catena-X–compliant APIs, guided workflows, and built-in compliance tools. Developers gain immediate access to secure, standardized data exchange without managing complex infrastructure, enabling them to focus on building innovative solutions across key use cases like traceability, carbon footprint, and demand management. Positioned as an innovation catalyst, the “Developer edition” empowers startups, integrators, and enterprises to rapidly deliver production-ready applications and drive Catena-X adoption across the automotive value chain.

T-Systems’ Connect & Integrate solution is now fully compatible for the latest Catena-X “Saturn” release, effective November 25, 2025. This milestone enhances secure, cross-company data exchange in the automotive industry by introducing updated standards, stronger interoperability, and robust policy management. Saturn certification enables participants to confidently adopt Catena-X use cases ranging from certificate management to advanced traceability and carbon footprint tracking. With backward compatibility, cloud-agnostic design, and vendor independence, Connect & Integrate ensures scalability for SMEs and global enterprises alike. T-Systems provides expert guidance to support smooth migration from the previous “Jupiter” version, empowering organizations to unlock the full potential of Catena-X Saturn.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy’s conference “From Silos to Ecosystems – Creating Europe’s Digital Momentum” (Berlin, 5–6 Nov 2025) highlighted Europe’s unique opportunity to lead in industrial data ecosystems powered by dataspace technology. While Europe may not compete at scale in general-purpose foundation models, it holds a strategic advantage in sovereign, cross-industry data sharing. Keynotes and panels emphasized the urgency of data readiness, with Oliver Ganser (BMW, Catena‑X) calling for accelerated adoption to maintain Europe’s lead. Practical workshops showcased initiatives such as Manufacturing‑X, Industrial AI, and the IPCEI on Cloud Infrastructure and Services, while RoX demonstrated early prototypes for AI‑based robotics dataspaces. The event underscored that Europe’s digital momentum will hinge on scaling industrial ecosystems, anchoring them in local clusters, and expanding across supply chains to unlock new growth opportunities.

T-Systems, co-founder of Cofinity-X, is accelerating supplier onboarding into Catena-X—the world’s first standardized, collaborative data ecosystem for the automotive industry. Since October 2023, Cofinity-X has enabled secure access to over 45 certified apps supporting sustainability, quality, and supply chain resilience. As a certified Onboarding Service Provider (OSP), T-Systems offers scalable, secure integration through its modular Connect & Integrate solution and a referral program valid through 2025. With growing adoption across Europe, North America, and China, and mandates from OEMs like BMW and Ford, Catena-X is becoming essential for compliance and digital transformation. T-Systems will showcase its onboarding capabilities at IAA MOBILITY 2025 alongside Cofinity-X.

T-Systems has achieved qualification for four key roles within the Catena-X automotive data ecosystem, becoming its largest service provider as of April 2025. With over 25 certified advisors operating across four continents, the company now offers comprehensive support as a Business Application, Advisory, Enablement, and Onboarding Service Provider.

Interoperability in manufacturing is often misunderstood. Not because companies doubt its importance, but because it's difficult to visualize what success looks like. This blog uses simple analogies to explain the core challenges: outdated machines that can’t “speak” to modern systems, and people hesitant to share data without context or trust. With solutions like Asset Administration Shells and Data Spaces, manufacturers can unlock hidden value, foster secure collaboration, and take real steps toward digital transformation.

T-Systems and NTT are shaping the future of trusted global data exchange by combining telecom-grade infrastructure with federated identity and dataspace interoperability. Their joint contributions to the IDSA paper and cross-border testbeds between Europe and Japan show how telcos can drive secure, scalable, and regulation-compliant data collaboration across ecosystems. This approach supports real-world use cases like Digital Product Passports, predictive maintenance, and circular economy models—laying the groundwork for a network of sovereign, interoperable digital infrastructures.

Manufacturing is undergoing a digital revolution, yet many transformation initiatives stall due to a fundamental problem: data trapped in silos. The real roadblock isn't AI or lack of tools, but interoperability—the ability of systems, teams, and companies to understand and trust each other's data. This article explores why traditional approaches fail and introduces Manufacturing Data Spaces as the missing foundation. Data Spaces provide a secure, sovereign framework for controlled data sharing across plants and partners—without giving up ownership. From energy efficiency to predictive maintenance and compliance reporting, real-world examples show how manufacturers can unlock value while preserving control. We explore the layers of interoperability, human concerns, key enabling technologies like AAS and OPC UA, and how to get started with pilots that deliver real ROI. For manufacturers, building trust-based data collaboration isn’t just a tech upgrade—it’s a strategic move that defines future competitiveness in an increasingly connected industry.

At Hannover Messe 2025, Deutsche Telekom’s Data Intelligence Hub showcased its Dataspace-as-a-Service and “dataphone” products across five exhibits and eleven live demos, demonstrating real-world use cases in automotive, robotics, and industrial ecosystems. With strategic investments into the core dataspace network, foundational infrastructure, and data-layer super-apps, Telekom is driving scalable, secure, and standards-based data collaboration. Whether joining Catena-X, building internal dataspaces, or forming cross-industry data ecosystems, enterprises now have proven tools to unlock value from their data with full governance, interoperability, and sovereignty.