An alliance for Internet of Things Innovation is born

The Internet of Things (IOT) has become a key force for the transformation of modern-day business and society. According to Gartner, almost 5 billion devices will be connected in 2015, reaching 25 billion in 2020. Saving energy, reducing traffic jams and improving the quality of health care are just some of the benefits that can be gained by users through these technologies.

It is estimated that the income generated in the EU by the Internet of Things will reach 400 million by 2015, and that this figure will increase to more than one trillion euros in 2020. The IoT will allow companies to change their traditional business models thanks to new services, combining the profits from the sale of products with the value added generated by digital service.

It is estimated that the income generated in the EU by the Internet of Things will reach 400 million by 2015, and that this figure will increase to more than one trillion euros in 2020. The IoT will allow companies to change their traditional business models thanks to new services, combining the profits from the sale of products with the value added generated by digital service.

These figures show the importance of the sector and the need to join forces. For this reason, the European Commission has taken advantage of the Net Features 2015 International Congress to launch an Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation (AIOTI), of which Telefónica is a part. The presentation event was chaired byGünther Oettinger, European Commissioner for the Digital Economy & Society. Thanks to this new platform, different actors in the field of IOT will contribute to making Europe the world leader in this field and enhance the creation of a single digital market for the IoT in the European Union.

The new alliance for Internet of Things innovation (AIOTI) brings together companies from different sectors along with some of the largest technology companies in Europe such as Nokia, Siemens, Telefónica, IBM, Cisco and Samsung among others. The next step will see the incorporation of SMEs and startups to the coalition.

For its part, Telefónica has been chosen to be part of the new alliance’s Executive Board, and to chair the Smart Cities working group. Telefónica I+D will be the company’s representative of the company in this field.

In addition to Smart Cities activities, AIOTI will have working groups on IoT standardisation, governance policies (trust, security, responsibility and privacy), smart environments for older people (smart home), smart agriculture and food security, wearables, smart water management, smart mobility (smart transportation and connected cars) and smart manufacturing.

This release seeks to improve innovation in the industry and promote the European ecosystem of IoT research. The European Commission has recently published a call for applications for project financing endowed with 51 million euros. The Alliance will also support the development of policies and dialogue within the IoT community. In short, the goal is to prepare a framework for future research in the field of the Internet of Things and thus promote innovation, standardisation and the creation of a regulatory framework.

Some of the goals set by the AIOTI include: Definition and design of large scale IoT pilots (LSP) which will be financed by the European Union’s European innovation program H2020 of the European Union. These pilots can focus on areas such as the environment, Smart Cities and mobile.

More information on European Union IoT initiatives here.