European Commission

National Contact Point in Poland

Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Center

HUB4NGI

The Next Generation Internet workshop Widen the European space of life and work Workshop Report 8 June 2017 Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center ul. Jana Pawła II 10 61-139 Poznań Poland

Introduction The European Commission in collaboration with the Polish National Contact Point, PoznanSupercomputingandNetworkingCenterandtheHub4NGIProjectorganizedaworkshopinsupportoftheECNextGenerationInternet(NGI)initiative.

Background and purpose TheNextGenerationInternet,akeypriorityinH2020ICTworkprogramme2018-2020willensureamorehuman-centric InternetsupportingEuropeanvaluesofopenness,cooperationacrossborders,decentralisation, inclusiveness,transparencyandprotectionofprivacy.TheNGI initiativeisabroadandlong-terminitiative,mostlyfocusingonnewtechnologyareasasforexampleabetterprotectionfor private data, new internet architectures, decentralized data systems and new discovery andidentification tools.These technologies,developedbypeopleand forpeople,willwidenour spaceforlifeandworkinfutureEurope.

Togetherwith(young)researchers,start-ups,SMEsandsocialinnovatorstheEuropeanCommissionwill push the development of these new Internet technologies based on an agile and flexibleprogrammeapproachtoshapetheInternetofthefuture.

As part of the presentation of the Next Generation Internet, an NGI workshop was organised inPoznan(Poland)onthe8thofJune2017.

Thepurposeoftheworkshopwastoexploreopportunitiesforresearch,industryandSMEs/start-upsfor collaboration within the scope of the NGI initiative. Renowned speakers, open andmultidisciplinary discussions andWorld Café tables as the key elements of the workshop agendahelpedtheattendeestobetterunderstandthecurrentsituationoftheNGIinitiativeandparticipateindebatesprioritizingandshapingthefutureevolutionoftheNGI.

Maingoalsoftheworkshopwere:

• Toidentifythemajoropportunitiesandchallengesforsociety,researchandprivatesectors;• ToidentifythethreemaintopicstheNGIinitiativeneedstoaddressinthenearfuture;• To help formulating expectations from the NGI initiative (as individuals but also as

representativesofacertainsector);• TohelpestablishandgrowtheNGIecosystem.

Programme

11:00 TheNGI Initiative,context,plansandactionsof theEuropeanCommission (Speakers:GeorgiosTselentisandNicoleMuessigmann,EuropeanCommission)

11:30 A start-up's view on NGI: needs and expectations (Speaker: Michał Majewski , CEOPublishSoSimply,startup)

11:45 The research perspective: Trends and topics that NGI should embrace (Speaker:Krzysztof Walas, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Institute of Control and InformationEngineering(ICIE),FacultyofElectricalEngineering,PoznanUniversityofTechnology)

12:00 Civil society needs and expectations: What does NGI do for the people (Speaker:MarcinBorkowski,CityDevelopmentDepartment,PoznańCity)

12:15 HUB4NGI(Speaker:BartoszBelter,PSNC)

12:30 Q&APanel

12:45 Buffetlunch

13:15 WorldCaféin3subgroups:research,civilsocietyandstartups–moderatedbyRichardStevens (IDC),MariaChiaraCampodonico(Martel Innovate)andNicoleMuessigmann(EuropeanCommission)

14:15 WorldCaféWrap-upincludingQ&A

15:00 Closing+optionaltechnologytour

16:15 Endofmeeting

Presentations from the main track of the workshop The first five presentations, as part of the main track of the workshop, set the context andprovided thematerial for the following parallel sessions run asWorld Café tables. The list ofpointspresentedherecollectsthemain informationgivenbythepresentations(theslideset isavailableontheHub4NGIwebsite1).

• TheNGIInitiative,context,plansandactionsoftheEuropeanCommissiono WhyNGI?

§ 1)Radicallynewfunctionalities,2)Aninternetforthepeople.o NGIInitiative–initialphaseintheperiod2018–2020.o Important input from communities: Open consultation (questionnaire) 10th Nov

2016–9thJan2017(60days),449responses.§ https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/ngi-consultation-

outcome-reporto ImplementationoftheNGIvision:

§ 3 initial NGI research nodes (technology domains): 1) Privacy EnhancingTechnologies,2)De-centralisedGovernance,3)Discoveryand IdentificationTechnologies.

o MoreNGIresearchnodeswillbelaunchedin2019.o Actionsineachnode:cascadingfunds,opencalls,pan-Europeanactivities.o NGIcommunicationplatform:FUTURIUM.

§ https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/next-generation-interneto Comment from the audience: Cascading funding might be difficult to accept by

institutions which do not (or cannot because of some reasons) allocate theirresourcesonly forshortperiodof time.Butontheotherhandthiskindof fundingwill force changes in inflexible structures andprocedures tobemoredynamic andadaptable.

• Astartup’sviewonNGI–needsandexpectations1Slidesetfromtheworkshop:https://www.hub4ngi.eu/event/ngi-workshop-poznan/?instance_id=17

o Startups need easy and affordable access to technology hardware (advancedinfrastructure),softwareandclouds.

o Teamworkandcooperationarekeyaspects–startupsneedpartnersandtrust.o Changesarerapidsolegislationmustadapt.o and…fundingisalwayscrucial,especiallyinthecontextofcostsofICTtechnologies.

• Theresearchperspective(Robotics):TrendsandtopicsthatNGIshouldembraceo Industry 4.0 is a big change – next phase in the digitization of themanufacturing

sector.o Industry4.0reliesheavilyonInternetservices.o Latestroboticresearchisgettingtothepointwhereknowledgeissharedacrossthe

network.o Exploitationoftheknowledgeavailable intheInternetforfasterandbetterrobotic

learning.• Civilsocietyneedsandexpectations(CityofPoznań):WhatdoesNGIdoforthepeople

o PoznańDevelopmentStrategy§ Ongoingactualizationprocess,§ consultations (workshops, interviews, conferences, debates, panels of

experts,highnumberinvolvedstakeholders,etc.),§ prioritiesidentified.

o Poznań creates an ecosystem of smart city (e-administration electronic services,digitalmap,on-linetransmissions,digitalsolutionsforpublictransport,publicfunds,etc.).

o Challenges for public services identified and used as an input for planning andactions.

o LongandclosecooperationwithPSNC.o WebsiteofPoznan:http://www.poznan.pl/mim/main/en/

• TheHUB4NGIprojecto Objectives:

§ ContributetogroundtheNGIvision,definingresearchscopeandpriorities,buildingthecommunityandengagingkeyplayers.

§ Facilitate contributions to theNGI from technological opportunities arisingfromcross-linksandadvancesinvariousrelatedR&Dfields.

§ Contribute to the NGI roadmap definition to help shaping and defining itsfuture,includingrecommendationsforWP2018-2020andFP9.

o TheHUB4NGIPlannedActivities:§ Encourageengagementoftop-notchResearchersandInnovators.§ HelpgrowingtheNGIecosystembyembracingrelevantR&Dinitiatives.§ ContributetoshapetheNGIR&Dagendaandmethodologies.§ Facilitateexchangeandpromotionofknow-howacrossthecommunity.§ Assistinthecoordinationofstrategicandtechnicalactivities.

o The projects builds the interactive onlinemapwhichwill include key projects andactorsrelevanttoNGI.

o WebsiteofHUB4NGI:https://www.hub4ngi.eu/

World Café Discussions The workshop participants (37 registrations; see the figure below presenting how many peoplerepresented specific stakeholder groups2) attended 3 parallel sessions and provided valuableanswersandcommentsduringfruitfuldiscussionsfor3questionsinthefollowing3contexts:

• Research,• Civilsociety,• Startups.

QuestionsfortriggeringdiscussionsatWorldCafétables:

1. WhatarethemostimportanttechnologiesandthemesforNGI?2. Whoarethemostimportantstakeholders?3. Whatarethemostprobablebusinessmodels?

Theworkshopattendeesweredivided into3groups.Eachgroupspent20minutesataCaféTable,discussingthequestionsraisedbyadedicatedmoderator.AllworkshopparticipantsvisitedallCafé

2Amongbusinessparticipants,2representedstartups.

Business;10

Univerities;8Research

institutions;14

EuropeanCommision;2

PolishNationalContactPoint;2

Cityadministration;1

DISTRIBUTIONOFWORKSHOPPARTICIPATION

Tables and were able to express their comments/questions/suggestions on the NGI vision andstrategy.

The following section presents the summary of contributions and discussions at the World Cafétables.

Research

WhatarethemostimportanttechnologiesandthemesforNGI?

• MachinelearningandArtificialIntelligence• Datamining• Privacyofdata• Networkneutrality• Automationandrobotics• Legalframeworkforalltechnologicalaspects• Internetforhumans/naturallanguageinteraction• Human-humancommunication• GDPR–GeneralDataProtectionRegulations• Compressionalgorithmsformediausecases• UnifiedprotocolsforIoT/IoTsecurity• ResearchInfrastructureasaservice• Freeaccesstopersonaldata• Newidentificationtools• Post-OSInetworkmodelswithbackwardcompatibility

Whoarethemostimportantstakeholders?

• People• Specialist• Students• Customers• Communitydriven• SMEs(notonlybigcompanies)• Tech-transfercentres• Incubators• Industry4.0• Smartcities• Clusters• Max-PlankInstitutes• Dataholders(Google,Facebook)• Researchunits• CivilSociety• Citizen’sscience(e.g.Wikipedia)

Whatarethemostprobablebusinessmodels?

• Fairtrade• Standards• Supportfromthegovernment• Federatedmodel• Dataascurrency(exchangeofdata)• Bartering(exchangeofresources)• Openinnovations(bigcompanieswithexternalresources)• Knowledgeasaservice• Competencecentres

Civil society

WhatarethemostimportanttechnologiesandthemesforNGI?

• Thefirstgroupofattendeesemphasisedprivacy,transparencyandsecurity.Peoplehavetherighttoknowwherethedatacollectedbyserviceprovidersarestoredandwhohascontroloverthem.

• Legislationmustbeadapted.DatashouldbeprotectedthesamewayineachEUcountry.• “Privacyisavalue!”• Peoplewanttofeelsecureandcanevenacceptlimitationsoftheirprivacy(withinreason)to

achievethat.• Thesecondgroupofattendeesfocusedoninclusiveness.• AllEUcitizens(includingpersonswithdisabilities,seniors,etc.)havetherighttobenefitfrom

modernICTservices.Theservicesshouldbedesignedinawaytobesimpletousebyall.

• Apart from modern ICT services, one should not forget about traditional ways ofcommunication,especiallyinlocalcommunities.

• WeneedefficienttechnologiestoprotectourchildrenfromdangerouscontentsandservicesavailableintheInternet.Nevertheless,educationplaysthekeyrole.

• ThethirdgroupstressedthatubiquitousaccesstotheInternetis/shouldbetherightofeachEUcitizen(justlikeaccesstocleanwaterorenergyinfrastructure).

Whoarethemostimportantstakeholders?

• Citizens!Theirneedsshouldalwaysbeputfirst.• Teachers–theywilleducatethenewsocietyoftheEU.• Regulators (regional, national, European) and standard bodies – we need appropriate

legislation,frameworksandcommonwaysofinteroperability.• Legislationisanissue(seetheproblemwithUBERinourcities–conflictswithtaxidrivers).

Whatarethemostprobablebusinessmodels?

• PPP,B2B,B2C,B2B2X• crowdfunding• A2C(AdministrationToCitizens)

Startups

WhatarethemostimportanttechnologiesandthemesforNGI?

• Blockchain–wehavetoadaptandunderstandthistechnology(sotrainingsforbetterskillsareimportant).ItcanbeaconceptoffutureInternet(especiallymobile).Veryimportantwillbebettercompressionalgorithms(somecompaniesinUSAalreadyworkonthis).

• Virtual reality and augmented reality – important because it is very possible that in a fewyearseverybodywillhaveitathome.

• Decentralised Internet concept – it is important not only to enable cell phones but alsostorage…insideourphones.

• Peer-to-peerandad-hocnetworks• 5G connectivity and accessibility – access to already existing technologies is also very

importantforstartups.Forexample:insomeplaceslikesmallvillagestherecanbeaproblemtouseHighQualityVideoConference.

• Protectingindividuals(humanprotection)–peoplearenotawarehowdeeptheyareintheInternet.Notonlydataprotectionproblembutalsopeopleprotection (device level&datauseprotection).

• Open public data – discoverable and easy to process linked to other data sources(private/personal).Forexample:wehavealreadyalldataonourmobiledevice(like:weatherforecast,publictransportdata,citybikes,etc.)buttheyhavedifferentdataformatsandwehavetomanuallycheckeverythingonebyonesothereisaneedforsomeautomationwhichcould link all this data together as some “open link”.Opendata is important to link thembetweenandwithotherdatasources.

• Multi-partner bartering – the possibility of exchange of (electronic) resources should beavailableandimportantinsteadofpayingonlywithmoney.

Whoarethemostimportantstakeholders?

• SMEandstart-ups• Privatecapitals• EUpolicymakers• Researchers• Civilsociety(whorepresentspeople…)• Innovators• Accelerators• Livinglabs

Whatarethemostprobablebusinessmodels?

• Reducedintellectualproperty(IP)protectionwindow–start-upsshouldnothavetowait50yearsforsomepatentstoexpire.Theparticipantsalsomentionedthattheydonotthinkthatthe reductionofduration forpatentswillbepossible,because therearestill somepatent-warsbetweenbig companies (likeAppleandSamsung) and therearedifferencesbetweenpatentlawinUSAandinEurope.Forexample,inUSAwecanpatentsomecodeandinEUitis not possible. The reduction of IP protection window for sure would increase theinnovations, because startups don’t have enough money to buy expensive patents. Theeconomyisherealsoaproblembecauseopen-sourcedoesnotgivesomuchmoney.Thereshould be a legal system change needed to encourage SMEs but big players are notinterestedinthissoitisratherimpossibletohappen.

• Alwaysinfrontofcompetition.Thereshouldbelegalprotectionforfirstmover,legal/policyprotection–firstpublisherandknowhowshouldbeprotectedby(changed)legalsystem.

• Startup as a Service (SUaaS) – for example: we have a team ready to work and otherresourcesavailablebutwehavenobrilliant/new ideasoe.g.bigcompaniescangiveusanexisting idea and pay us to performwork for them. Such a startup can have/offer variousspecialists tochoosefordifferentprojects. ItcanbealsoaVirtualStartupwhichshouldbemanaged as a project. The other name proposal for this business model was “Rent anInnovator”.

• Openfunding–e.g.socialinnovationincubatorstogivedonationsforstartups’development.• Grantedonregionalregardlessofwhoyouare–thereshouldbesomekindofsmallregional

specialisationtosupportstartupsregardlessofwhotheyareiftheyaredoingagoodjob.• FIRE/NGIexperimentation - sometimeschecking if somethingworksOK inpracticecanbe

very expensive so the possibility for startups to inexpensively simulate this on computersshouldbeeasyavailable.

Conclusion TheworkshopinPoznańwasanoccasionforrepresentativesoftheEC,thePolishNationalContactPoint, startups, business, local authorities, universities and research institutions to exchange theviews and formulate the expectations from the Internet of the future. The presentations anddiscussions during World Café sessions outlined many topics and related challenges that the EUcountriesandtherestofworldarefacingnow.Theactivityofattendees indicatesthatthiskindofmeeting is needed and the EU citizens are deeply interested to participate in the technologicalrevolutionandtransitiontotheNextGenerationInternetera.Althoughthevisionofthefutureisstillnot clear and well understood, the participants and represented communities are aware of the

emerging potential, opportunities as well as corresponding issues and threats. The changes arehappeningnotonly inthetechnologicaldomains.They influencethepeopleandthewaythey live,work, entertain themselves, behave and communicate. New services and applications which areplanned tobebuilton topofexisting infrastructuresandserviceswill createanewhuman-centricenvironment,givingnewfunctionalitiesandtoolsforbetterwell-beingofindividualsandsocieties.

Thediscussions intheworkshoptouchedmanyaspectsoftheNextGeneration Internetandraisedthe question how the EUmay and should go towards this vision. The previous section presentingWorldCafésessionsprovidesavaluable input for furtherdiscussionsandanalysis Aspartof finalconclusionstheauthorsofthisreportwanttoemphasiseafewgeneralmessages:

• The EC would like to help with the establishment of a new NGI ecosystem with optimalconditions for innovations and further development of novel applications and services,thereforeitacknowledgesthatsuchworkshopshelptocollect,categoriseandanalyseinputsfromawide range of stakeholders and transform the outcomes into concrete actions andprogrammes.

• The EU citizens would like to actively take part in the digital revolution. Although trust,privacyandsecurityissuesareunderlinedaskeyprioritiesfortheNGI,thedirectbenefitsforcitizensareexpectedasanimmediateresult.

• Newstakeholdersaretakingpartinthedigitalrevolution,exposingnewrequirementsontheunderlyinginfrastructure,servicesandapplications.Thereisaneedfornewbusinessmodelsandchangestolegislationtoaddressemergingtechnologicalandsocioeconomicchallenges.