The Internet of Things is based on smart, connected devices - from the watch to the car, from the home to the hospital to the city – which gather and exchange data which can be turned into smart services and applications. The Declaration signed today by Günther H. Oettinger and  AIOTI board members (Bosch, Philips, Sigfox) formally launches the Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation (AIOTI) to strengthen links and build new relationships between the different IoT players (industries, SMEs, startups) and sectors. It will also be used to promote interoperability and convergence between standards, facilitate policy debates and prepare a Commission's initiative for large scale testing and experimentation, tabled for 2016  Forging new alliances between IoT sectors, stakeholders, large companies, SMEs and startups help Europe get a global lead in this field and will foster a Digital Single Market for IoT

According to estimates, nearly five billion things will be connected by 2015, reaching 25 billion by 2020, helping users save energy, reduce traffic jams, increase comfort, and get better healthcare and increased independence. Revenues in the EU from IoT are estimated to represent 400 M€ in 2015 and to increase to more than one trillion euros in 2020.]. IoT will allow companies to change their traditional business models through new services but also to combine the benefits of selling products with value-added digital service. 

The Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation (AIOI) brings together:

• Different industries:  nanoelectronics/semiconductor companies, Telecom companies, Network operators, Platform Providers (IoT/Cloud), Security, Service providers,
• Different sectors: energy, utilities, automotive, mobility, lighting, buildings, manufacturing, healthcare, supply chains, cities etc.
• And some of Europe's largest tech and digital companies,  Alcatel, Bosch, Cisco, Hildebrand, IBM, Intel, Landis+Gyr, Nokia, ON Semiconductor , Orange , OSRAM, Philips, Samsung , Schneider  Electric, Siemens, NXP Semiconductors, STMicroelectronics, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Telit, Vodafone, Volvo), start-ups (SIGFOX)

Current AIOTI members are mainly industry players; the next step is to extend membership to SMEs and startups or any entity that has a legitimate interest in joining. To this end, the Commission also launched a call for expression of interest to recruit new members. More details on the application steps. EU Member States will also be fully associated to this initiative.

Background

The European Commission is supporting the development in Europe of the most dynamic and agile IoT ecosystem and industry in the world, which  coudl  transform people’s lives, drive growth, create employment and address societal challenges.  

Today's launch builds on ongoing Commission initiatives to create stronger relationships between industry, and innovators, and to foster European IoT innovation ecosystems (public consultations, funding schemes, studies). The Commission published recently a 51M€ call for projects. The initiative cuts across several technological areas (smart systems integration, cyber-physical systems, smart networks, big data), and targets SME and IoT innovators for to create an open IoT environment.

The Alliance will also support policy development and dialogue within the IoT community. It builds on the work of the IoT Research Cluster (IERC) and expands activities towards innovation within and across industries. This also offers an opportunity to discuss policy obstacles to further IoT take up, and to forge consensus. The Alliance will also help the Commission prepare future IoT research and innovation, standardisation and policy.

The Alliance will also be instrumental in the definition and design of IoT Large Scale Pilots to be funded under the EU 2016-2017 H2020 Research and Innovation Work Programme. These pilots could include solutions in markets like environment, smart cities, and mobility. This major research investment is likely the greater integration of Internet of Things, Big Data and Cloud approaches and technologies. The Alliance should help build the links and forge the cross-sectorial consortia likely to would bid for this research funding.

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