Agenda

Pre-party for Techritory Forum speakers, hosted by TET.

Off-site event, invitation only in the evening of October 20.

• What is the minimum level of control needed to claim digital sovereignty considering factors like data localisation, operational control and legal jurisdiction?
• Can Europe realistically ‘buy European’ in digital?
• Is digital sovereignty realistic without global supply chains and can Europe achieve sovereignty without isolating itself from global technology ecosystems?
• Is resilience more important than ownership?

• State of EUDI wallets on the doorstep of implementation.
• From cross-border usability and trust frameworks to security, governance, and private-sector integration—what issues are top of mind for stakeholders?
• What comes next for digital identity in Europe?

• How should defence connectivity be structured across satellite, terrestrial and tactical networks?
• How much of defence connectivity should rely on civilian infrastructure?
• Should governments rely on the market for defence connectivity, or actively ensure backup providers even if it costs more?
• Are traditional military communication systems becoming a liability in environments where any signal can be detected and targeted?
• Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) is often discussed as a potential 6G use case. In a defence context, could future networks realistically combine connectivity with sensing functions, and what operational advantages would that create?
• How can spectrum be managed when defence connectivity increasingly blends civilian, military, and dual-use networks?

• In a context of digital sovereignty, is Europe building sufficient independent satellite capability, or becoming dependent on external providers?
• Which use cases are actually generating revenue today — and which are still speculative?
• Is the current regulatory framework fit for the growth of satellite connectivity?
• What is the one capability Europe must build in satellite connectivity in the next 5 years to remain competitive and secure?
• How can European telecom and technology industries adapt themselves to space age and turn satellite connectivity into socio-economic benefits?

• What will fundamentally change from 5G to 6G and what will remain evolutionary rather than revolutionary?
• What are the real use cases that justify 6G investment beyond current 5G capabilities?
• How should regulators and lawmakers approach 6G differently from 5G?
• How will AI and AI-native networks change the design, operation, and regulation of 6G compared
• What is the single biggest mistake we must avoid when transitioning from 5G to 6G?

• Is the EU acting as a coherent player globally, or are member states competing individually?
• Are current EU frameworks actually enabling companies from smaller countries to compete globally?
• Are we exporting process and complexity along with innovation – are EU’s institutional and regulatory frameworks helping or slowing down international digital partnerships?
• Is digital where Europe has a real competitive advantage globally?
• Are current EU financial instruments (EIB, EBRD, Global Gateway) effective in supporting digital expansion abroad?

• Why are we good at developing defence innovations, but often struggling at deploying them at scale?
• What is the one change in procurement, policy, or industry that would unlock defence technology deployment at scale?
• Why don’t militaries “stockpile” innovation the same way they stockpile ammunition?
• Why is cross-border defence tech collaboration in Europe still so limited?

• What role will AI gigafactories play in Europe’s digital infrastructure?
• What makes a data centre truly sovereign — location, ownership, or control?
• How do we balance energy consumption, sustainability goals and digital growth?
• What is the one constraint that will most limit Europe’s ability to scale data centres in the next 5 years?

• How can Europe reduce strategic dependencies in critical technologies, supply chains, cloud, AI, connectivity, and telecommunications?
• What role should telecoms play as the backbone of Europe’s digital ecosystems and critical infrastructure?
• How can EU policy, public investment, SMEs, entrepreneurs, and large industries better align around common R&D priorities?
• What capabilities must Europe develop now to make 6G a foundation for sovereign, resilient, and globally competitive digital infrastructure

• Is the Digital Networks Act ambitious enough to strengthen Europe’s telecoms sector and the competitiveness of Europe as a whole?
• Can (and should) Europe move closer to a truly single telecoms market?
• Could the DNA unlock investments to close the connectivity investment gap?
• What is the right balance between simplification, consumer protection, competition and regulatory oversight?
• Should the Digital Networks Act define a relationship between European telecom operators and other players in the ecosystem, given their different roles in the value chain?

This keynote and panel discussion will explore rural connectivity as a strategic investment in attractive, resilient and innovative regions. Drawing on case insights from Tavelsjö in Sweden, Brožiai Smart Village in Lithuania and the highly digitalized Faroe Islands, the session by Nordregio and the NB-Connect project will examine how different connectivity models can unlock societal value in places where the commercial business case is often weakest.

• If the commercial return on rural connectivity is weak, but the societal value is high, who should pay and how should that value be measured?
• Are current broadband and 5G policies designed mainly to meet coverage targets, or to create real territorial impact? How can policy and regulation support long-term value creation?
• What can community-owned broadband, Smart Village initiatives and island connectivity models teach other countries and regions? What are the challenges and opportunities?
• What other emerging rural use cases can strengthen the case for investment in 5G, fibre and future connectivity?

• At what point does AI adoption become a competitiveness requirement, not a choice?
• Why is AI adoption happening faster than previous technologies (e.g. smartphones, cloud)?
• Can SMEs use AI as a competitive advantage against larger players?
• Are current policy and regulatory frameworks enabling or slowing down AI adoption?

Meet and network with other in-person attendees in a casual atmosphere over drinks and snacks.