On September 5th and 6th, 300 participants from Gaia-X’s technical community gathered in Berlin for GXFS Connect 2023, an event that brought together experts and stakeholders from the data-driven economy. The conference provided an opportunity to discuss the latest developments in the Gaia-X Federation Services (GXFS) ecosystem and their potential impact on digital value creation across various Gaia-X domains and beyond.

During this two-day conference, exciting panel discussions engaged in interactive exploration of various topics related to the implementation of Gaia-X. These discussions included an assessment of the current status of Gaia-X from various perspectives and an examination of recent progress and developments within the Federation Services (GXFS). These have been transferred to the Eclipse Foundation as part of the Eclipse XFSC project since August 2023.

In addition to the technological advancements of GXFS, a particular focus of the conversations was on promoting data-driven business models and the possibility of sovereign data exchange across different sectors. Experts from various fields provided valuable insights into these critical aspects. Representatives of Gaia-X projects also shared their experiences in utilizing GXFS components during the event. These real-world use cases provided concrete examples of how the GXFS ecosystem is being used in practice to promote innovation and data sovereignty. Alongside the panel discussions, a technical workshop took place, where experts explored the functionalities of the GXFS toolbox. This hands-on session allowed participants to gain a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of GXFS under the theme “GXFS Connect 2023 – Entering the next level.”

The Austrian Gaia-X Hub was represented at GXFS Connect by Georg Hahn, Vice-Chair of Gaia-X Hub Austria. He spoke on stage about the central role of hubs in supporting the development of national data ecosystems. He was joined by representatives of national Gaia-X initiatives, including Francisca Rubio, Managing Director of Gaia-X Spain, Peter Verkoulen, Managing Director of Gaia-X Netherlands, Jan Fischer, Head of Gaia-X Hub Germany, and Christina Schmidt-Holtmann, Head of Department for Data Availability and Digital Sovereignty at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

In addition to the technical content, participants had the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and build valuable relationships during the networking evening. This social aspect of the event contributed to the overall success of GXFS Connect 2023 and promoted collaboration within the GXFS community.