The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the world economy through digital transformation, alongside distributed and artificial intelligence. IoT technologies will optimise our lives, with the number of installed IoT connected devices set to increase from 40 billion to 49 million by 2026. This growth will lead to an exponential increase in data processed at the edge of the network. As a result, transmission and storage costs, as well as energy consumption, will be reduced.
The European Commission has adopted policy actions to accelerate the take-up of next-generation IoT and edge computing. Research and innovation programmes, such as Horizon Europe, are financing IoT projects to unleash their full potential in Europe. The EU has invested around €100 million in this cluster, supporting research and innovation projects. These investments will build on the successes of related Horizon 2020 projects, contributing to Europe’s green and digital transitions.
