Rinn Artificial Intelligence has launched a European research collaboration with two Fraunhofer institutes in Germany focused on developing technologies for trusted and interoperable data spaces.
The Next Generation Dataspaces Initiative (NGDI) was launched at the European Big Data Value Forum in Galway on 30 September.
The initiative brings together Rinn AI, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT and the Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering ISST.
The collaboration is being established through Fraunhofer’s International Cooperation and Networking programme and will examine data spaces, artificial intelligence, large language models, knowledge graphs, agentic AI, data governance and interoperability.
The partners said the initiative is aimed at addressing the challenge of connecting sector-specific data spaces so they can share and combine data while maintaining security, governance and control.
Europe has been developing Common European Data Spaces across individual sectors. NGDI will focus on enabling those ecosystems to work together across organisational and sectoral boundaries.
Professor Edward Curry of Rinn AI said the next stage for Europe’s data infrastructure would involve moving from individual data spaces towards an interconnected ecosystem.
“The next generation of AI will not only depend on powerful models, but on the ability to access diverse, high-quality and trusted data,” Curry said.
The initiative will investigate the technological and governance foundations required for data spaces to interoperate at scale, with the partners also aiming to translate research into commercial applications.
Rinn AI will contribute expertise in data spaces, knowledge graphs and linked data. Fraunhofer FIT brings expertise in digital spaces, digital self-determination and applying AI to digital business processes, while Fraunhofer ISST specialises in sovereign and value-creating data spaces, cross-domain architectures, technologies and governance.
Professor Stefan Decker of Fraunhofer FIT said the collaboration would examine both the technology required to connect data spaces and the governance and processes needed to make those connections useful.
Professor Boris Otto of Fraunhofer ISST said Common European Data Spaces would need to operate as part of a wider interconnected ecosystem to realise their potential.
The project will also examine the use of agentic AI within data spaces. Dr Diego Collarana of Fraunhofer FIT said the initiative would investigate combining large language models with knowledge graphs to automate aspects of cross-domain data sharing.
The partners said this approach could help harmonise data schemas and identify potential conflicts in data-use agreements across different ecosystems.
Research Ireland also welcomed the collaboration. Dr Stephen O’Driscoll said connecting Irish research capability with international research and innovation networks would be important to Ireland’s future competitiveness.
The initiative was formally launched during the second day of the European Big Data Value Forum 2026, which is being held at Dexcom Stadium in Galway on 30 September and 1 October.
The forum brings together industry, researchers, policymakers and other participants working in data and artificial intelligence and is hosted by the University of Galway and Rinn Artificial Intelligence.
Patryk Goron
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