The GATE Institute, together with the Data Spaces Support Centre (DSSC), organized a specialized workshop dedicated to presenting the concept of data spaces, their benefits, and real-world scenarios for their use across different sectors. The event brought together representatives of key organisations from Sofia and the region, including the public sector, industry, and the technology ecosystem.
The workshop emphasized the importance of sharing and integrating data from multiple sources as a foundation for more efficient public services, new business models, and innovative solutions. The role of data spaces as a mechanism for secure, controlled, and interoperable data exchange was highlighted.
Savvas Rogotis from DSSC presented the European context of data space development, the key outcomes of DSSC activities, and initiatives under the European Data Strategy. He outlined the sectors in which the European Commission funds projects to develop interoperable data spaces—mobility, healthcare, energy, and others.
He also stressed the progress in standardization as the basis for achieving interoperability—an essential requirement for functional and reliable data spaces.
The GATE team presented the institute’s activities in this field, including its work within the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA), its participation in DSSC, and European projects such as DataTwin, which support the creation of sustainable data spaces. User cases from the deployEMDS project were also demonstrated, with a focus on the “mobility as a service” concept and the role of data spaces in integrating data from multiple ecosystem participants.
The workshop was attended by representatives of Vestitel, Sofiyska Voda, Sofia Municipality, E-bike Rental, SofiaPlan, the Urban Mobility Center, and GIS–Sofia.
In the second part of the event, an interactive roundtable and hands-on session took place, where participants shared their experiences, challenges, and concrete benefits of data sharing. The discussion showed that different sectors face common needs: standardization, a trusted environment for data exchange, and clear rules for managing and using shared information.
The event reaffirmed the key role of GATE in building a data-driven innovation ecosystem in Bulgaria and the region, as well as the potential of data spaces to create new value for business, the public sector, and society.