The FAIR Data Spaces project represents a major step towards the establishment of a standardized, cloud-based data space for industry and research, building on the foundations of Gaia-X, the International Data Spaces (IDS), the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) and the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). By implementing the FAIR principles – data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable – the project aims to improve the availability and use of research data in various scientific disciplines and industries.

FAIR Data Spaces aims to connect the services already provided by Gaia-X, IDS, NFDI, and EOSC. The practical application of this and the potential it offers for companies are demonstrated by the project's already realized demonstrators for data spaces in areas such as biodiversity, quality assurance of research data, and cross-platform data analysis.

To explore additional areas, the project is now inviting companies from sectors previously less considered to develop new scenarios for data exchange between industry and science. To this end, Fraunhofer, as the coordinator of the project consortium and a key link between science and business, has announced three research and development contracts, each with a budget of €60,000.

Companies are invited to submit project proposals that either build upon existing FAIR Data Spaces demonstrators to showcase their practical applicability or develop new demonstrators that innovatively address challenges at the interface between research and industry. The organizations involved in FAIR Data Spaces will accompany the implementation of this work throughout the second half of 2024 with joint events such as hackathons and demos.

Participating in this initiative offers companies a unique opportunity to contribute at the forefront of innovation in the field of data spaces and to be part of a leading project within the context of Gaia-X and NFDI. Thus, companies can not only demonstrate their commitment to advancing data management principles but also increase their visibility within a network of key research and industrial partners.

The submitted proposals will be evaluated by a panel of experts based on numerous factors, such as interoperability, architecture, development process including documentation and testing, or security. Key selection criteria also include the degree of innovation in terms of practical demonstration, mutual value for scientific organizations and companies, progress beyond the current state of science and technology, and awareness of ethical, legal, and societal aspects (ELSA).

The deadline for submissions is May 7, 2024, and further details can be found in the tender documents: https://www.deutsche-evergabe.de/Dashboards/dashboard_off/8d873b70-d5e1-47bf-8cee-ad96d59981b3