Sovereign Computing Initiative

Community

Who we are, the ecosystem we sit in, and how to take part

The Sovereign Computing Initiative is an open, collaborative effort. This page covers who we are, the wider field we sit in, how to take part, the questions we hear most, and how to reach us.

About the initiative

The Sovereign Computing Initiative is an open, collaborative effort to define a category: open source, self-hosted foundation infrastructure that organisations can run, trust, and procure with confidence.

What we are trying to do

Our mission is to give the market real options - to make the open, sovereign, European choice a well-defined and procurable one, and so remove the excuses for not choosing it. We do that by defining the category, developing a conformance framework that procurement teams can use directly, and building the community and ecosystem around it.

We are not building a product or a platform, and we do not compete with the providers in our field. We define the shared ground they build on.

Where this came from

The initiative grew out of practical open source work on self-hosted foundation infrastructure - notably the HPS and TAPPaaS projects - and out of a recognition that the category itself was missing. What standards bodies and application projects had each addressed in part, no one had defined as a coherent, procurable whole. The initiative formed to do exactly that, through open collaboration and regular working meetings.

Where we are going

Our near-term focus is to:

  • settle the category definition, its commercial models, and its routes to procurement
  • bring together a founding group of member organisations
  • present the offering, with concrete commercial and qualification models, during 2026
  • establish the initiative as a formal not-for-profit organisation with public governance
  • define and begin issuing the Verified Sovereign Computing Mark

Over the longer term, we intend the conformance framework to mature towards a recognised, independently governed standard.

How it is funded

Sustainability is expected to combine European public funding instruments - such as NGI Commons, Horizon Europe, and the Digital Europe Programme - with commercial revenue from support, conformance auditing, and Mark attestation. The aim is an organisation that does not depend on grants alone.

The ecosystem

Sovereign computing does not start from scratch. It sits between an established standards layer and a maturing application layer, and draws on a wide field of open source projects, public initiatives, and policy. The category names the missing foundation layer between them.

Standards and reference implementations

Sovereign Cloud Stack (SCS)
European open source standards and a reference implementation for sovereign cloud, based on OpenStack and Kubernetes.
GAIA-X
A European initiative for federated, secure data infrastructure and data sovereignty.
European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)
A shared environment for European researchers to share data, software, and computing power.

Policy and funding context

The category is aligned with the direction of European policy: the EU Cloud Sovereignty Framework, which defines sovereignty objectives; the proposed EU Cloud and AI Development Act; EuroStack, a set of initiatives for independent European digital infrastructure; and federation work such as the ECOFED project and the IPCEI on Cloud Infrastructure and Services.

Institutional adoption

Public bodies are already moving. ZenDiS, Germany's centre for digital sovereignty, produces the OpenDesk suite adopted by the International Criminal Court; member states have formed a European Digital Infrastructure Consortium for Digital Commons to scale sovereign tools; and national platforms such as France's NUBO and La Suite Numérique are in production.

Components and products

The foundation layer is assembled from mature open source building blocks, including:

  • Proxmox VE - open source virtualisation (KVM and LXC)
  • XCP-ng and Xen Orchestra - integrated virtualisation with backup, by Vates
  • OpenStack - the open source cloud platform underpinning SCS
  • Nextcloud and OpenDesk - the application layer that runs on top

Early implementations

Two open source initiatives that aim squarely at this foundation layer helped shape the category:

Sovereign computing is complementary to these efforts, not a competitor. It provides the shared definition and conformance framework that lets the whole field be recognised, compared, and procured.

Get involved

The Sovereign Computing Initiative is in its early stages. We are defining a category, building a community, and establishing the collaborative foundation for a conformance framework that the whole ecosystem can use.

This work cannot be done by a single organisation. It requires the perspectives of those who deploy infrastructure, those who build it, those who procure it, and those who set the policy context around it.

Who we are looking for

Organisations deploying sovereign infrastructure
Public sector bodies, NGOs, enterprises, and SMBs navigating the challenge of sovereign infrastructure today. Your experience shapes what the category must address.
Open source projects and solution providers
Projects and vendors whose work falls within or adjacent to the category. Your technical depth is essential to making the conformance framework credible and practical.
Policymakers and standards bodies
Those working on EU digital sovereignty frameworks, procurement standards, and regulatory alignment. Your context ensures the initiative connects to the broader landscape.
Researchers and advocates
Those studying, writing about, or advocating for digital sovereignty and open source infrastructure. Your voice helps build the case.

What collaboration looks like

At this stage, collaboration is lightweight and open. We are developing a shared definition of the category and its scope, drafting a conformance checklist usable in procurement, mapping the ecosystem of existing solutions and initiatives, and building the governance model for the initiative as it moves toward a formal not-for-profit organisation.

There is no membership fee and no formal commitment required to participate at this stage. Membership itself is described under members.

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to the questions we hear most. For definitions of specific terms, see the glossary.

What is sovereign computing?

Open source, self-hosted foundation infrastructure - the compute, storage, network, identity, security, and operational services beneath your applications and above the hardware - that you run and control. See understand sovereign computing.

Is this a product or a company?

Neither. The Sovereign Computing Initiative defines a category: a shared definition, a conformance framework, and a mark. We do not sell infrastructure or compete with the providers who do. See about the initiative.

How is this different from GAIA-X or the Sovereign Cloud Stack?

It is complementary. Those efforts define standards and reference implementations, and applications such as Nextcloud and OpenDesk run on top. Sovereign computing names the turnkey foundation layer in between - the part you actually run. See the ecosystem.

Does sovereign mean it has to run on-premises?

No. Sovereign infrastructure can run on hardware you own, or on third-party hardware dedicated to you. What matters is control by design: your data, your keys, your identity, and the ability to leave. See why it matters.

What does conformance involve?

A platform completes an open checklist of MUST and SHOULD requirements, publishes a dated, signed report, and passes the Sovereignty Test. See conformance and the Sovereignty Test.

What is the Sovereignty Test?

The practical heart of the framework: could you change any of your providers without losing your data, your history, or your ability to operate? It requires real provider plurality and portability. See the Sovereignty Test.

What is the Verified Sovereign Computing Mark?

A tiered rating that turns conformance into something a buyer can compare and trust, backed by a verifiable report. It is in active development. See the Mark.

I need to procure infrastructure - where do I start?

With your own position: take the buyer self-assessment, then read for buyers.

I build or operate infrastructure - how do I take part?

Check your platform with the provider self-assessment, then read for providers.

Is this EU-only?

The initiative is EU-rooted but globally minded. The principles - control, portability, and no lock-in - apply anywhere; much of the current policy context happens to be European.

How can I get involved?

See get involved above, or use the contact form. There is no fee to take part at this stage.

Contact

Whether you want to get involved, ask about the category, or tell us what you are building, we would like to hear from you. Use the form below, or email hello@sovereigncomputing.org. We respond to every message.