Gaia X Spain has chosen Aire Networks, a Grupo Aire company, as a partner to operate the Spanish pilot for the Spanish Digital Clearing House and the official launch will be announced during the international Gaia X AISBL Summit on November 9 and 10 in Alicante.

The European initiative Gaia-X is actively working to create an open, federated, and interoperable data infrastructure based on the principles of digital sovereignty, data availability, and the promotion of the Data Economy. Progressive steps have been taken to define common standards, best practices, tools, and governance mechanisms.

One of these steps involves the launch in 2023 of a series of Gaia-X interoperability nodes, or Gaia-X Digital Clearing Houses (GXDCH – Gaia-X: A Federated Secure Data Infrastructure). These nodes aim to provide automatic validation services for interoperability rules to promoters and participants of data spaces. The Spanish Gaia-X node, developed to offer a new interoperability pilot, joins the campaign initiated by various entities in Germany, France, Italy, and Austria.

To operate this initial Spanish node, Aire Networks, a national Telecommunications operator and part of Grupo Aire, was chosen as the candidate with the highest number of votes. The development has been supported by other technological companies affiliated with Gaia X Spain.

The Value of Grupo Aire as the Operator of the Spanish Gaia-X Node

As a member of Gaia-X AISBL and Gaia-X Spain, Grupo Aire through Aire Networks will provide the GXDCH node with the necessary capabilities for 24/7 service operation, redundancy across multiple data centers, and the implementation of measures ensuring compliance with applicable laws and standards, such as ISO 27001 or the National Security Scheme (Esquema Nacional de Seguridad Alto).

The company, deeply committed to the Gaia-X Initiative, is a member of the organization’s board of directors. Since its involvement, Grupo Aire aims to offer Spanish businesses and institutions the power to control the location of their data at all times. This is made possible by the operator’s extensive network of data centers, developed on the connectivity services it offers, investments in infrastructure, and a powerful orchestration tool.

Raúl Aledo, CEO of Aire Networks and Grupo Aire, emphasizes:

“Gaia-X focusing on Iberia for the launch of one of the main nodes brings multiple strategic benefits. Firstly, it allows companies to be part of a European network for data and cloud services exchange, facilitating collaboration and access to new markets and business partners. Furthermore, it strengthens data sovereignty, crucial for confidently facing digitization in Iberia, ensuring that data and critical infrastructure are located and protected within the entire European territory. This milestone will promote and increase user trust, stimulating investment in technology and digital services.”

Daniel Sáez, President of the Gaia-X Spain Association, comments:

“Spain has made a significant commitment to the data economy, and the Gaia-X Spain Association is the national reference point to drive it. With the inclusion of the national hub in the pilot phase of the Gaia-X Digital Clearing House, operated by Aire Networks, Spain positions itself among the pioneering countries, providing the trusted infrastructure to definitively boost Gaia-X in Spain.”