Innovation conference the way towards the internet of things : open standards vs silos

On 15 November 2019, the Robert Schuman Centre hosted the first Annual Innovation Conference relating to the project “Innovation and Intellectual Property in the Digital Age: Global Challenges and European Responses”, which was organized by the Florence School of Regulation – Communications and Media (FSR C&M) at the European University Institute’s (EUI’s) campus in Florence. The conference focused on the challenges that are associated with the full realization of the Internet of Things (IoT), which is often addressed as the next Industrial Revolution, and which affects the way businesses, governments, and citizens interact with the physical and digital worlds. IoT can be described as a globally distributed network (or networks) of physical objects that are capable of sensing or acting on their environment, and that are able to communicate with each other. At present, its adoption is accelerating across different sectors, from which an abundance of smart, connected devices and platforms that are integrated into a wide range of applications are emerging. In this respect, challenges are appearing at the intersections between technology, innovation and intellectual property law. The Conference gathered academics, practitioners, officials from the National Regulatory Authorities, the European Commission, and representatives from the industry, to discuss and exchange views on these controversies.