From 30 September – 1 October 2026, the European Big Data Value Forum (EBDVF) will gather in Copenhagen industry leaders, researchers, business developers, policy-makers and innovators from across Europe and beyond to exchange knowledge, foster collaboration, advance policy actions and industrial and research activities, shaping Europe’s digital future.
European Big Data Value Forum is BDVA’s flagship event, bringing the whole European data-driven AI research and innovation community together to share knowledge, collaborate and celebrate achievements.
BDVA is delighted to invite you to EBDVF 2026, organised by the Big Data Value Association (BDVA), in collaboration with CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Dell Technologies, F6S, Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics, Innovation Value Institute – Maynooth University and RFSAT Limited (Research for Science Art and Technology). EBDVF 2026 is also one of the Irish EU Presidency Associated events.
The main theme of EBDVF 2026 is Building Europe’s AI and Data backbone: Strategy, Investment and Impact, which addresses Europe’s aspirations of becoming an AI Continent, and ambition to harness data and artificial intelligence. Data and AI are key drivers of economic growth, competitiveness and innovation, which can reinforce Europe’s position in the global data economy.
The programme is structured around horizontal and vertical tracks, covering strategic topics for the community. Each track is conceived and developed by renowned experts from the European and Irish community.
Ahead of the main forum on September 29 (14:00 – 18:00), F6S will host an exclusive “Horizon Europe Consortium Building Session”. Designed for startups, SMEs, industry leaders, and research organisations, this interactive workshop offers moderated table discussions focused on key 2027 Cluster 4 calls, including Applied AI, Federated Data Processing, and Telco Edge Cloud. Participants will move beyond traditional networking to match complementary capabilities, shape project concepts, and build competitive proposal partnerships.
The EBDVF programme will cover burning topics within the European Data and AI ecosystem in over 30 sessions, touching on the present and future of Industrial AI in Europe, we will find out how AI Factories and Gigafactories will revolutionise our continent, learning more about their value offer. Many different sessions will also be linked to the AI Continent Action plan and the European Data Union. EBDVF will touch upon Generative AI and agents, interoperability and AI value creation, with sessions examining how these technologies can transform both European industry and the public sector. The forum will also highlight how data spaces are becoming central to the European data and AI ecosystem. We will find out the latest innovations in manufacturing, healthcare, energy, compliance, urban mobility, security and defence.
The BDVA i-Spaces Ceremony is a highlight of our event. The i-Space label is a recognised quality benchmark for data-driven innovation hubs across Europe. Today, the i-Space community comprises 33 hubs across 20 countries, accelerating collaboration and enabling experimentation in secure data-sharing and AI. The ceremony will celebrate their achievements and contributions to Europe’s innovation ecosystem.
In collaboration between the University of Galway and F6S, the AI4Debunk project will host the session “AI vs. The Infodemic: Restoring Digital Trust” as an EBDVF 2026 Post-Activity on October 2, from 10:00 to 12:30, discussing how artificial intelligence is turning the tide against the infodemic. This will be an interactive session exploring AI-powered fact-checking tools. Attendees will hear media and tech expert perspectives, see a live debunking demonstration, and then test the AI4Debunk tools themselves. The session ends with a feedback exchange, giving participants the opportunity to shape the future of the tools.
Why attend?
EBDVF offers a unique opportunity to gain insight into the latest applied research, innovation and policy actions in data and AI. Attendees will meet Europe’s leading experts, top industry representatives, innovators and decision-makers, take part in interactive sessions and discussions and discover first-hand how AI and data are shaping the continent’s digital future. Our event is configured to mix interesting talks and discussions with quality networking time, as we know the informal talks in physical events are an important element when building collaborations or finding partners for new proposals. We warmly invite you to join us in Copenhagen to help shape the future of data and AI in Europe.
Save the date: 30 September – 1 October 2026, Dexcom Stadium, Galway, Ireland. We are looking forward to welcoming you at European Big Data Value Forum 2026!
Want to know more about EBDVF 2026? Please contact ebdvf@bdva.eu