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The launch of IoTItaly, the association on the Internet of Things (IoT) in Italy, has created a considerable interest among the companies operating in the sector. Companies need to gather together in order to avoid to miss the opportunity of the IoT and need to do it now.
As anticipated in my previous post, the launch presentation of the Italian association on the Internet of Things, IoTItaly, took place on 1 October 2o15 during Meet IoT in Turin. The presentation (available at this link) was very much appreciated and some of attendees also attended the first meeting of the association during the event itself.
What was discussed?
The participants realized that if companies operating in Italy don’t decide to start a joint initiative for the growth of the Internet of Things, the whole country risks to miss a $ 19 trillion opportunity, and Italy cannot afford it. It is not just about fostering public financing in the sector of the Internet of Things, but also, among other, of ensuring that such funds are efficiently exploited in order to maximize the possible advantages. It is not a matter of resources, but of how they should be invested. Likewise, it is necessary to create the conditions in which companies are willing to invest in the IoT in Italy.
Why are multinational entities establishing their IoT research labs in other European countries and don’t plan to do it in Milan or Turin for instance? Tax incentives for research activities in the IoT as well as other fiscal benefits are necessary to foster the development of the Internet of Things in Italy.
At the same time, a higher level of awareness on the potentials of the IoT for Italy and of the actual scope of potential risk, including cyber risks, has to be created by means of events, initiates and meetings with private entities and public authorities at the Italian and European levels.
Under such perspective, the need to establish an international network of local IoT associations emerged. My French colleagues at DLA Piper are among the founders of the Carrefour de l’Internet des Objets and the plan is to create a newtork of IoT associations established in several European and non-European countries in which IoTItaly would share initiatives, events and proposals with such other associations to escalate matters at the international level. The Internet of Things is per se international and the local associations need to contribute to international projects.
What will IoTItaly do in the short term?
The membership registrations for IoTItaly have now started and it is possible to send an email to info@iotitaly.net for more information. But since the evolution of the Internet of Things is extremely fast, we cannot afford further delays.
During Meet IoT a draft of the contribution of IoTItaly to the consultation of the Italian data protection authority on the IoT was presented. The draft is available on IoTItaly website at this link and the members of the association are encouraged to submit their comments to the draft contribution by means of the above mentioned email address. The expiry of the consultation is the end of October and the goal is to agree on a final version of the contribution to be submitted to the privacy authority by that deadline.
In the meantime we are drafting a “manifesto” of IoTItaly outlining the privary objectives that the association wants to achieve. Once the manifesto is finalized, the members of the association will subscribe it.
In relation to further initiatives, following the setting up of the internal structure of the association, joint proposals to be submitted to the relevant stakeholders will be arranged. However, the association shall be fueled by its members, and therefore the initiatives will depend on the ability of the members to support them and escalate them to the relevant authorities. The motto of IoTItaly is “united we stand, divided we fall” and we expect that the industry of the IoT in Italy will push for the growth of the IoT in Italy by means of the association.
