Policymakers, data center operators, and technology innovators to discuss sovereignty and connectivity strategies
Amsterdam – September 8, 2026: On Thursday October 1, the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network Global Forum (the IOWN Global Forum) will host FUTURES Amsterdam 2026 – Building Europe’s AI Infrastructure, bringing together policymakers, technology leaders, and infrastructure experts to address the complex infrastructure decisions shaping global competitiveness in the AI era.
As AI reshapes computing demands worldwide, regions globally face distinct infrastructure challenges: balancing rapid AI deployment with digital sovereignty objectives, managing energy and sustainability requirements, and ensuring access to reliable, high-capacity connectivity.
Attracting delegates from across the IOWN Global Forum’s network of member organizations, and spanning data center operators, telecom providers, cloud infrastructure specialists, equipment manufacturers, and European government officials, FUTURES Amsterdam will facilitate practical dialogue on infrastructure investment, policy, and technology strategies that reflect not only Europe’s unique economic and strategic imperatives, but also contribute to broader global solutions.
Event highlights: attendees will have the opportunity to:
- Hear opening remarks from Dr. Katsuhiko Kawazoe, President and Chairperson, IOWN Global Forum & Chief Executive Fellow, NTT, Inc.
- Listen to a keynote from Ian Redpath, Research Director, Omdia, The AI Infrastructure Market: The Forces Shaping What Comes Next, examining the forces shaping AI and data center infrastructure, including accelerating demand for computing capacity and the growing importance of connectivity, energy, sustainability, latency, and resilience.
- See a presentation from Stijn Grove, Managing Director, Dutch Data Center Association, on the strategic role of data center infrastructure in the Netherlands and what Europe needs to translate its AI ambitions into practical, scalable infrastructure.
- Attend a panel discussion, Building Sovereign AI Infrastructure: From Ambition to Implementation. Experts will discuss what is required to build secure, scalable, and sovereign AI infrastructure. Panelists will examine the practical barriers facing organizations today and consider how stronger collaboration across the infrastructure ecosystem can accelerate implementation. Moderated by Ronald van Loon, Founder & CEO of Intelligent World.
- Attend a presentation from Dr. Gonzalo Camarillo, Marketing Steering Committee Chair, IOWN Global Forum, and Head of Implementation Components, Ericsson, on how the IOWN Global Forum’s work supports the evolving need to AI and data center infrastructure.
- Connect with peers driving the next-generation of network infrastructure and adoption pathways.
- Explore a range of exhibits from Forum members that bring their work to life.
Dr. Katsuhiko Kawazoe, President and Chairperson of the IOWN Global Forum, commented: “Infrastructure decisions made today will determine technological leadership and economic resilience – in Europe and globally.”
“FUTURES Amsterdam convenes the voices – from government, industry, and innovation – that must collaborate to address infrastructure imperatives facing all regions. The complexity is clear. How do we build AI-capable infrastructure that is sustainable, sovereign, and competitive? The answer lies in bringing together diverse perspectives and proven technologies to forge a path uniquely suited to each region’s needs and values.”
Key event details:
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026
Location: Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (there will also be a live online broadcast via Webex)
Key URLs: Event Overview and Registration Page
About the IOWN Global Forum
The IOWN Global Forum was established in 2020 as a private sector organization to develop IOWN Global Forum technologies and use cases, and is comprised of over 175 organizations. The objective of the IOWN Global Forum is to accelerate innovation and adoption of a new communication infrastructure to meet our future data and computing requirements through the development of new technologies, frameworks, specifications, and reference designs in areas such as photonics R&D, distributed computing, use cases, and best practices. For more information, visit Home – IOWN Global Forum.
Media Contacts
Joe Hatt
IOWN Global Forum
[email protected]
