Indra, founding member of the main european research initiative for Big Data

Indra is one of the founding members of the sectorial organization Big Data Value, signee of an agreement with the European Commission to create the Public Private Partnership (PPP) that will be lead European research into macrodata. The agreement has been signed this week. Its objective is to strengthen this sector and place Europe at the technological forefront in terms of leveraging the use and value generated by big data volumes in different areas.

As an important member of the Big Data Value association, Indra will play a key role in the industry's collaboration with the European Commission to set and implement a strategic agenda for research and innovation in this area. To this end, Indra will cooperate with the main European companies, universities and research centers, institutions and public administration, and will provide its knowledge, experience and technological and innovative skills to manage, analyze and leverage data. Indra will also provide its in-depth knowledge about different sectors and its ability to quickly validate, test and launch new technologies into the market.

Indra's participation in this initiative is part of its strong commitment to innovation. The company has played an active role in several European R+D+i collaborative programs, and has strengthened its position over the last few years. Innovation will be centered not only around benchmark areas for Indra (such as aeronautics, rail transport, smartcities and security) but also around new research and development technological initiatives where the company has become an important player within the new European framework program.

2.5 billion euros to innovate

With a committed investment of 2.5 billion euros (500 million of which will come from the European framework program Horizon 2020), the PPP will help to focus public, private and academic research efforts to support research and innovation in new macrodata applications in the areas of energy, industry and health among others. Its aim is to promote services such customized medicine, food logistics and predictive analytics. The PPP will also support "innovative spaces" that will offer secure environments to experiment with private open data. These spaces will also become meeting points for companies and centers to develop skills and better practices.

The PPP shall commence on January 1, 2015 and its first projects will be set in motion in 2016. The PPP is a partnership between the European Commission and the Big Data Value Association, and industry-led non-profit organization that has members from across Europe and comprises large and small industry and research entities. The association is open to more research companies and organizations.

Data economy

According to the European Commission, in the future macrodata may comprise up to 30% of the world's data market for European providers, create 100,000 new data-related jobs in Europe from now until 2020, reduce energy consumption by 10%, lead to better healthcare results and increase productivity of industrial machines.

The data sector is growing about 40% per year, seven times the rate of the general information and communications market. Companies that make decisions based on knowledge from data become 5-6% more productive. Macrodata help to accelerate diagnosis of brain damage or to forecast harvest yield in developing countries.

Indra, chaired by Javier Monzón, is one of the world's largest consultancy and technology multinationals, a leader in Europe and Latin America and is expanding in other emerging economies. Innovation is the cornerstone of its business, which is highly focussed on the customer and on sustainability. The multinational is one of the leaders in its sector in Europe in terms of investment in R&D and innovation, having invested more than €570M in the last three years. With sales approaching €3,000 million, it employs 43,000 professional and has customers in 138 countries.