The fourth Cloud X Summit, organized by STACKIT, the digital and IT division of the Schwarz Group, once again set new standards: the number of attendees reached 2,500 this year, and yet the event was more than fully booked. As part of Schwarz Digits, STACKIT has set itself the goal not only of providing a state-of-the-art technical infrastructure for Schwarz Group companies such as Lidl and Kaufland, but also of making this infrastructure available to cloud users outside the Schwarz Group.

As a European hyperscaler, STACKIT is thus following Amazon’s successful example, whilst placing the principle of data sovereignty at the very forefront, thereby becoming a trailblazer for a digitally leading and independent Europe. Whilst this has always been of paramount importance, the current geopolitical context – not least from the US – means that this objective is now receiving increased attention in Germany and across Europe, thereby gaining new momentum. Companies in highly regulated sectors such as healthcare and public administration, as well as those in the fields of critical infrastructure and defense, have a particular interest in ensuring integrity, security and availability. However, companies in other sectors are also increasingly recognizing the need and the benefits.

Of course, Artificial Intelligence (AI) was also in the focus of many presentations and discussions. As a key element of digital transformation, the latest developments and applications of AI were discussed at length. These were complemented by innovative topics such as quantum computing, which is already being made available in the STACKIT Cloud.

On the two evenings before and after the summit itself, there was also opportunity to network, share experiences and make new contacts in a relaxed atmosphere. As such, the STACKIT Cloud X Summit was more than just a technical conference; it was also an excellent platform for exchanging experiences with C-level executives and IT decision-makers.

A big thank you goes to the entire STACKIT team for the outstanding preparation and execution of this event!