The Datacom Industry Association (DIA) today announced the launch of a new Open Challenge Fund, a private funding initiative designed to foster collaboration between industry and innovative Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and academic members. The fund aims to accelerate research and development (R&D) in critical datacom technologies, with a specific focus on areas such as sustainability and artificial intelligence (AI).
The Open Challenge Fund directly aligns with DIA’s mission to enable joint R&D activities that advance the state-of-the-art in datacom technologies. The program is designed to be highly practical and industry-driven; industry members propose specific challenges and problems they face, which are then linked to an active DIA working group or theme. This process ensures that all funded work is directly relevant to real-world requirements.
“We created the Challenge Fund to act as a powerful catalyst for innovation,” said Dirk Trossen, Secretary General of the DIA. “By allowing our industry members to define the challenges they need to solve, we are directly connecting real-world problems with the cutting-edge expertise of our academic and SME members. This model ensures that we are not just advancing research, but solving tangible problems with high-impact potential across the digital society.”
The program is open to academic or research organisation as well as SME members of the DIA, serving as a key attraction for new members. Applicants must be a Principal Investigator with a self-directed research position (e.g., professor, research scientist, postdoc) and must secure approval from their employer. Funded projects can receive between €25,000 and €200,000, with funds provided by DIA member organisations as a sponsorship albeit managed directly by the DIA office.
A key feature of the program is its commitment to intellectual property (IP) and open results. While the IP generated from the project is retained by the applicant, the deliverables will be considered open results, with copyright retained by the DIA. A selection committee, comprised of DIA members appointed by the board, will review and approve all challenges before they are officially published on the DIA website.
About the Datacom Industry Association (DIA)
The Datacom Industry Association is a collaborative platform dedicated to advancing datacom technologies and their application across various vertical industries that form the digital society. By fostering collaboration between industry, academia, and research organizations, the DIA drives innovation and addresses the most pressing challenges in the datacom landscape. For more information, visit the DIA website.
Joining DIA
Organisations and individuals interested in becoming part of this initiative are encouraged to apply online for membership and participate in working groups tailored to their expertise and strategic goals. The association seeks to attract diverse voices from across Europe to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive approach to digital innovation. The DIA offers a range of membership options to suit industry leaders, SMEs, researchers, and organizations. Early members have a unique opportunity to shape the direction of DIA initiatives, gain early visibility into EU and national activities, and participate in the creation of new R&D opportunities. For 2025, there will be no membership fees, making it an ideal time for organizations to join the community and contribute to its mission.