Next Generation Internet (NGI)

The Next Generation Internet (NGI) is a European Commission initiative that aims to shape the development and evolution of the Internet into an Internet of Humans. An Internet that responds to people’s fundamental needs, including trust, security, and inclusion, while reflecting the values and the norms all citizens enjoy in Europe. The NGI comprises an ambitious research and innovation programme with an initial EC investment of more than €250m between 2018 and 2020 and is part of the upcoming Horizon Europe Programme (2021-2027). The ambition of the NGI is to ensure that the development and progressive adoption of advanced technologies, concepts and methodologies contributes to make the future Internet more human-centric, particularly in times of crisis. To achieve its ambition, NGI funds the best Internet researchers and innovators to address technological opportunities arising from collaboration and advances in research fields ranging from network infrastructures to platforms, and from application domains to social innovation. Focus is on advanced technologies including privacy and trust, search and discovery, decentralised architectures, blockchain, Internet of Things, social media, interactive technologies, as well as technologies supporting multilingualism and accessibility. To ensure durable impact NGI also provides mentoring to help bring research and innovation outcomes to the market. The NGI community envisions the information age as an era that should enable human potential, mobility and creativity at the largest possible scale – while dealing responsibly with our natural resources as part of the European Green Deal. The legendary robustness of the Internet must become reality. Connected devices will enhance our homes, factories, offices, hospitals and vehicles. The Next Generation Internet must be both highly adaptive and unrelentingly resilient with a solid technical foundation. If parts of the network were to go down by natural disaster or cyber-attack, the effects should be close to zero. The enduring success of the Internet lies in permission-free innovation, openness and interoperability. The Next Generation Internet fosters diversity and decentralisation and grows the potential for a sustainably open environment for our cultures and economies, celebrating our values, promoting creativity and respecting the environment.