Today, Europe's most pressing problem is the lack of digital sovereignty. This is exactly where Schwarz Digits comes in, setting the new benchmark for secure and sovereign cloud infrastructures. With the introduction of the "European Sovereign Stack Standard" (ES³), we are establishing an ecosystem that operates technologically on par with global players while guaranteeing radical independence. Bernd Wagner, CSO of Schwarz Digits, presented the new standard for digital sovereignty at HANNOVER MESSE 2026. The ES³, along with its underlying sovereignty maturity model, translates the abstract need for digital sovereignty into measurable standards. Speaking on stage, Wagner explained that a uniform standard ensures that design data, processes, and patents remain where they belong: under the full control of mid-sized enterprises. To achieve this, as Europe’s future first hyperscaler, we are investing eleven billion euros in the “Schwarz Digits Datacenter Lübbenau”, which will be completed by the end of 2027.

The cooperation with automation specialist SCHUNK at HANNOVER MESSE 2026 demonstrates how cutting-edge automation can be combined with the strictest protection of industrial data. Together with our cloud provider STACKIT, Cybus, and Next Level Mittelstand, we are presenting a highly scalable smart factory solution. The focus is on SCHUNK's AI-powered GROW automation cell. Entire production steps – such as component provisioning, robot-assisted handling, and laser marking – merge into a "Smart Micro Factory".

The system is fully connected to STACKIT's European sovereign cloud, ensuring that data sovereignty is maintained at all times. This partnership impressively proves that mid-sized businesses no longer have to choose between technological innovation and absolute data security. Today, sovereign cloud solutions are no longer just a vision, but a mandatory prerequisite for remaining economically and strategically independent and viable.