On September 17, the ICT Austria Industry Forum 2026 took place at Wolke21 in Vienna’s Saturn Tower. Under the central theme “Digital Sovereignty 2.0 – Who Owns the Future?”, representatives from business, politics, science, and technology came together to discuss current developments and Europe’s digital future.
Cybersecurity, NIS2, digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and Europe’s competitiveness were key topics, along with the question of how companies can drive technological innovation forward securely and responsibly. In addition to expert insights, the Industry Forum also provided space for discussions, new perspectives, and personal exchange.
Together for a strong IT location in Austria
ICT Austria represents Austrian-owned IT and technology companies. The independent association connects domestic IT and technology companies and provides a common platform for topics shaping Austria’s digital landscape. Current priorities include digital sovereignty and new regulatory requirements. Through working groups, events, workshops, and publications, members address current technological and regulatory issues.
Avenum Technologie GmbH – EDI Service & E-Invoicing Partners is a member of ICT Austria. In particular, we contribute our expertise in electronic business data exchange, e-invoicing, and the digitalization of business processes. At this year’s Industry Forum, we were not only there as a member but also had the opportunity to introduce ourselves as part of the member spotlight.
Electronic data interchange is an important part of the digital infrastructure of many companies. Orders, despatch advices, invoices, and other business documents are now exchanged automatically between companies and their systems. As digitalization increases, so do the requirements for the security, availability, and stability of these processes. Cybersecurity, NIS2, and digital sovereignty therefore also directly affect EDI operations.
Digital sovereignty from different perspectives
The afternoon expert forum demonstrated just how broad the topic has become. Contributions ranged from NIS2 and DORA readiness to digital identities, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and skilled professionals. Digital sovereignty was not viewed solely as a technological issue. Equally important are the availability of expertise, secure and resilient processes, and the ability of companies—and Europe as a whole—to actively shape technological developments.
In the evening, under the title “Europe’s Future in the Digital Age,” the European perspective moved even further into focus. Representatives from politics, business, and technology discussed innovation, competitiveness, and the framework conditions for Europe’s digital future.
Many thanks to ICT Austria for organizing the Industry Forum, to all speakers for their valuable insights, and to the many participants for the interesting conversations. As a member of ICT Austria, we are pleased to work together with other Austrian technology companies to contribute to a strong and digitally sovereign Austria.
We are also always happy to assist you with any questions regarding EDI, e-invoicing, and the digitalization of your business processes:
© Photo credit: David Bohmann