Martel Innovate played a central role in organising the NGI Forum on 19–20 June 2025 in Brussels. As coordinator of both NGI4All.e, and NGI Commons initiatives, Martel supported the organisation of the NGI Forum 2025 and several key sessions at the event. The forum’s focus was clear: building an Open Internet Stack, aligned with next generation standards around digital sovereignty, interoperability, trust, and sustainability.
This marked the 6th edition of the NGI Forum. Since 2017, we have been actively working to support the growth of a vibrant community of researchers and innovators. We are now working to support the transition towards the Open Internet Stack initiative in close collaboration with NGI stakeholders and newly joining organisations, bridging across several ecosystems that will ground the Connected Collaborative Computing (3C) networks ambition.
Dr Monique Calisti, CEO at Martel Innovate.
Hosted by the European Commission at the Centre Albert Borschette, the NGI Forum 2025 took place at an important moment: between the outgoing Polish and incoming Danish Presidencies of the European Council, and it served as a political crossroads for promoting digital equity within EU policy-making processes.
NGI Forum: a centre stage for digital commons
At the 2025 Forum, NGI Commons, a three-year project coordinated by Martel, kicked off with two high-profile sessions, moderated respectively by Dr. Monique Calisti, CEO of Martel, and Paul Keller, Director of Policy at the Open Future Foundation. The sessions concluded with closing remarks from Rob Van Kranenburg of Martel Innovate. They highlighted how Digital Commons tools foster sovereignty, decentralisation, and open innovation.
Today marks a changeover, from NGI to the Open Internet Stack. We want this community to continue to flourish, not only by developing code, but by ensuring it becomes the foundation for products that people will use, embrace, and promote, in Europe and beyond.
Thibaut Kleiner, Director at DG CONNECT
The strategic shift from NGI to the Open Internet Stack
NGI Forum 2025 marked the strategic shift from the Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative to the Open Internet Stack. Martel, as coordinator of two key Coordination and Support Actions — NGI4ALL and NGI4ALL.E — contributed significantly to the success of the initiative and played a central role in shaping its evolution. Through sustained community engagement, strategic communication, and support to open-source projects, Martel helped amplify the impact of NGI-funded innovations and fostered a vibrant ecosystem of technologists, policymakers, and digital rights advocates. As the transition toward the Open Internet Stack unfolds, Martel remains committed to supporting Europe’s digital sovereignty through open, trustworthy, and inclusive technologies.
Looking ahead
At its core, Martel’s leadership across NGI4All.E and NGI Commons demonstrates a joined-up approach:
- Aligning open-source innovation with EU policy frameworks
- Expanding the reach of digital commons from community platforms to institutional backing
- Embedding an Open Internet Stack into both technical and regulatory antennas of the EU
By staging these initiatives in Brussels, right as new policy windows open, Martel helped transform the NGI Forum 2025 from a conference into a launchpad for Europe’s digital future.
Martel’s leadership in coordinating NGI4All.E and NGI Commons, alongside the successful organisation of the NGI Forum 2025 in Brussels, proved instrumental in anchoring digital commons and openness within the EU’s evolving policy landscape. By aligning the Forum with a pivotal political juncture, the transition to a new Commission and concurrent EU Presidencies. Martel created a strategic platform that bridged grassroots innovation with institutional influence.
The presence of high-level policymakers elevated the Forum’s impact, ensuring that the NGI initiative is not only visible but positioned for real policy uptake. This convergence of advocacy, coordination, and political opportunity marked a significant step in embedding open internet values at the heart of Europe’s digital future.
