Participate in the Data Space Accelerator Study
Help shape the future of industrial data spaces through productive data exchange. Companies that participate in the study contribute valuable real-world insights while exploring new opportunities for digital collaboration and may receive remuneration based on verified study results.
What is the Data Space Accelerator?
The Data Space Accelerator (DSA) is a large-scale study exploring how companies create value by securely exchanging data across organizations through industrial data spaces.
Using Catena-X as the reference data space, participating companies contribute to real-world research while gaining practical experience with trusted data exchange. The study is designed to better understand how data spaces improve collaboration, increase efficiency, and enable new digital business opportunities across global supply chains.
Why Participate?
Automotive manufacturers are increasingly requiring suppliers to exchange trusted sustainability, compliance, traceability, and carbon data through digital ecosystems such as Catena-X. As these expectations expand across the automotive supply chain, electronics manufacturers and suppliers are facing growing requirements for standardized, interoperable data exchange.
Participating in the Data Space Accelerator can help organizations better understand and prepare for this evolving business environment while contributing to industry-wide research.
Participating organizations have the opportunity to:
- Prepare for evolving automotive customer requirements.
- Gain practical experience with trusted industrial data exchange.
- Build readiness for Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) and Digital Product Passport (DPP) initiatives.
- Help advance interoperable data spaces across the electronics industry.
- Explore new digital business opportunities through productive data exchange.
Participating Companies Receive Remuneration
Eligible participating companies receive remuneration of up to €30,000 based on verified productive data exchange, study participation, and applicable program requirements. Remuneration amounts vary by country.
Interested in Participating?
Complete the form below and we'll send you everything you need to begin the official registration process, including step-by-step instructions and additional program information.
Who Should Participate?
The Data Space Accelerator study primarily targets small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and Mid-Caps, but companies of all sizes are encouraged to participate if they meet the program requirements.
Participation is available to companies located in eligible countries, including many European countries as well as select countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Israel, Singapore, and others.
Why Register Through the Global Electronics Association?
The Global Electronics Association is helping electronics companies understand and prepare for emerging data exchange requirements by connecting organizations with the Data Space Accelerator study and supporting broader industry interoperability initiatives.
Applications Are Now Open
Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Data Space Accelerator study. Act now: Eligible participating companies may receive remuneration based on verified productive data exchange and study participation, but this opportunity is only available for the 2026 program and will not be offered in 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Data Space Accelerator is designed for small and medium‑sized enterprises. It is particularly relevant for companies that do not yet have extensive data space experience and want a manageable and supported entry.
No. Prior experience is not required. Onboarding and use case implementation are supported by certified partners who guide you step by step through the process.
Yes. The Data Space Accelerator targets Catena-X as its primary data space. All use cases in the program are standardized Catena-X use cases, documented in the open-source repository Tractus-X.
Yes. You can apply before onboarding. The onboarding itself is part of the program and of the effort that can be compensated.
Yes. If your company already has a Catena‑X Business Partner Number, you can still participate. Companies can apply for the study retroactively starting from May 1st. Eligibility is determined based on the date of successful onboarding into the Catena-X data space.
Participation focuses on one or more concrete use cases. The exact personnel effort depends on your starting point, but the program is designed to keep internal workload limited and predictable, supported by external partners.
The following cost items apply to participation in the study:
Data Space Onboarding: Onboarding through Cofinity-X involves costs depending on the company's annual turnover.
EDC-Connector: Software-as-a-Service versions are available from approx. 1,200 € (net) per year; costs vary by provider. You can find an overview here. Alternatively, the EDC is available free of charge as an open-source solution, provided the necessary technical expertise is available.
Data Readiness Certificate: Participation in the study requires the issuance of a Data Readiness Certificate. The fee is 650 € (net) for the Basic Path or 1,300 € (net) for the Advanced Path.
Both the Basic Path and the Advanced Path are calculated so that for an average medium-sized company, basic costs such as data space license & EDC connector as well as use case enablement & consulting services are covered by the flat-rate compensation of the Data Space Accelerator study.
Company Certificate Management is included by default in both paths. The Basic Path stops there, while the Advanced Path lets you add one additional use case of your choice (Product Carbon Footprint, Digital Product Passport, Traceability, Data Driven Quality, Demand & Capacity, Short-Term Supply (PURIS), or Circular Economy).
Remuneration is milestone-based and requires successful data space onboarding, implementation of the selected use case and completion of the first productive data exchange along the use case. The reimbursement is intended to cover all internal and external costs related to the implementation. Basic Path (Company Certificate Management): €15,000 (net) upon successful completion of the defined milestones. Advanced Path (Additional Use Case): An additional €15,000 (net) for implementing a predefined advanced use case and completing the corresponding milestones.
The program is structured and closely monitored. If challenges arise, they are addressed jointly with the onboarding partner. The goal is successful data sharing, not penalizing participants for technical complexity.
All program activities and milestones must be completed within 2026.
No vouchers or lump‑sum grants are issued. Compensation is based on verified participation and documented effort. If participation ends early, only completed and verifiable steps are considered. There is no repayment of already verified compensation.
You do not need to track or submit individual cost invoices. Once data readiness is proven, a single final invoice for the agreed lump-sum compensation is required to trigger payout.
The study examines how industrial data spaces create value once a critical mass of companies is reached. This includes onboarding effort, technical feasibility, and practical use case implementation.
The study evaluates results in aggregated form. Individual company results are not published as marketing case studies by default.
Notice: For participants based outside Germany, the remuneration amount is recalculated using a purchasing power index. Details can be found in the program's tender documents.
Companies are eligible if the legal entity participating in the study has its registered seat in one of the countries listed below. The list of eligible countries includes, in addition to EU member states, those countries that have signed a Government Procurement Agreement with Germany (see the DSA Remuneration PPP Index)
Eligible countries: Armenia, Aruba (via the Netherlands), Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chinese Taipei / Taiwan, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong (China), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.
Please use the official assets provided by IDSA. This page provides the official communication assets for the Data Space Accelerator. All materials are intended to support consistent, accurate, and transparent communication about the Data Space Accelerator and its activities across presentations, outreach, and public channels. Visit the Data Space Accelerator Communication Assets page for downloads.
Yes. All program activities and milestones must be completed within 2026.