Interoperability

What is interoperability?

Interoperability is the ability of different systems, platforms, applications and organisations to exchange data and use it jointly, regardless of the technology, provider or environment in which they operate. Its purpose is to ensure that information can flow securely, consistently and meaningfully between different digital stakeholders.

Why is it important for businesses?

Businesses increasingly operate within connected ecosystems: multicloud, digital supply chains, IoT, data spaces and industrial environments. Without interoperability, data remains isolated in silos, making it difficult to automate processes, share information or deploy AI solutions at scale.

Interoperability enables the integration of heterogeneous systems, reduces complexity and accelerates digital transformation.

How is it applied in practice?

It relies on common standards, APIs, shared data models, and identity and trust mechanisms that allow different systems to “speak the same language”.

In data spaces, for example, interoperability is essential for enabling different companies to share information while maintaining sovereignty and control over their data. It is also a key factor in Edge, IoT, hybrid Cloud and Industry 4.0 environments, where multiple technologies and platforms coexist.

What benefits does it provide?

It facilitates integration between businesses and partners, improves operational efficiency, reduces technological dependencies and accelerates data-driven innovation. In addition, it enables the creation of more scalable and collaborative digital ecosystems, ready for AI, automation and distributed services.