Infrastructures – The perfect environment for experimentation and large scale piloting
Advanced computing and communications infrastructure enriched with specialized infrastructural components of supported verticals
Services – Solutions - Products
Stemming out of partners’ collective knowledge and experience supported by smart infrastructures and driven by visionary strategies
Awareness – Competence – Engagement
Strengthen the uptake and acceptance of emerging technologies by means of information dissemination and education, as well as participatory and inclusive approaches to innovation.
ABOUT US
π-ΝΕΤ is a partnership of twenty two shareholders representing big and established companies, SMEs, public and private higher and lifelong education institutions, research organizations, consulting, and entrepreneurship support companies.
π-ΝΕΤ, with full legal name P-ΝΕΤ Emerging New Generation Networks and Applications, is a private company incorporated as a Competence Center in the Region of Western Greece.
π-NET’s establishment has been approved by the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI) of Greece, which also supports with 1.33M€ funding the first 18 months of its operation.
Our Vision
π-NET aspires to become an international research and innovation driven Competence Centre for emerging smart networks and services with emphasis on strengthening vertical value chains. It aims to become a common resource and shared facility offering access to knowledge and expertise and attracting talents. One of π-ΝΕΤ’s ambitions is that the creation and planned valorization of the π-NET facilities will serve as a blueprint for the creation of similar 5G islands for experimentation and support of verticals all over Greece, enabling interconnection and strong collaboration among research teams.
Our Mission
π-NET’s mission is to develop technological solutions and innovative interventions leading to exportable products and services of high added value, while capitalizing on the strengths and potential of the Greek ICT ecosystem. Synergies and cross-fertilization between industry, academia and civil society drive the Center’s R&I efforts and the creation of positive societal, economic, and environmental impact. The development of new and disruptive business models aims to fuel a productive regional impetus.
Our Plan
Starting with an advanced 5G and beyond infrastructure, π-NET aims to develop an open regional B5G near-to production network, interconnected with other public/private networks, and integrated with partners’ technologies and vertical industries facilities. Qualified engineers and access to resources and infrastructure will support R&I activities and provide the capacity to develop prototypes, pilots, and demonstrators. A number of services and mechanisms to share resources, knowledge, results, and expertise will be developed to accelerate scientific and technological progress and innovation.
Services
The network and computing infrastructure is the core component of the Competence Center. It is integrated and operated as an open, privately owned production network, expandable and interoperable with other relevant infrastructures. The network infrastructure combined with the services that are built around it, constitute π-NET’s most valuable assets to attract future partners, investors, members, and customers from different sectors of the economy.
Experimentation and Piloting
The offered infrastructure is to be used for conformance and ‘test before invest’ experimentation. π-ΝΕΤ having the ability to set up network infrastructures based on international standardizations and synchronized with latest developments and versions of the open-source software used by them, will set up compliance programs for interested clients, covering a wide range of needs, and ensuring the reliable operation of services. Furthermore, experienced staff and engineers supporting a wide range of R&I activities and the provisioning of the required resources and infrastructure to host experiments, provide the capacity to develop prototypes and demonstrators and support the full lifecycle of pilot activities. Test-before-invest experimentation opportunities apply to: a./ new services and applications from different verticals; b./ new mechanisms aimed at improving the efficiency and reliability of the network; and c./ new technologies and equipment in the fields of 5G, 6G (RAN, Core), MEC, IoT, Cloud Computing etc.
Research & Innovation
New generation networks are being transformed into smart networks to meet the demands of emerging smart services. Smart networks adopt methodologies and techniques from other scientific fields, such as AI and Machine Learning, Big Data, HPC, Automated Control, etc. The fusion of these fields leads to greater degrees of automation of the management and control functions of the network but also of the services themselves, which will become more adaptable to changing conditions. Smart Networks and Services will act as power multipliers for the development of various vertical industries through their digital transformation, giving them great competitive advantages. In support of the above claim, the European Union is going to invest almost €30 billion for the development of verticals in Horizon Europe for the period 2021-2027. Research and innovation development in the areas above is a core activity of the Competence Center, that will keep the Center at the forefront of technological evolution, thus ensuring its sustainability.
Upskilling Training
The network space is characterized by a multidimensional paradigm shift, which affects the whole range of activity, from the way networks are developed and their components implemented, to the way they are managed and operated. The paradigm shift in networks leads to a corresponding paradigm shift in the design and development of new applications and services for verticals. The need to improve and adapt skills, knowledge and competences becomes all the more important. Development in digital and enabling technologies inform up-skilling training programs put on offer and addressed to professionals in the field. They are complemented by training programs aimed at cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and business acumen.
Consulting Services
Aimed at matching the real needs and problems faced by vertical industries with the appropriate human resources and required scientific and technological skillsets to address them. It is reckoned though that the establishment of organized communication channels between industry and universities is still at an embryonic level. The Competence Center aspires to invest in this direction, with services that will enable a fruitful dialogue between companies operating in different verticals and active scientific teams. This dialogue follows a specific roadmap starting from the joint formulation of the problem and eventually leading to the implementation of pilot projects, which will validate the solution and bring it closer to actual production. Consulting will also include Advisory Services to the State relevant to, inter alia, infrastructure management and will include the formulation of clear procedures and rules for access to and use of digital infrastructures.
Mentoring for New Businesses
Relates to the transfer of know-how and the promotion of innovation through actions to encourage entrepreneurship, dissemination of good entrepreneurial practices and finally the empowerment of talented scientists and teams to create sustainable businesses, thus contributing to economic development and strengthening of the business culture in Greece. Relevant actions include interconnection with networks of mentors, sponsors, and venture capital investments (angel funds, venture capitals, etc.). The Competence Center is in a position to provide a holistic environment in which an idea is designed and implemented with the support of the provided training, tested and developed and finally demonstrated in real conditions (test-before-invest), increasing the probability that the final product that will be produced will be accepted by the market to which it is addressed.
Awareness and Visibility
Activities related to raising awareness and visibility are key factors to the success of the Competence Center, as they will engage stakeholders and contribute to knowledge exchange between actors from different sectors (e.g. government, policy makers, academia, industry, companies, NGO’s, etc.), maximizing its benefit to the European economy and society. They aim to promote scientific excellence and innovation, generate market demand for the technologies, products and services developed and strengthen their uptake, foster public awareness, engagement and understanding of science and technology energy-sustainability related, as well as draw the attention of national governments, policymakers, and regional authorities. Means to achieve these aims include social networking, newsletters, workshops, conferences, publications.
Careers
Cloud Infrastructure engineer
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Telecommunications and 5G Radio Engineer
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5G System Platform and R&D Engineer
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Junior Developers/researchers for 5G/NFV services
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Senior Developers/researchers for 5G/NFV services.
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Junior Developers/researchers for Frontend web services
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