PIONEERS-6G officially launches with its first Consortium Meeting in Karlstad and the unveiling of its official website
Athens, Greece – June 2026
The European research project PIONEERS-6G has officially commenced its activities with a successful first Consortium Meeting hosted by Karlstad University (Sweden) and the launch of its official project website.
Funded by the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) under the Horizon Europe Programme, PIONEERS-6G brings together leading academic institutions, research organisations and industry partners from across Europe to shape the future of next-generation IoT services enabled by 6G technologies.
The project officially started on 1 May 2026 and will run for 36 months, aiming to transform today’s fragmented IoT ecosystems into intelligent, resilient and autonomous 6G-enabled infrastructures.
A successful first Consortium Meeting in Karlstad
On 28–29 May 2026, project partners gathered at Karlstad University in Sweden for the first face-to-face Consortium Meeting.
The two-day meeting marked an important milestone for the project, providing an opportunity for all partners to align on the project’s strategic vision, technical objectives, implementation roadmap and collaboration mechanisms for the upcoming months.
During the meeting, participants discussed the project’s work packages, technical priorities, communication and dissemination activities, and established a common framework for achieving the project’s ambitious goals.
The meeting also fostered interdisciplinary collaboration among experts in telecommunications, IoT systems, artificial intelligence, edge computing, security, and network architectures.
Building the future of 6G-enabled IoT
PIONEERS-6G introduces an application-centric approach that addresses emerging IoT requirements across challenging environments, including industrial, underground, underwater and globally distributed scenarios.
The project will develop and validate an integrated Omni-IoT platform, advancing innovations across three key technological domains:
- 6G-IoT Devices: enabling energy-efficient operation, adaptive multi-mode connectivity, secure AI/ML execution and autonomous device intelligence.
- 6G-IoT Radio Access Networks (RAN): delivering resilient terrestrial and non-terrestrial connectivity, integrated sensing and communication capabilities, and high-precision positioning.
- 6G-IoT Core Networks (CN): creating AI-native, cloud-edge architectures that enable secure, interoperable and globally orchestrated IoT services.
By developing and validating these technologies, PIONEERS-6G aims to demonstrate measurable improvements over existing 5G solutions while contributing to Europe’s digital sovereignty, sustainability and technological competitiveness.
Launch of the official PIONEERS-6G website
Alongside the project’s kick-off activities, the consortium has launched the official PIONEERS-6G website, which will serve as the project’s central communication and knowledge-sharing hub.
The website will provide:
- Project updates and news
- Technical developments and results
- Events and dissemination activities
- Public deliverables and publications
- Multimedia resources
- Information about the consortium partners
- Opportunities for stakeholders to engage with the project
Researchers, industry representatives, policymakers and the wider public are invited to follow the project’s progress and stay informed about upcoming developments.
Visit the official website: https://pioneers-6g.eu
About PIONEERS-6G
PIONEERS-6G is a Horizon Europe project funded by the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU). The project brings together a multidisciplinary European consortium committed to advancing 6G-enabled Internet of Things technologies for resilient, intelligent and sustainable digital infrastructures.
Project details
- Project Acronym: PIONEERS-6G
- Grant Agreement No: 101293242
- Duration: 36 months (May 2026 – April 2029)
- Coordinator: Karlstad University (Sweden)
- Funding Programme: Horizon Europe – SNS Joint Undertaking
Consortium Partners
PIONEERS-6G brings together eight complementary organisations from six European countries, combining expertise from academia, research, industry, telecommunications, and innovation ecosystems.
The consortium consists of:
- Karlstad University (KAU), Sweden – Project Coordinator
- Telefónica Innovación Digital (TID), Spain
- NEC Laboratories Europe GmbH (NEC), Germany
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecomunicazioni (CNIT), Italy
- Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), Spain
- Rinicom Ltd (RINI), United Kingdom
- Mulini Srl (MUL), Italy
- Envolve Entrepreneurshio (ENV), Greece
Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. The project is supported by the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and its members.
Grant Agreement Νο. 101293242
Find out more: https://pioneers-6g.eu
