SOVCAP#

Let's connect: how to build and run cloud services in a sovereign way.

What is SOVCAP?#

SOVCAP is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative that builds two things at once: a network of sovereign, SCS-compliant clouds, and the people who can build and run them. Universities, public administrations and companies work together on shared infrastructure, on curricula for degree programmes and further education, and on the everyday practice of open-source cloud operations.

Everything the initiative produces — code, applications, knowledge and teaching material — is published as open source and as Open Educational Resources.

Our mission is simple: make digital sovereignty something people can actually build, operate, teach and reuse.

About the initiative#

Capacity Building for Sovereign Cloud Infrastructure - Becoming Experts for Open-Source and Digital Sovereign Environments (DevSecOps)

Capacity Building is a global challenge – and it will not be solved by AI tools. Capacity, knowledge, competence will always be a crucial part of success, sovereignty, and self-determination. This is true for start-ups, enterprises, and administrations of countries.

Part of sovereignty nowadays is digital sovereignty: data security, control of data and environment, possibility to choose, change, and adapt technology – and to shape, innovate, and secure the whole stack.

We are launching this new initiative to build a powerful network of sovereign clouds — backed by universities like Osnabrück and Kaiserslautern-Landau, alongside ALASCA e.V. and industrial partners. But we aren't just building infrastructure; we are building the future workforce. By creating open-source university curricula and further-education courses, we are training the next generation to build, operate, and scale secure cloud technologies. This is the foundation of cloud-native software development and digital sovereign cloud hosting, including AI tools. We connect infrastructure, education, and real-world open-source practice. Students learn how open-source technology is developed, deployed, and operated. Organizations gain access to knowledge, applications, curricula, and materials published as Open Educational Resources.

Everything we create is 100% free and accessible as Open Educational Resources (OER): Because we believe in true digital sovereignty, so our code, applications, knowledge, and educational materials will be completely open-source and free for the world.

The global demand for open-source and digital sovereignty is skyrocketing, but organizations lack the secure infrastructure and skilled talent to achieve it.

Our initiative solves both. We are connecting universities and industry partners to create a network of secure, sovereign clouds used for cloud-native development and safe knowledge sharing. By integrating real-world operations into university curricula, we are closing the tech skills gap.

This initiative builds a network of sovereign, SCS-compliant clouds as a practical foundation for open-source cloud-native development, secure knowledge sharing, and digital sovereignty. We’re looking for visionaries and collaborators from public, educational, and industry sectors to challenge our roadmap and build this ecosystem with us. What experiences can you bring to the table?

The goal is simple: make digital sovereignty something people can actually build, operate, teach, and reuse.

Organizing Committee:

• Prof. Dr. Engelbert Niehaus - RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau

• Dr. Ramkumar Sachidananda Peramachanahalli - RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau, ITU

• Robert Holling – University of Applied sciences Osnabrück

• Jörg Rapp - RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau

• Friederike Zelke – VanillaCore GmbH, ITU, GIZ

Thanks to everyone at the 2026 workshop#