Sarenet has strengthened its role as a tech partner for SMEs with the launch of DESPACE and HUCAÍN, two platforms that address, from complementary angles, the major challenges of the digital economy: secure data sharing between organizations and rigorously measuring carbon footprint to comply with the European regulation of the Digital Product Passport (DPP). Combining Sovereign Cloud, advanced cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, the Spanish provider of voice, data, and enterprise hosting aims to accelerate the adoption of interoperable data spaces within the productive fabric.
“With DESPACE, we want to democratize access to data spaces, enabling any company, no matter how small, to collaborate and benefit from secure and sovereign digital environments,” explains Santiago Mercado, Sarenet’s systems director.
“With HUCAÍN, our goal is for any company to measure and improve environmental management with real and accurate data. It’s a way to anticipate European regulation requiring the Digital Product Passport,” he adds.
DESPACE: frictionless shared data spaces without technical barriers
DESPACE is a visual platform for creating, connecting, and governing data spaces among organizations, founded on three clear principles: security, traceability, and sovereignty. In practice, it functions as a “bridge” that eliminates the complexity of developing custom connectors, allowing companies from any sector to access and exchange information in real-time without losing control.
Designed for scalability (and compliance)
The solution relies on microservices deployed on Sarenet’s cloud infrastructure, with containers orchestrated via Kubernetes. This approach guarantees scalability, resilience, and seamless integration with existing systems (ERP, CRM, IoT platforms, analytics). To support industry and cross-border collaboration, DESPACE aligns with European interoperability and data sovereignty models: GAIA-X, IDSA (International Data Spaces Association), and the Data Spaces Support Centre (DSSC).
Sovereignty by design
A key differentiator is that DESPACE does not store or manage data itself. It provides the interchange infrastructure, authentication mechanisms, and access controls based on standards, but the information remains at the origin. All processing and traffic occur within Sarenet’s data centers in the EU, under European regulation, enhancing confidentiality and data protection.
From technical to operational, in a visual mode
The DESPACE interface enables configuration of nodes, permissions, and flows through assistants and graphical views. Practically, this means a business team can enable suppliers or partners, set usage policies, and audit exchanges without relying daily on highly specialized profiles. For SMEs lacking large IT teams, this simplification is crucial.
HUCAÍN: automated carbon footprint and Digital Product Passport
HUCAÍN is an industrial data space designed to automate the measurement of carbon footprint across the supply chain and facilitate the DPP that will come into effect in the European Union in the coming years. The platform is particularly suited for sectors like machine tools and material transformation, but its open and scalable model makes it adaptable to other industries as well.
European data standards: FIWARE and Smart Data Models
The platform integrates signals from IoT sensors, ERP records, and other operational sources, and processes them automatically using FIWARE and Smart Data Models. HUCAÍN calculates the carbon footprint per product and process, ensuring traceability and auditability of environmental data. This approach reduces manual, costly, and fragmented work, replacing it with real-time indicators viewable on an interactive dashboard.
Regulatory readiness and competitive edge
By standardizing the capture and calculation of emissions, HUCAÍN allows companies to anticipate the requirements of the Digital Product Passport. This will impact a large part of European industry. Beyond compliance, the tool helps improve processes: identify critical points, simulate reduction scenarios, and compare suppliers from a transparent, verifiable database.
Sovereign cloud, AI, and cybersecurity: the pillars supporting the model
Both DESPACE and HUCAÍN run on Sarenet’s cloud infrastructure, hosted in own data centers within the EU. Regarding security, the company emphasizes its 24/7 SOC that has recently been expanded, as well as AI integration in detection and response solutions to safeguard networks, workloads, and data. For SMEs seeking digital transformation without sacrificing regulatory compliance or data residency, this setup offers a seamless fit.
Who and what is it for: use cases making the promise tangible
- Industrial manufacturers (machine tools, metal, plastics): share specifications, production orders, or maintenance data with suppliers and customers; calculate Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions per product; issue DPP.
- Energy and utilities: integrate IoT measurements and consumption data for operational optimization, ESG reporting, and collaboration with authorities or partners.
- Retail and logistics: trace supply chain, exchange inventory, monitor breakages, and track emissions by route; dashboards for cost and carbon.
- Healthcare and pharmaceuticals: enable data spaces among labs, suppliers, and centers with precise access controls, keeping data at its source.
- Government and sectoral consortia: create inter-sectoral data spaces (mobility, tourism, agriculture) aligned with GAIA-X, involving local operators and European cloud.
Why it matters for SMEs: five game-changing points
- Reduced technical barriers. Visual interface, standardized connectors, and Kubernetes backend, avoiding endless custom projects.
- Compliance and sovereignty. Data stored in Sarenet’s own centers within the EU and aligned with GAIA-X/IDSA/DSSC.
- Efficiency and cost savings. Automating emissions measurement and B2B exchange cuts administrative hours and reduces errors.
- Fast integration. ERP, CRM, IoT, and analytics connect with shared authentication and access controls.
- Regulatory readiness. The Digital Product Passport will become a norm—starting measurement and documentation now saves time and builds credibility.
Data governance: control, traceability, and trust
The “non-custodial” design (no data storage) minimizes risks of lock-in and ownership conflicts. Role-based access control, permission logging, and workflow traceability enable auditing who sees what and for what purpose. This is increasingly important in B2B contracts and public tenders. Additionally, adherence to open standards facilitates interoperability with other emerging data spaces in Europe.
A company focused on service and expertise
Founded in 1995, SARENET S.A.U. has established itself as one of the leading national operators for companies, offering a portfolio including high-speed connectivity, private networks, IP and mobile telephony, data centers, cloud computing, equipment and software hosting, professional email, managed cybersecurity, and industrial IoT. The launch of DESPACE and HUCAÍN aligns with its R&D&I roadmap, focused on ready-to-use solutions that accelerate projects and reduce technical friction for clients.
What to expect moving forward
The success of data spaces depends on the critical mass of participants within each sector. By offering visual tools, European standards, and data residency in the EU, Sarenet aims to make the initial leap manageable for SMEs and midsize companies. With HUCAÍN, the regulatory incentive from the DPP adds urgency: those who start measuring and documenting emissions now will save time and gain credibility when it becomes mandatory.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a “data space,” and why does an SME need one?
A data space is a secure environment where organizations share information in a traceable way under common rules (access, purposes, permissions). For an SME, it reduces collaboration friction with customers, suppliers, and public entities, avoiding custom developments and ensuring compliance with data sovereignty regulations in the EU.
How does HUCAÍN assist with the Digital Product Passport (DPP)?
HUCAÍN integrates and standardizes data (IoT, ERP, processes) using FIWARE and Smart Data Models to calculate product/process carbon footprint, generate auditable indicators, and prepare documentation required by the DPP. This allows companies to proactively comply with regulations and facilitate audits and ESG reporting.
Does DESPACE store my data or can Sarenet see it?
No. DESPACE does not store or manage data; it provides the interchange infrastructure and access control. Data remains at the source, and traffic/processing occurs within Sarenet’s data centers in the EU, ensuring confidentiality and compliance.
What are the minimum technical requirements to get started?
You need ERP/CRM/IoT systems or data sources to connect, define roles and permissions, and set exchange policies. The DESPACE interface and HUCAÍN dashboard facilitate initial deployment with minimal setup and scaling as needed. Sarenet provides infrastructure, support, and managed cybersecurity (SOC 24/7).
via: sarenet