https://english.elpais.com/technology/2025-11-30/adriana-groh-the-internet-works-thanks-to-a-shared-infrastructure-that-nobody-owns-but-that-we-must-take-care-of.html Skip to content _ _ _ _ Select: * - - - * Espana * America + Mexico + Colombia + Chile + Argentina * US Espanol * US English EL PAIS Technology subscribeHHOLALOG IN Technology TECHNOLOGY Adriana Groh: 'The internet works thanks to a shared infrastructure that nobody owns, but that we must take care of' The head of Germany's Sovereign Tech Agency believes that Europe must invest in open source to achieve technological independence Adriana GrohAdriana Groh, founder of the German Sovereign Tech Agency, at the Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid.Jaime Villanueva Manuel G. Pascual Manuel G. Pascual Nov 30, 2025 - 05:00CET Share on Whatsapp Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Bluesky Share on Linkedin Copy link All programmers, from hobbyists to those working at Microsoft or Google, use open-source software, which is present in between 70% and 90% of the computer applications we use today. No one starts a project from scratch; instead, they turn to libraries like GitHub or GitLab to download packages of code already written, reviewed, and improved by the community. "Developers spend an average of two-thirds of their time adapting open-source software to their needs, and they build their application on top of that. That's why if there is a security flaw in that code, everyone, from Apple or Meta to the German or Spanish government, has a problem," explains Adriana Groh. Groh, 35, is the director general of the German government's Sovereign Tech Agency, a pioneering institution in Europe dedicated to maintaining the common digital infrastructure. In her view, the path to European technological sovereignty, which has gained momentum since Donald Trump's return to the White House, hinges on ensuring a solid foundation for open-source software. She spoke with EL PAIS in Madrid, where she participated in the Digital Resilience Forum, after taking part the day before at the 4D Conference in Barcelona organized by Xnet and Accent Obert. Question. What do you do at the Sovereign Tech Agency? Answer. We started three years ago with a fund, which was really successful. Now we're working on a standards program, and in the future we'll probably also launch programs to attract new talent. Our structure is quite unique: we're a limited liability company owned by the German government, so we operate independently, but we do engage in public procurement. We also have an international focus: we try to provide a kind of blueprint to other governments to inspire them to take on the same mission as the German government. Q. What is that mission? A. In the 21st century, every government should understand that ensuring software sovereignty and security is part of its job, not only for themselves but also for businesses, society, and researchers. In the 21st century, software is the invisible infrastructure of our everyday life, like roads and bridges. Everything runs on software, and a significant portion of this is made possible by open source, which is maintained by people selflessly. If this open source breaks down, it's as if a road or bridge collapses: everything else becomes much more complicated and dangerous. Q. What type of projects have you promoted from the agency? A. We're still relatively small, although our budget has grown from about EUR10 million to about EUR20 million. With that money, we want to focus on where we have the most impact: we look at the software that developers need to develop new software. Most people have never heard of curl or pi [Python], or the other 60 technologies we work with. But if this software goes down, suddenly the payment systems stop working. If we see the shared digital infrastructure as a large building block structure, we need to invest in the foundation blocks so we can keep growing upwards. Otherwise, it's like building castles on sand. Our mission is to look at that foundation of building blocks. Adriana Groh, fundadora del Sovereign Digital Fund de Alemania, en el Circulo de Bellas Artes en Madrid.Groh participated in an event in Madrid to talk about how Germany is facing the challenge of digital sovereignty.Jaime Villanueva Q. So you focus on software, not hardware. A. Exactly. We believe it's best to do one thing very well. And, if you succeed at that, you can move on to the next. Of course, software alone isn't enough. If we want to be more sovereign in Europe, we need to identify the problems and then design new, effective instruments for each one and ensure they are coordinated and aligned so that we have a real impact. You really need to understand how software developers work and how the open-source ecosystem works. Q. Are there other countries doing something similar to what you're doing? A. We face a classic commons problem: everyone relies on open-source software as a foundation for building their own developments, but no one feels responsible for it. Why should I invest in open-source software if my competitor is also using it and not paying for it? That's the problem we want to tackle. So we're also getting a lot of interest from industry. If we can get them to collaborate, I think that will make us very strong. It's a good time to push this message because everyone wants digital sovereignty. It's not enough to replace one or two products; we need to think about the entire process: software, hardware, data, and who owns the means of production. Q. To what extent is it possible to pursue European digital sovereignty without addressing the hardware aspect? A. That aspect also needs to be addressed. But we have to start somewhere. We need strategic independence at different layers. I don't think that means you have to do everything yourself, but you need to know where you're strongest. We need data centers, we need computing power, we need chips. Q. Should this process be addressed by the public sector? A. We need a triangle to create a sustainable and secure ecosystem. On one side are the volunteers who have been working on open-source software forever. These are people who, when their day job is done, sit down at their laptops back home and maintain the software that the rest of the world uses. They do it because they truly believe in open source. We don't want this to stop, but we do want to take some of the pressure off them. On the other side are the companies that rely on open source and use it in their daily operations. They need an open-source strategy and to consider how they can give back. On the third side, we believe the government should also be involved. Q. Do you think there is enough awareness about the need to contribute to the maintenance of open-source software? Or is more education needed? A. The internet works thanks to a shared infrastructure that nobody owns, but that we must take care of. Developers at Google, Microsoft, or Meta use Python as much as, or even more than, their colleagues at a small startup in Barcelona or Berlin. This kind of open-source software is a shared global resource; there's no business incentive to own it because that would mean having to maintain it. That's the challenge: everyone needs it, but nobody feels responsible for it. Besides the infrastructure, there are also open-source products, although that's a different challenge that we don't address. In any case, open-source products are becoming increasingly attractive. When WhatsApp was acquired by Meta, many of my friends switched to Signal, which is open source, because they weren't comfortable with WhatsApp's data protection policy. I think that citizens will increasingly make decisions like this: if two services are very similar, we prefer the more secure one. Q. What does open source contribute to the debate on reducing the carbon footprint of technology? A. Open-source software is reusable and can be adapted to each project. This prevents people from doing the same work multiple times. That's why it's so appealing to the industry: if you can save resources by using open-source software, why develop it from scratch, especially knowing that open source is already the best out there? Q. Do you think the EU needs to regulate the use of open-source software in some way? A. The answer varies for each side of the triangle I mentioned earlier. If you look at civil society, everyone chooses whether they want to use WhatsApp, Signal, or another app. However, companies should understand that using a free, shared resource without contributing back is not how it works. As for the government, instead of buying licenses for proprietary software, it should spend public money on open-source code, which is free for businesses and individuals to use. It's more transparent, more secure because it's reviewed and improved by the entire community, and reusable. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Tu suscripcion se esta usando en otro dispositivo ?Quieres anadir otro usuario a tu suscripcion? Anadir usuarioContinuar leyendo aqui Si continuas leyendo en este dispositivo, no se podra leer en el otro. ?Por que estas viendo esto? Flecha Tu suscripcion se esta usando en otro dispositivo y solo puedes acceder a EL PAIS desde un dispositivo a la vez. Si quieres compartir tu cuenta, cambia tu suscripcion a la modalidad Premium, asi podras anadir otro usuario. Cada uno accedera con su propia cuenta de email, lo que os permitira personalizar vuestra experiencia en EL PAIS. ?Tienes una suscripcion de empresa? Accede aqui para contratar mas cuentas. En el caso de no saber quien esta usando tu cuenta, te recomendamos cambiar tu contrasena aqui. Si decides continuar compartiendo tu cuenta, este mensaje se mostrara en tu dispositivo y en el de la otra persona que esta usando tu cuenta de forma indefinida, afectando a tu experiencia de lectura. Puedes consultar aqui los terminos y condiciones de la suscripcion digital. Sign up to EL PAIS US Edition bulletin Technology El Pais in English on Facebook Technology El Pais in English on Twitter More information La ministra digital de Taiwan, Audrey Tang Audrey Tang, hacker and Taiwanese digital minister: 'AI is a parasite that fosters polarization' Ana Cristina Castellanos Cervantes | Madrid Yanis Varoufakis Yanis Varoufakis: 'The technolords control our minds' Boris Munoz Archived In * Microsoft * Meta * Google * Software * Apple * WhatsApp Adheres toThe Trust ProjectMore information If you are interested in licensing this content, click here _ Ultimas noticias 21:26 Trump warns Venezuela: 'If we have to, we'll attack on land' 19:48 Venezuela claims the United States asked for permission to resume flights carrying deportees 18:36 Thomas Brodie-Sangster, the child star from 'Love Actually', says romcoms aren't what they used to be 17:32 How Pixar's technology helped develop more lethal military drones Most viewed 1. Over a million descendants of Spaniards have applied for citizenship, overwhelming consulates 2. 50 years of The Runaways: 'Getting loaded on drugs, drinking, hating people, falling in love with somebody' 3. Anonymous philanthropy is history: From Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez to the Tangs, meet the new royal donors 4. Emma Coronel speaks about her marriage to El Chapo and apologizes to the victims of violence: 'I sympathize with those who have suffered' 5. Captain Cook was cooked, but not eaten Recomendaciones EL PAIS * Cursos * Centros * Frances online * Ingles online * Italiano online * Aleman online * Crucigramas & Juegos Cursos cursos MBA en Direccion de Proyectos de Decoracion de Interiores en Espacios Comerciales de Diseno MBA en Direccion de Proyectos de Decoracion de Interiores en Espacios Comerciales de Diseno cursos Master en Administracion de Negocios con Concentracion en Inteligencia Artificial Master en Administracion de Negocios con Concentracion en Inteligencia Artificial cursos Gestion de Proyectos y Contratos en Obras de Construccion Gestion de Proyectos y Contratos en Obras de Construccion cursos Curso Superior de Diseno Grafico y 'Motion Graphics' Curso Superior de Diseno Grafico y 'Motion Graphics' Centros cursosonline Master en Inteligencia Artificial aplicada a Marketing y Ventas Master en Inteligencia Artificial aplicada a Marketing y Ventas cursosonline Master Universitario en Gestion de Proyectos / Project Management Master Universitario en Gestion de Proyectos / Project Management cursosonline Master en Nutricion y Salud & Coaching, Inteligencia Emocional y PNL Master en Nutricion y Salud & Coaching, Inteligencia Emocional y PNL cursosonline Master Universitario en Neuropsicologia Clinica Master Universitario en Neuropsicologia Clinica Frances online cursosingles Mejora tu frances con 15 minutos al dia Mejora tu frances con 15 minutos al dia cursosingles Disfruta de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. Disfruta de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. cursosingles Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. cursosingles 21 dias de prueba gratuita de nuestro curso de frances 'online' 21 dias de prueba gratuita de nuestro curso de frances 'online' Ingles online cursosingles Mejore su ingles con EL PAIS con 15 minutos al dia Mejore su ingles con EL PAIS con 15 minutos al dia cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas cursosingles Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado cursosingles Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Italiano online cursosingles Mejore su italiano con EL PAIS con 15 minutos al dia Mejore su italiano con EL PAIS con 15 minutos al dia cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas cursosingles Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado cursosingles Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Aleman online cursosingles Las mejores oportunidades hablan aleman. Nuevo curso 'online' Las mejores oportunidades hablan aleman. Nuevo curso 'online' cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas cursosingles Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado Evalue su nivel y obtenga un certificado cursosingles Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Pruebe 21 dias gratis y sin compromiso Crucigramas & Juegos juegos Crucigramas minis Crucigramas minis juegos Crucigramas Tarkus Crucigramas Tarkus juegos Sudokus mini Sudokus mini juegos Sopas de letras Sopas de letras Recomendaciones EL PAIS * Cursos * Centros * Italiano online * Frances online * Aleman online * Crucigramas & Juegos Cursos cursos MBA - Administracion y Direccion de Empresas MBA - Administracion y Direccion de Empresas cursos Master en Neuroeducacion Master en Neuroeducacion cursos Master Universitario en Derecho Penal Economico - Modalidad 'online' Master Universitario en Derecho Penal Economico - Modalidad 'online' cursos BIM para la Gestion de Proyectos y Contratos en Obras de Construccion BIM para la Gestion de Proyectos y Contratos en Obras de Construccion Centros cursosonline DIRECTORIO DE CENTROS DE FORMACION DIRECTORIO DE CENTROS DE FORMACION cursosonline Curso Superior de Contabilidad Financiera Curso Superior de Contabilidad Financiera cursosonline Master de Diseno Grafico y de Interiores Master de Diseno Grafico y de Interiores cursosonline Licenciatura en Arquitectura de Interiores Licenciatura en Arquitectura de Interiores Italiano online cursosingles Mejore su italiano con solo 15 minutos al dia Mejore su italiano con solo 15 minutos al dia cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. cursosingles Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. cursosingles 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! Frances online cursosingles Mejore su frances con solo 15 minutos al dia Mejore su frances con solo 15 minutos al dia cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. cursosingles Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. cursosingles 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! Aleman online cursosingles Las mejores oportunidades hablan aleman. Nuevo curso 'online' Las mejores oportunidades hablan aleman. Nuevo curso 'online' cursosingles Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. Disfrute de nuestras lecciones personalizadas, breves y divertidas. cursosingles Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. Obtendra un diploma con estadisticas de nivel, progresion y participacion. cursosingles 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! 21 dias de prueba gratuita. !Empiece ya! Crucigramas & Juegos juegos !Disfruta con nuestros Crucigramas para expertos! !Disfruta con nuestros Crucigramas para expertos! juegos Palabra secreta Palabra secreta juegos Juega a nuestros Sudoku medio y mejora dia a dia tu nivel Juega a nuestros Sudoku medio y mejora dia a dia tu nivel juegos Juega a las nuevas Sopas de letras clasicas y tematicas de EL PAIS Juega a las nuevas Sopas de letras clasicas y tematicas de EL PAIS _ _ HOLA Subscribe for EUR 1 * My activity * My Subscription * My personal data * My newsletters * Rights and de-registration * Events and experiences Asistente Vera IA logout change contrast: Buscar[ ] Select: * - - - * Espana * America + Mexico + Colombia + Chile + Argentina * US Espanol * US English If you want to follow all the latest news without any limits, subscribe to EL PAIS for just EUR1 the first month SUBSCRIBE NOW * International * U.S. * Economy And Business * Science * Health * Technology * Climate * People * Lifestyle * Opinion * Culture * Sports * EPS * Latest News Newsletter Follow on: El Pais in English on Facebook El Pais in English on Twitter El Pais in English on Youtube El Pais in English on Instagram