Bertelsmann Stiftung
German foundation; runs the Network for Technological Resilience and Sovereignty across European stakeholders.
Last refreshed: 23 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What is Bertelsmann Stiftung's Network for Technological Resilience doing in Brussels?
Timeline for Bertelsmann Stiftung
Mentioned in: Brussels sovereignty summit opens without European AI builders
European Tech SovereigntyMentioned in: Georgia's 1 May fine ladder hits Tbilisi
Nomads & Communities- What is the Bertelsmann Stiftung Network for Technological Resilience and Sovereignty?
- The Network for Technological Resilience and Sovereignty (ETRS) is a cross-sector initiative run by Bertelsmann Stiftung that brings together European policymakers, industry and civil society to develop frameworks for strategic technological resilience and sovereignty.Source: Sovereign Tech Europe conference programme
- Is Bertelsmann Stiftung connected to the Bertelsmann media company?
- Bertelsmann Stiftung is an independent operating foundation, legally and financially separate from the Bertelsmann media group, though both trace back to the same founding family. The Stiftung conducts its own research and policy work rather than serving commercial interests.
- Who is Martin Hullin at Bertelsmann Stiftung?
- Martin Hullin is associated with Bertelsmann Stiftung's Network for Technological Resilience and Sovereignty (ETRS). He represented the network at the open-source panel of the Sovereign Tech Europe conference in Brussels on 23 April 2026.Source: Sovereign Tech Europe conference programme
Background
Bertelsmann Stiftung is a major German operating foundation, independent of the Bertelsmann media group's commercial operations, that conducts policy research and dialogue across education, democracy, social cohesion and economic policy. On technology, it runs the Network for Technological Resilience and Sovereignty (ETRS), a cross-sector initiative that brings together European policy actors, industry and civil society to develop frameworks for assessing and building strategic technological resilience. Martin Hullin represented the ETRS network at the open-source panel of the Sovereign Tech Europe conference in Brussels on 23 April 2026, alongside Paul Sharratt of Sovereign Tech Agency Germany.
Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Gütersloh, Germany, Bertelsmann Stiftung is one of the largest private operating foundations in Europe by assets. Its work is structured through permanent programme areas rather than grant-making; it employs researchers and convenes expert networks directly. The ETRS network it operates sits at the intersection of technology policy, supply-chain resilience and democratic governance, making it a natural participant in EU-level sovereignty debates.
The foundation's ETRS work brings a granular analytical lens to the EU sovereignty debate, examining specific dependencies, semiconductor supply chains, cloud infrastructure, critical software, rather than advocating a single policy remedy. Its Brussels summit participation places Gütersloh-rooted research capacity alongside Brussels-based regulatory and industry voices in the same room.
