THALES COMMUNICATION & SECURITE NUMERIQUES SA

Their core work

Thales Communication & Sécurité Numériques (operating under the Gemalto brand, now part of Thales Group) is a major French digital security company specializing in secure embedded systems, smart card technology, and cybersecurity solutions. In H2020 projects, they contribute expertise in secure microcontrollers, IoT device security, embedded memory technologies for automotive and edge AI applications, and critical infrastructure protection. Their work spans from hardware-level chip security (SoC design, non-volatile memory) to software-level cybersecurity for energy grids and transport systems.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015–2017), Thales/Gemalto focused on IoT ecosystems, smart transport interoperability, and energy trading platforms — essentially software and data-driven digital services. From 2018 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward hardware security: secure microcontrollers, embedded memory technologies (phase change memory, FDSOI), ultra-low-power SoCs for edge AI, and cybersecurity for critical energy infrastructure. This evolution mirrors the broader industry shift from connecting devices to securing them at the silicon level.

Thales/Gemalto is moving deeper into hardware-rooted security for edge computing and critical infrastructure, making them a strong partner for projects requiring trusted embedded platforms.

How they like to work

Thales/Gemalto exclusively participates as a partner rather than a coordinator, consistent with how large industrial companies often contribute specialized components within broader consortia. With 261 unique partners across 30 countries in just 8 projects, they operate in very large consortia and maintain an exceptionally wide network — typical of a major technology provider that plugs into diverse project ecosystems. Their role suggests they bring specific industrial capabilities (secure chips, cybersecurity modules) rather than driving project-level research agendas.

With 261 unique consortium partners across 30 countries from only 8 projects, Thales/Gemalto has one of the broadest collaboration networks relative to project count, reflecting participation in major pan-European flagship initiatives. Their reach is truly pan-European with no strong geographic concentration.

What sets them apart

Thales/Gemalto brings rare full-stack digital security expertise — from silicon-level chip design through to application-layer cybersecurity — which very few organizations can offer within a single partnership. As part of the Thales Group, they combine the agility of a focused digital security unit with the resources and credibility of a major defence and technology conglomerate. For consortium builders, they are the partner that can simultaneously address hardware trust anchors, secure communications, and data protection compliance.

Highlights from their portfolio

• FutureFlow
  Their largest funded project (EUR 1.07M) — an energy trading platform for electricity balancing across Europe, showing their ability to work on large-scale infrastructure digitalization.
• StorAIge
  Represents their most forward-looking work: embedded storage for next-generation microcontrollers ready for AI at the edge, positioning them at the intersection of hardware security and artificial intelligence.
• ELECTRON
  Addresses cybersecurity for self-healing electrical power nanogrids, combining their security expertise with critical energy infrastructure protection — a high-demand area.