IMPULSE · Project

Blockchain and AI-Powered Digital Identity for Government Services Across Europe

digitalPilotedTRL 7

impulse-h2020.eu

Imagine trying to prove who you are online to a government office in another country — it's a mess of passwords, paper scans, and broken portals. IMPULSE built a digital wallet app that lets citizens verify their identity using blockchain and AI, so governments can trust who they're dealing with without storing sensitive data in one hackable place. They tested it across 6 real city and regional government pilot sites in 5 European countries, from Denmark to Bulgaria. The result is a working system that plugs into existing EU identity rules (like eIDAS) and respects privacy regulations like GDPR.

By the numbers

Real-world pilot case studies across Europe

Countries with active pilot deployments (Denmark, Spain, Bulgaria, Iceland, Italy)

Consortium partners involved in development

Countries represented in the consortium

Complete pilot rounds conducted with assessment reports

Total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Governments across Europe are struggling to move citizen services online because they can't reliably verify who people are in a digital environment. Current systems are fragmented across countries, vulnerable to data breaches when centralized, and frustrating for citizens who need different credentials for every service. This creates bottlenecks in cross-border mobility, delays in public service delivery, and mounting cybersecurity risks for administrations holding sensitive identity data.

The solution

What was built

IMPULSE built a citizen-facing digital wallet app (delivered in 2 versions) and a complete backend identity management system (also in 2 versions with documentation) that uses blockchain for decentralized credential storage and AI for identity verification. The system was tested across 6 pilot sites in 5 countries, with full pilot assessment reports and demonstration videos produced after each of the 2 pilot rounds.

Audience

Who needs this

Municipal and regional government IT departments digitizing citizen servicesTrust Service Providers looking to add blockchain-based identity credentials to their portfolioGovTech companies building e-government platforms that need identity verificationNational digital identity agencies implementing eIDAS-compliant systemsLarge public service providers (healthcare, social services) needing secure citizen authentication

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Government & Public Administration

enterprise

Target: Municipal or regional government IT departments

If you are a city or regional government struggling with citizen identity verification across digital services — this project developed the IMPULSE wallet app and backend system, piloted across 6 case studies in 5 countries, that lets citizens securely prove their identity using blockchain-based credentials. It plugs into existing eIDAS-compliant identity systems and supports GDPR requirements out of the box.

Identity & Trust Services

mid-size

Target: Trust Service Providers and identity verification companies

If you are a Trust Service Provider looking to upgrade your offering with blockchain-based identity credentials — IMPULSE was designed for adoption by existing Trust Service Providers to ensure marketability. The system went through 2 pilot rounds with 17 consortium partners and produced actionable roadmaps for scaling across local, regional, national, and cross-border levels.

GovTech & Civic Tech

SME

Target: Software companies building e-government platforms

If you are a GovTech company building digital service platforms for public administrations — IMPULSE delivered a tested wallet application (through V1 and V2 iterations) and a complete backend system with documentation. The 6 pilot sites across Denmark, Spain, Bulgaria, Iceland, and Italy validated the technology in diverse legal and cultural contexts, giving you a ready integration blueprint.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this digital identity system?

The project data does not include specific implementation costs or licensing fees. As a publicly funded Research and Innovation Action, the core technology was developed with EU funds. Contact the coordinator to discuss integration costs, which will depend on your existing infrastructure and scale of deployment.

Can this scale to serve an entire country's population?

The system was designed for scalability across local, regional, national, and cross-border levels, as stated in the project objectives. It was piloted in 6 case studies across 5 countries (Denmark, Spain, Bulgaria, Iceland, Italy), demonstrating it works in diverse operational and legal contexts. National-scale deployment would require integration with existing national eID infrastructure.

What is the IP situation and can we license this technology?

IMPULSE was funded as a Research and Innovation Action under Horizon 2020 with 17 consortium partners. The project explicitly aimed for adoption by existing Trust Service Providers to ensure marketability. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the consortium, led by the coordinator in Spain.

Is this compliant with European data protection regulations?

Yes — GDPR compliance was a core design requirement, not an afterthought. The project specifically developed GDPR-compliant eID technology and conducted a multidisciplinary impact analysis covering legal and ethical dimensions. The blockchain architecture was designed to avoid centralizing sensitive personal data.

How long would integration take for an existing e-government platform?

The project delivered 2 complete system versions (V1 at month 18, V2 at month 27) with full system documentation. Based on available project data, the system was built for integration with existing EU identity schemas and public service providers, but specific integration timelines would depend on your current setup.

Does it work with our existing identity management systems?

IMPULSE was specifically designed to complement existing EU identity schemas and ensure cross-border access. It aligns with eIDAS regulations and existing eID systems, meaning it can layer on top of what you already have rather than replacing it entirely.

What kind of ongoing support is available?

The project closed in January 2024, but the consortium of 17 partners across 9 countries includes 4 industry partners and 4 SMEs who may offer commercial support. The project also produced actionable roadmaps and good practices documentation for adoption and sustainability.

Consortium

Who built it

The IMPULSE consortium brings together 17 partners from 9 European countries, giving it unusually broad geographic coverage for a digital identity project — critical because identity regulations vary dramatically country to country. The mix includes 4 industry players and 4 SMEs (24% industry ratio), alongside research organizations and a strong contingent of 10 "other" partners that likely includes the public administration bodies running the pilot sites. The coordinator is a telecommunications technology center in Spain. For a business looking to adopt or build on this technology, the multi-country consortium means the solution has already been stress-tested against different legal systems, cultural expectations, and technical infrastructures — reducing your own localization risk.

FUNDACION CENTRO TECNOLOXICO DE TELECOMUNICACIONS DE GALICIACoordinator · ES
TREE TECHNOLOGY SAparticipant · ES
TINEXTA INFOCERT SPAparticipant · IT
GOBIERNO VASCO - DEPARTAMENTO SEGURIDADparticipant · ES
DIN DEUTSCHES INSTITUT FUER NORMUNG EVparticipant · DE
OBSHTINA PESHTERAparticipant · BG
REYKJAVIKURBORGparticipant · IS
CYBERETHICS LAB SRLSparticipant · IT
AARHUS KOMMUNEparticipant · DK
UNIONE ITALIANA DELLE CAMERE DI COMMERCIO INDUSTRIA ARTIGIANATO E AGRICOLTURA UNIONCAMEREparticipant · IT
LAPPEENRANNAN-LAHDEN TEKNILLINEN YLIOPISTO LUTparticipant · FI

How to reach the team

The coordinator is Fundación Centro Tecnolóxico de Telecomunicacións de Galicia (GRADIANT) in Spain. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium See FUNDACION CENTRO TECNOLOXICO DE TELECOMUNICACIONS DE GALICIA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how IMPULSE's blockchain identity system could work for your organization? SciTransfer can arrange a briefing with the project team and help you evaluate integration options. Contact us for a tailored assessment.

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