The NextGEOSS project will implement a federated data hub for access and exploitation of Earth Observation data, including user-friendly tools for data mining, discovery, access and exploitation. This data hub will be supported by a strong commitment to the engagement of Earth Observation and related communities, with the view of supporting the creation of innovative and business oriented applications. The main general objectives for NextGEOSS are to 1) Deliver the next generation data hub and Earth Observation exploitation for innovation and business; 2) Engage communities, promoting innovative GEOSS powered applications from Europe; and 3) Advocate GEOSS as a sustainable European approach for Earth Observation data distribution and exploitation. NextGEOSS engages main providers of Earth Observation data, including Copernicus Collaborative Ground Segments and Core Services. While continuing to support the GEO-DAB and OpenSearch as the middleware components in charge of interconnecting the heterogeneous and distributed capacities contributing to GEOSS, NextGEOSS focuses on a fundamental change to facilitate the connectivity to the European and global data centres with new discovery and processing methods. It will leverage Web and Cloud technologies, offering seamless and user-friendly access to all the relevant data repositories, as well as providing efficient operations for search, retrieval, processing/re-processing, visualization, analysis and combination of products from federated sources. NextGEOSS includes a set of demonstrative pilot activities, which will showcase the system’s capabilities, and a number of initiatives devoted to engagement of GEO and other EO-related communities.