Network Role: Investor

  • Navigating Investment Landscapes with SPRIND

    Navigating Investment Landscapes with SPRIND

    Leading the charge: Mirko Holzer 

    At the forefront of this initiative is Mirko Holzer, Deputy Director AI &Robotics  at SPRIND. With deep expertise in innovation management, Holzer ensures that promising start-ups and researchers get the resources they need to bring their groundbreaking ideas to life.  

    Holzer explains: “The partnership with Cyber Valley combines the best of both worlds: promising start-ups from first-class AI research meet the bold, unconventional funding culture of SPRIND. Together, we create an environment in which visionary ideas are not only conceived but also implemented. We look forward to supporting the next generation of AI pioneers and taking innovation in Germany to the next level!” 

    How to secure funding with SPRIND 

    SPRIND offers flexible financing models to help start-ups transform research into real-world applications. If traditional venture capital isn’t enough, SPRIND can step in with direct investments. 

    The step-by-step guide to getting funded 

    1. Research and eligibility: Ensure your AI venture aligns with SPRIND’s mission of breakthrough innovation. They look for high-impact, high-risk ideas with real-world applications. 

    2. Connecting with SPRIND: Early engagement with Mirko Holzer and his team is encouraged, as they can provide insights into the best funding options. 

    3. Preparing a proposal: SPRIND seeks strong teams, groundbreaking ideas, and a clear path to impact. Highlighting how innovation stands out is important. 

    4. Funding models and terms: SPRIND offers grants for research and development, equity investments, convertible loans, and co-investments with private investors, covering up to 70% of a financing round. 

    5. Validation phase: Selected teams can enter a validation phase, receiving expert coaching while participating in SPRIND’s network.  

    6. Showcase at VENTURE SPRIND: Top teams can present their ideas at SPRIND’s flagship event, where top investors and industry leaders gather to discover groundbreaking innovations.   

    “Research and development are incredibly expensive, and we can cover a large part of the development costs. The rest is covered by private investment,” explains Holzer. “Our financing is usually in the single-digit million range but can be higher if we see the potential and the need for it.” 

     

    Success Story: Polybot’s Journey 

    Polybot – one of the latest Cyber Valley projects supported by SPRIND – is a next-generation agricultural robot. SPRIND has provided Polybot with a seven-month validation contract starting in February 2025, giving them financial support, coaching, and access to a powerful innovation network. This partnership will turn Polybot’s cutting-edge research into real-world applications, strengthening Baden-Württemberg as an innovation hub. 

    Polybot’s team will: 

    • Join SPRIND’s expert-led programs 

    • Work closely with innovation managers 

    • Gain access to valuable investor networks 

    • Showcase their technology at VENTURE SPRIND 

    “SPRIND not only provides financial support but is also very active in the entire innovation landscape. This starts with the improvement of IP regulations and spin-off conditions through high-level workshops on VC funding and team building and extends to the organization of international venture events. These programs are just as valuable to us as the financial support,” says Wieland Brendel, Polybot project leader. 

    The collaboration between Cyber Valley and SPRIND demonstrates the potential of artificial intelligence research when applied to solving real-world problems, encouraging bold thinking and exploring uncharted territories in the field. 

    About SPRIND     

    SPRIND is Germany’s Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation, dedicated to funding transformative ventures that tackle the world’s toughest challenges, with a strong focus on AI. Their mission is to identify radical thinkers, invest in high-risk ideas, and connect teams with powerful networks across industry, academia, and government. SPRIND's comprehensive support includes financing, team building, and connecting innovators with key networks, ensuring that transformative progress aligns with fundamental humanistic values. 

  • Cyber Valley announces partnership with SPRIND

    Cyber Valley announces partnership with SPRIND

    SPRIND, the Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation, funds groundbreaking projects, alternative approaches, and spin-offs. Through this new partnership, Cyber Valley and SPRIND will foster creative solutions beyond conventional paths. 

    This partnership seeks to explore next-level AI technologies, venturing beyond popular concepts like Large Language Models (LLMs), Transformers, and Diffusion Models. It will focus on championing alternative approaches to AI, encouraging bold thinking, and exploring uncharted territories. This collaboration signals a significant step toward redefining the possibilities of artificial intelligence. 

    Leading the charge for this initiative is Mirko Holzer, Innovation Manager at SPRIND, “This partnership is all about pushing boundaries and bringing bold ideas to life. With Cyber Valley, we are creating the perfect launchpad for disruptive technologies that have the power to reshape science and society.”   

    Florian Mayer, COO of Cyber Valley, shares the enthusiasm, “It’s fantastic to see SPRIND committing significant resources and funding to such a vital area of innovation. We are thrilled to join forces and pave the way for the next wave of groundbreaking AI technologies.” 

    Alternative approaches 

    Through this collaboration, SPRIND and Cyber Valley are looking for innovators who are working on new and alternative approaches to artificial intelligence (AI), transformative artificial intelligence (TAI), and artificial general intelligence (AGI). The goal is to find alternative, bold, even speculative ideas that diverge from established AI pathways such as diffusion models, large-scale language models, and/or generally transformer-based architectures. 
     

    The partnership supports visionary AI methods, emphasizing:   

    • New Architectures: Energy-efficient designs inspired by biological systems, non-neural paradigms, quantum-inspired models, adaptive systems, and generative models simulating environments. 

    • New Learning Paradigms: Innovative methods like federated learning, causal learning, reinforcement learning, active learning, and synthetic data ecosystems to redefine how machines learn. 

    • New Hardware Approaches: Breakthroughs in neuromorphic, photonic, holographic, and biohybrid computing, as well as robotic systems with embodied cognition and sensory integration. 

    • Innovations outside the mainstream: Bold ideas such as meta-learning, swarm intelligence, digital organisms, evolutionary algorithms, and AI systems with emotional and self-aware intelligence. 

  • Cyber Valley celebrates the launch of ELLIS Institute Finland

    Cyber Valley celebrates the launch of ELLIS Institute Finland

    The new institute is part of the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) – a pan-European AI research network that is an important player in the Cyber Valley Community. It will position Finland as a key player in AI, attract international talent, and drive cutting-edge research. This announcement marks a major step towards achieving Cyber Valley’s vision of a closely connected, pan-European AI research network, strengthening Europe’s global standing in AI and machine learning.

    The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture has pledged substantial financial backing, committing €10 million annually from 2025 to 2028, in addition to a launch-phase investment of €6 million. Further support comes from the Post Scriptum Foundation, established by Peter Sarlin, CEO and co-founder of Silo AI. Silo AI joined the Cyber Valley Community in June 2024 at Cyber Valley Days. The foundation has pledged an additional €10 million to fund up to 15 professorships at the ELLIS Institute Finland. 

    This ELLIS Institute, which will be based at Aalto University, is the second in the prestigious pan-European ELLIS network, following the establishment of the first institute in Tübingen, Germany, in 2023. Aalto University will lead the initiative in Finland, working collaboratively with other Finnish universities.

    The new institute will build on the achievements of the Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI), which currently hosts ELLIS Unit Helsinki—the Finnish node of ELLIS. Professor Samuel Kaski, director of FCAI and ELLIS Unit Helsinki, will play a central role in the development of ELLIS Institute Finland.

    This initiative underlines Finland’s commitment to becoming a major hub for AI research and innovation, leveraging its longstanding expertise to address both local and global challenges through AI-driven solutions.

    Cyber Valley is proud to support and collaborate with ELLIS Institute Finland. Together, we look forward to advancing European AI research, fostering collaborative innovation, and addressing global challenges through the power of intelligent systems. This marks a significant step in uniting Europe’s AI efforts, strengthening our shared goals and vision for a more connected, forward-thinking AI research ecosystem.

  • Cyber Valley unites AI and robotics expertise for the healthcare sector

    Cyber Valley unites AI and robotics expertise for the healthcare sector

    Stuttgart, October 28, 2024 – The Cyber Valley Health Cluster officially launched last Thursday with a public kickoff event in Tübingen. This initiative launched by Cyber Valley aims to unite the forces of science, industry, and start-ups to improve people’s long-term health through artificial intelligence and modern robotics. 

    Collaboration between research and industry for AI-driven health technologies 

    The Cyber Valley Health Cluster aims to integrate research, practice, and technology. It promotes joint projects between AI experts, scientists, and companies to develop innovative solutions for current and future challenges in the healthcare sector. The Health Cluster emphasizes interdisciplinary knowledge exchange, enabling new approaches and solutions that go beyond individual technological advances.  

    Rebecca C. Reisch, Managing Director of Cyber Valley GmbH, highlights the importance of this collaboration: “The Cyber Valley Health Cluster is more than an academic endeavor; it’s a collaborative alliance that encourages exchange between industry, start-ups, and research. The Health Cluster is where AI-based solutions can be developed to address the most pressing challenges in modern medicine and beyond.”

    Strong Cyber Valley Partners and Friends are already on board  

    The Cyber Valley Health Cluster is backed by strong partnerships. Among the already confirmed Cyber Valley Partners are well-known players such as Boehringer Ingelheim, ZEISS, the University of Tübingen, the University of Stuttgart, and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS). These partners are investing significantly in the Cyber Valley Community and are playing a central role in the further development of the Health Cluster. 

    In addition, the Cyber Valley Health Cluster is supported by numerous committed Cyber Valley Friends who enrich the network with their expertise and connections. These include Immatics, Cegat, Ovesco, BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg, BioRegio STERN Management, as well as the Medical Innovations Incubator, and the start-ups Osora and Cerebri.  Further candidates are already under consideration.  

    Reisch emphasizes the role of the Cyber Valley Community: “Together with our Partners and Friends, we are creating an environment that drives the development of technologies that are not only groundbreaking but also practical and ethical. Because only by working together do we have the chance to establish Baden-Württemberg and the whole of Germany at the forefront of global AI health innovations.” 

    Long-term goal: a lasting healthcare alliance 

    The Cyber Valley Health Cluster supports start-ups and innovation projects to create real value by generating new jobs and health solutions. Health Cluster participants moreover benefit from extensive connections and new networking opportunities that enable the development of pioneering healthcare solutions and rapid knowledge transfer between research and industry. 

    The long-term goal of the Cyber Valley Health Cluster is to create a lasting and active community, pooling health expertise to enable interdisciplinary teams to tackle global health challenges. Further events and interaction formats are planned for the Cyber Valley Health Cluster in the coming months. 

    About Cyber Valley 

    Cyber Valley is Europe’s largest and leading center for excellence in artificial intelligence and modern robotics. Its mission and public mandate are to advocate for the research, development, application, and acceptance of technologies and methods in the field of intelligent systems. Cyber Valley encourages entrepreneurship by uniting scientific excellence with innovation and technology transfer. In addition, Cyber Valley facilitates critical reflection on the ethical and social implications of AI through public engagement. Cyber Valley envisions a future in which the full potential of intelligent systems is leveraged for the greater good of the world. 

    Media Contact: 

    Laura Neusser 
    Public Outreach Manager 
    Cyber Valley GmbH 
    laura.neusser@cyber-valley.de 

  • Excellence meets capital: Deep Tech & Investor Day brings AI start-ups and investors together

    Excellence meets capital: Deep Tech & Investor Day brings AI start-ups and investors together

    Stuttgart, June 20, 2024 – On the second day of the Cyber Valley Days, the Deep Tech & Investor Day is dedicated to the financing of AI companies. By fostering connections between start-ups and investors, Cyber Valley supports the development of Baden-Württemberg as a hub for technology transfer. It aims to bring decisive innovations in AI into application. One of the day’s highlights is the scientific symposium of the first ELLIS Institute in Tübingen. 


    Cyber Valley builds bridges between investors and entrepreneurs  

    “We don't just want to conduct outstanding research – we also want to put it into practice and thus help shape our future as a business location. With the Investor Day, we are connecting visionary ideas with the necessary capital to bring innovation into application,” says Rebecca C. Reisch, Managing Director of Cyber Valley GmbH.

    For investors, the day offers the opportunity to network with the most innovative AI start-ups with roots predominantly in the excellent research of the Cyber Valley Community and are looking for strategic partnerships for further development and market implementation.  

    “We started working with selected investors around five years ago. These included Atlantic Labs from Berlin, Grazia from Stuttgart and IT Farm from Tokyo. This has now resulted in a community of early-stage companies all the way through to companies that are becoming SMEs and hidden champions. They benefit from the close connection to our Cyber Valley Investor Network – and vice versa, more and more investors are also looking at our start-ups,” says Alex Diehl, Investor and Cyber Valley Senior Advisor. “We think that the number of start-ups will continue to grow in the future thanks to our AI Incubator. The quality is also increasing as a result of our growing international network.”

    Yann LeCun and other world-leading AI researchers visit Tübingen  

    One of the day’s highlights is the scientific symposium organized by the first ELLIS Institute in Tübingen, the new center for basic AI research. ELLIS stands for “European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems”, and the institute is the lighthouse project of the Europe-wide network for artificial intelligence. Internationally renowned AI experts such as Yann LeCun and Max Welling will provide an insight into the AI research of the future. “The ELLIS Institute will continue to advance modern AI in Tübingen, while being embedded in European values. We want to attract the best talent and build a special place together,” says Prof. Dr. Bernhard Schölkopf, Scientific Director of the ELLIS Institute.

    Cyber Valley Days are a three-day event in Stuttgart and Tübingen from June 19 to 21, 2024 to celebrate the Cyber Valley Community. The program focuses on entrepreneurship and scientific innovation in artificial intelligence and modern robotics from Baden-Württemberg. 

    Information about Cyber Valley Days

    cyber-valley.de/cyber-valley-days 

    About Cyber Valley 

    Cyber Valley is Europe’s largest and leading center for excellence in artificial intelligence and modern robotics. Its mission and public mandate are to advocate for the research, development, application, and acceptance of technologies and methods in the field of intelligent systems. Cyber Valley encourages entrepreneurship by uniting scientific excellence with innovation and technology transfer. In addition, Cyber Valley facilitates critical reflection on the ethical and social implications of AI through public engagement. Cyber Valley envisions a future in which the full potential of intelligent systems is leveraged for the greater good of the world.    

    About the ELLIS Institute Tübingen 

    The ELLIS Institute is set to become a world-renowned center for pioneering basic research in the field of artificial intelligence. The Institute aims to attract the world's best machine learning talent, providing them with outstanding conditions to conduct research in a state-of-the-art facility located in Tübingen, Germany. The vision is part of a broader initiative, the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS), which aims to build a pan-European institution for machine learning research.

    Media Contact 

    Rebecca Beiter  
    Rebecca.beiter@cyber-valley.de  
    +49 (0) 160 9448 1797

  • The AI Festival in Baden-Württemberg: Cyber Valley Days Begin!

    The AI Festival in Baden-Württemberg: Cyber Valley Days Begin!

    Stuttgart, June 19, 2024 – Our future will be shaped by the brightest minds of our time, especially through the use of AI. Experts from the German and international AI and robotics community will celebrate Cyber Valley Days from June 19 to 21. For today's kick-off event, entrepreneurs from the Cyber Valley Start-up Network, international AI experts from the Cyber Valley Community, and political representatives are gathering in Stuttgart at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems.  

    “Our Cyber Valley Innovation Campus represents groundbreaking research and serves as a best-practice example of close collaboration between science and industry”, says Dr. Stegmann, Minister of State and Head of the State Chancellery. “Cyber Valley Days – with their numerous regional and international partners – show us the level of expertise in AI technology we already have here, as well as the significant untapped potential. The event proves the leading role of this internationally renowned research consortium. Through collective efforts, we are shaping the future of trustworthy AI in Germany and Europe to drive important innovations forward.” 

    “The Cyber Valley Days mark an important milestone: With our network, we have already established ourselves as an internationally recognized, excellent research location with spin-off dynamics. Our community is not only innovative – it is also growing, according to the motto #bettertogether. In this way, we are putting Baden-Württemberg on the global map in the field of intelligent systems in the long term,” says Rebecca C. Reisch, Managing Director of Cyber Valley GmbH.  

    The AI Incubator as a springboard for founders  

    At the Expo, the exhibition of the Cyber Valley Community, the public can get to know the minds behind the future of AI and gain an insight into Baden-Württemberg’s innovative power. With close to 70 AI companies, the Cyber Valley Start-up Network is active in a wide range of industries, including healthcare, construction, mobility, and agriculture. Established and leading AI companies from Baden-Württemberg include vialytics, Sereact and Computomics. Other network members such as preML, hydrop systems and Swarm Logistics Technologies will be showcasing the latest AI trends at their booths at the Cyber Valley Days opening.

    Pitches from the participants of the AI Incubator in the afternoon will provide an insight into what the AI business models of the future will look like. Through The AI Incubator program, Cyber Valley supports AI researchers and young entrepreneurs in expanding their start-up ideas and successfully implementing them in the market. Renowned entrepreneurs and start-up coaches are on hand to provide them with free advice and support. The program is currently in its fourth round with 25 AI founders. The AI Incubator is financed by the Carl Zeiss Foundation.  

    Cyber Valley Days are a three-day event in Stuttgart and Tübingen from June 19 to 21, 2024 to celebrate the Cyber Valley Community. Its program focuses on entrepreneurship and scientific innovation in artificial intelligence and modern robotics from Baden-Württemberg.  

    Information about Cyber Valley Days 

    cyber-valley.de/cyber-valley-days

    Photos of the Cyber Valley Days can be downloaded from 18:00 CEST. 

     

    About Cyber Valley 

    Cyber Valley is Europe’s largest and leading center for excellence in artificial intelligence and modern robotics. Its mission and public mandate are to advocate for the research, development, application, and acceptance of technologies and methods in the field of intelligent systems. Cyber Valley encourages entrepreneurship by uniting scientific excellence with innovation and technology transfer. In addition, Cyber Valley facilitates critical reflection on the ethical and social implications of AI through public engagement. Cyber Valley envisions a future in which the full potential of intelligent systems is leveraged for the greater good of the world.   

     

    About the Cyber Valley Start-up Network 

    The Cyber Valley Start-up Network builds and promotes a vibrant community of AI entrepreneurs. Members get access to exclusive events and a diverse network of AI researchers, investors, and other start-up founders. The prerequisite for membership is a connection to Cyber Valley, such as being members or alumni of the Cyber Valley Community, or a location in Baden-Württemberg. The business models must have intelligent systems at their core. Further information: cyber-valley.de/start-up-network. 

    Media Contact: 
    Rebecca Beiter 
    Rebecca.beiter@cyber-valley.de 
    +49 (0) 160 9448 1797 

  • Almost 70 AI spin-offs: Cyber Valley’s Start-up Network continues to grow 

    Almost 70 AI spin-offs: Cyber Valley’s Start-up Network continues to grow 

    Stuttgart, 14. Juni 2024 – A unique community for start-ups in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged around the Cyber Valley. The Cyber Valley Start-up Network supports founders in the state to transfer AI research into applications. The model is extremely successful: many of its 67 start-ups to date have raised millions from international investors. At Cyber Valley Days, which is taking placefrom June 19 to 21, start-ups from the network will introduce themselves and present current AI trends. June 21 marks the beginning of a new phase of the Cyber Valley. During a ceremonial event, the first ELLIS Institute in Europe will be opened by Minister President Winfried Kretschmann and Science Minister Petra Olschowski. 

    “Start-ups are generators and drivers of innovation. They bring AI applications into society – from healthcare to mobility and agriculture,” said Science Minister Petra Olschowski on June 14 in Stuttgart. “Our Cyber Valley innovation campus offers founders optimal conditions: every month, three to five new start-ups join the network – including start-ups by AI researchers, but also existing new companies. With their innovative strength, these entrepreneurs are further strengthening Baden-Württemberg as a center of research and business. As the Ministry of Science, we helped to initiate the founding of Cyber Valley; and we will continue to support our AI innovation campus to the best of our ability in the future.” 

    Baden-Württemberg as the location for AI start-ups 

    “Artificial intelligence is complex and extremely fast-paced in its application. Those who want to start a business can develop their ideas wherever they find the best conditions – including an international and thematically diverse environment, access to computing power, and start-up capital. In other words, where the future is already being created, such as at the excellent science locations in Baden-Württemberg,” said Rebecca C. Reisch, Managing Director of Cyber Valley GmbH.  
     
    As a supplement to the Cyber Valley Start-up Network, the AI Incubator supports those interested in setting up a business in the Cyber Valley innovation campus environment. Over the course of eight weeks, participants learn how to expand their business models and successfully launch them on the market supported by experienced entrepreneurs and start-up coaches. The fourth cohort of 25 founders is currently going through the program. The AI Incubator is funded by the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung.  
     
    “AI will rapidly change the way we work, communicate, learn, or play – and Germany must be at the forefront of this change to maintain our quality of life. This change will be driven by innovative start-ups. Cyber Valley's mission is to create the basis for scientific breakthroughs and to support start-ups that will lead the AI future,” says Michael Black, spokesperson for Cyber Valley and Director at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen. 

     

    Millions invested in AI start-ups: three examples 

    Cyber Valley's AI start-ups are successful with investors:

    • In 2023, NEURA Robotics, a supplier of innovative cognitive robots, raised €65 million in two financing rounds.
    • The Esslingen-based start-up MARKT-PILOT developed a solution for dynamic and market-oriented spare parts pricing. To mark its fourth anniversary, the company announced one of the largest Series A financing rounds with 40 million euros.
    • Octomind, an AI-based end-to-end testing platform for development teams, recently received €4.8 million in seed capital. 

     

    Cyber Valley Days 2024: June 19 to 21 

    The network's almost 70 start-ups are active in a wide range of industries – including the healthcare sector, construction industry, in the field of mobility, and agriculture. This diversity will be highlighted at the Cyber Valley Days, a three-day event from June 19 to 21. The program focuses on entrepreneurship and scientific innovation in artificial intelligence and modern robotics. On Wednesday, June 19, start-ups and other members of the Cyber Valley Community will present in Stuttgart. Afterwards, the teams of the AI Incubator will pitch their AI business ideas to potential investors.   
     
    At the final on June 21, the new ELLIS Institute Tübingen of the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) will be opened in the presence of Minister President Winfried Kretschmann and Science Minister Petra Olschowski. This first ELLIS institute in Europe will further strengthen the Cyber Valley innovation campus as an internationally visible beacon for research into artificial intelligence. The world's most talented AI researchers will be able to advance their ideas and developments in an optimal environment. The opening of the ELLIS Institute also marks the beginning of the next phase of the Cyber Valley Innovation Campus. 
     
    Cyber Valley is the country's first innovation campus, located in the Stuttgart/Tübingen region. Cyber Valley was launched in 2016 as a joint initiative of the state, science, and industry. Its aim is to put Baden-Württemberg at the forefront of AI. The innovation campus combines excellent basic research and practical application. The scientific backbone is formed by three academic founding partners: the Universities of Stuttgart and Tübingen and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems. There are also other established partners from business and research. 
      
     

    Information about Cyber Valley Days:  

    cyber-valley.de/cyber-valley-days 

    Registration

    for the Start-up Expo on Wednesday, June 19, at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart: shorturl.at/euuwd 
     
    Registration for media representatives for the ceremony and opening of ELLIS on Friday, June 21, via
    Rebecca Beiter, Director Communications & Society Cyber Valley GmbH
    0160/9448 1797
    Rebecca.beiter@cyber-valley.de 
     

    Further information 
     

    About Cyber Valley    

    Cyber Valley is Europe’s largest and leading center for excellence in artificial intelligence and modern robotics. Its mission and public mandate are to advocate for research, development, application, and acceptance of technologies and methods in the field of intelligent systems. Cyber Valley encourages entrepreneurship by uniting scientific excellence with innovation and technology transfer. In addition, Cyber Valley facilitates critical reflection on the ethical and social implications of AI through public engagement. Cyber Valley envisions a future in which the full potential of intelligent systems is leveraged for the greater good of the world.  

     

    About the Cyber Valley Start-up Network   

    The Cyber Valley Start-up Network builds and promotes a vibrant community of AI entrepreneurs. Members get access to exclusive events and a diverse network of AI researchers, investors, and other start-up founders. The prerequisite for membership is a connection to Cyber Valley, such as being members or alumni of the Cyber Valley Community, or a location in Baden-Württemberg. The business models must have intelligent systems at their core.
    Further information: cyber-valley.de/start-up-network.  

  • Unveiling anomalies for safer connections

    Unveiling anomalies for safer connections

    Six partners within the Cyber Valley Community have generously contributed to the Cyber Valley Research Fund, totalling five million euros, to facilitate independent basic research. Research groups were invited to submit project proposals for the Research Fund, which the Cyber Valley Public Advisory Board evaluated, taking into account scientific excellence, as well as ethical and societal considerations.

    The research project’s core objective was anomaly detection within networked datasets, primarily focusing on identifying abnormal behavior across diverse network types, including social, communication, and transportation networks. The project thereby aimed to provide early warnings of potential threats or irregularities.

    The research introduced a novel approach that combined community structure with anomaly detection, enabling the identification of anomalies as edges that deviate from regular patterns. This innovative technique leveraged the structure of dynamic networks over time and inferred anomalies by integrating domain knowledge, such as community membership, into the analysis.

    The project yielded promising results, showcasing the model’s accuracy in capturing both community and anomaly structures, and its significant performance in predicting links within networks. The developed ideas and methodologies hold pertinent applications, particularly in fields such as cybersecurity and social network analysis, offering promising avenues for addressing critical challenges like fraud detection and network security enhancement. This includes applications such as uncovering fake users on social media platforms and detecting fraudulent activities in financial transactions.

    Furthermore, the research provided valuable insights into the dynamics of real-world networks by leveraging community structure alongside dynamic patterns of edge additions and deletions. Ultimately, the project not only advanced scientific understanding of network dynamics but also holds substantial potential for meaningful real-world impact. These discoveries herald new possibilities for addressing complex issues and enhancing the security and efficiency of various network systems.

    This project has yielded three peer reviewed publications:

    • “Anomaly detection and community detection in networks”, H. Safdari and C. De Bacco, J Big Data 9, 122, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40537-022-00669-1, 2022.
    • “Anomaly, reciprocity, and community detection in networks”, H. Safdari, M. Contisciani and C. De Bacco, Phys. Rev. Research 5, 033084, https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.033084, 2023.
    • “Community detection and anomaly prediction in dynamic networks”, H. Safdari and C. De Bacco, work in progress, 2024. Paper and preprint expected to be submitted by April 2024.

    It also yielded two inventions:

  • Cyber Valley grants 500K to CELL’n’ROLL via 2023 Innovation Fellowship Program

    Cyber Valley grants 500K to CELL’n’ROLL via 2023 Innovation Fellowship Program

    CELL’n’ROLL aims to develop next-generation diagnostic solutions for detecting complex diseases such as cancer. Leveraging robotics, artificial intelligence, and microtechnology, the initiative aims to democratize access to these diagnostic tools worldwide. CELL’n’ROLL envisions a future where diagnostics are not only swift and precise but also accessible in resource-constrained settings by harnessing the power of robotics, artificial intelligence, and microfluidics. 

    The CELL’n’ROLL team consists of Postdoctoral Researchers Alp Can Karacakol, Erdost Yildiz, and the project leader Ugur Bozuyuk. As emerging scientific talents, the team comprises three scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, each with interdisciplinary expertise spanning medicine and engineering, and a collective experience exceeding three years of collaboration. Additionally, the team benefits from mentorship provided by international experts from academia and industry. 

    The Innovation Fellowship program will support their journey from outstanding research to practical application. The program’s aim is to bridge the gap between research and commercial application by fostering scientific breakthroughs that add value to science, economy, and society. The Innovation Fellowship program is funded by the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung (CZS) and offers talented individuals or teams the opportunity to translate their research into tangible applications. With a duration of up to 24 months, researchers work on a project that is not yet commercially viable and requires time for further development and product transformation in a research environment. The program focuses on application-oriented research related to artificial intelligence and robotics. Its goal is to create an innovative spin-off from the project after the funding term has ended.  

    With its mission of creating “an open environment for scientific breakthroughs”, the Carl Zeiss Foundation is an essential Cyber Valley partner. The foundation aims to accompany the entrepreneurial path of young talent from research to application. It strives to achieve scientific breakthroughs that support research, the economy, and society through funding elementary research and specific applications.  

    The next Cyber Valley Innovation Fellowship call for proposals will be announced in April 2024. Scientists employed by the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, the University of Stuttgart, and the University of Tübingen are eligible to apply. All external scientists affiliated with these Institutes may also apply.  

    About Cyber Valley  

    Cyber Valley is Europe’s largest and leading center for excellence in artificial intelligence and modern robotics. Its mission and public mandate are to advocate for research, development, application, and acceptance of technologies and methods in the field of intelligent systems. Cyber Valley encourages entrepreneurship by uniting scientific excellence with innovation and technology transfer. In addition, Cyber Valley facilitates critical reflection on the ethical and social implications of AI through public engagement. Cyber Valley envisions a future in which the full potential of intelligent systems is leveraged for the greater good of the world. Cyber Valley GmbH, with locations in Stuttgart in Tübingen, is owned by the State of Baden-Württemberg and the Max Planck Society.  
     

    About the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung  

    The Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung’s mission is to create an open environment for scientific breakthroughs. As a partner of excellence in science, it supports basic research as well as applied sciences in the STEM subject areas (science, technology, and mathematics). Founded in 1889 by the physicist and mathematician Ernst Abbe, the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung is one of the oldest and biggest private science funding institutions in Germany. It is the sole owner of Carl Zeiss AG and SCHOTT AG. Its projects are financed from the dividend distributions of the two foundation companies.  

    About CELL’n’ROLL 

    CELL’n’ROLL, established two years ago, is driven by a team of three dedicated scientists with varied expertise, spanning engineering and medicine. Their collective passion lies in pioneering cutting-edge diagnostic systems for the detection of complex diseases, such as cancer. They envision a future where diagnostics are not only swift and precise but also accessible in resource-constrained settings by harnessing the power of robotics, artificial intelligence, and microfluidics. 

  • $5 million for start-up’s expansion

    $5 million for start-up’s expansion

    Stuttgart-based AI start-up Sereact has raised $5 million of seed funding, with major investments from Point Nine and Air Street Capital.  Sereact has been a member of the Cyber Valley Start–up Network since 2021, partaking in its vibrant AI ecosystem of exchange between research and business. 

    Sereact specializes in advanced robotics solutions, utilizing AI-powered software to streamline pick-and-pack processes in warehouses and manufacturing. This vital process constitutes around 55% of warehouse operational costs, and businesses must rely on inflexible systems that struggle to adapt to new products and require highly trained staff. PickGPT is the first commercially available robotics transformer that enables robots to understand natural language and accurately perceive their environment. Through a userfriendly chatbot interface, employees without technical expertise can give instructions and perform system maintenance.  
     
    Sereact clientele comprises industry leaders, including ZenFulfillment, Daimler Truck, Material Bank, and Schmalz. The seed funding will facilitate the expansion of the Sereact team, alongside PickGPT’s development and international roll-out. 
     
    “I am pleased that with Sereact another start-up from our network has been able to secure its financing”, says Julian Enz, Director of Innovation and Economy at Cyber Valley. “This shows that deep-tech innovation from Baden-Württemberg is in high demand.”

    “By combining large language models and robotics, Sereact has created the world’s most accessible way of interacting with robots”, says Co-Founder and CEO of Sereact, Ralf Gulde. “Today’s milestone will accelerate our mission of using fully autonomous robotics to overcome labor shortages, fix supply chains, and boost productivity.” 
     
    The Cyber Valley Start-up has impressed investors. “The team at Sereact combines a deep understanding of the warehouse operating context with real technical ingenuity”, says Nathan Benaich, Founding Partner at Air Street Capital says. “As the first business to turn the combination of LLMs and pick-and-pack from an academic possibility to real-world impact, they’re building a product that’s still only scratching the surface of its potential use cases.” 
     
    Ricardo Sequerra Amram, a Partner at Point Nine says: “Sereact brings a new paradigm to AI and robotics. By combining vision transformers and LLMs their solution is fast to deploy, easy to configure, and provides the critical service level required by demanding industries like logistics and manufacturing. The research done by Ralf and Marc during their time in academia is now applied to commercial use cases and is currently in production in live environments with top enterprise customers.” 
     
    Additional seed funders include new and existing angel investors: Alexander Diehl; Oliver Cameron (VP Product of Cruise, Co-Founder of Voyage); the Founders of Proglove and OMA Ventures; Achim Baier and Wolfgang Frank (arconsis); Martin Giese; Michael Achtelik; Jan Stumpf and Daniel Gurdan (Founders of Ascending Technologies); and Mostafa Elsayed (CEO and Co-Founder of Automata).  

    About Cyber Valley

    Cyber Valley is Europe's leading center for excellence in advanced AI and robotics. Cyber Valley creates a vibrant ecosystem that enables seamless collaboration and rapid exchange between academia, business, and society. As an ambassador for entrepreneurship, Cyber Valley's mission is to strengthen the research, development, and application of intelligent systems, providing a platform for collaboration, resource sharing, and advancement of modern AI and robotics. With a focus on the ethical and societal aspects of AI, Cyber Valley fosters dialogue between society and AI researchers and strives for a future in which the full potential of intelligent systems is used for the benefit of society. 

    About the Cyber Valley Start-up Network

    The Cyber Valley Start-up Network fosters a community of entrepreneurs. Its members are invited to attend newly created Cyber Valley networking events such as talks, meet-ups, and tech brunches on a regular basis. They are listed on the Cyber Valley website and can use the network’s logo in their communication materials. Network members are required to have a connection to Cyber Valley, for instance by being headquartered in the state of BadenWürttemberg, or by having members or alumni of Cyber Valley partner institutions among their founders. Their activities must be related to the field of intelligent systems. Membership in the Cyber Valley Start-up Network is reviewed once a year to ensure that these requirements continue to be met. Founded in November 2019, the Cyber Valley Start-up Network currently has 43 members. 

    About Sereact

    With the combination of Artificial Intelligence and robotics, Sereact has brought to life a new era of intelligence, precision, and efficiency in logistics. Since its founding in 2021, the company achieved technological milestones such as industry-leading picking speeds of 1500 picks per hour, collision-free picking with any gripper, and fully autonomous object manipulation. Today, Sereact is trusted by partners across the e-commerce, manufacturing, and third-party logistics sectors, serving industry leaders like ZenFulfillment, Daimler Truck, Material Bank, and Schmalz.