User Group: Corporate

  • SimTech METEOR Competition 2024

    SimTech METEOR Competition 2024

    The SimTech METEOR competition was launched by the Knowledge Transfer Committee headed by Professor and SimTech scientist Jörg Fehr from the Institute of Engineering and Computational Mechanics at the University of Stuttgart.

    The competition stands out for its directness and efficiency by focusing on the rapid transfer of basic knowledge into the development of new technical products, materials and processes. A special feature is its rapid processing: in just three months after the submission deadline on February 23, 2024, the funding decisions will be announced in May 2024.

    The selection committee will decide which research questions and challenges will be supported with up to €100,000 each. This targeted funding not only enables the implementation of innovative ideas, but also combines them with an efficient use of funds.

    The SimTech METEOR competition is particularly relevant for companies and institutions, as it promotes the transfer and exchange between industry and research. The speed of knowledge transfer ensures that fundamental findings can flow directly into the development of new products, processes, and methods.

    Companies and institutions based in Germany are eligible to participate, regardless of their size. Preference is given to small companies and institutions based on a list of criteria.

    The SimTech METEOR competition focuses on the close integration of research and industry to tackle the challenges of the future together. The deadline for submissions is February 23, 2024. Join us and actively shape the future of technological innovation!

  • ETH Zurich launches joint initiative for trustworthy AI

    ETH Zurich launches joint initiative for trustworthy AI

    In spring 2024 the new Alps supercomputer goes live at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) of ETH Zurich in Lugano. Boasting the next generation of more than 10,000 graphics processing units (GPUs), Alps is one of the world’s most powerful computers for applications in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). This new computer gives Swiss scientists access to the sort of computing power only available to the world’s biggest tech companies.

    Transparency and Open Source

    The initiative aims to develop and train new large language models (LLM). These must be transparent, deliver comprehensible results, and ensure legal, ethical, and scientific criteria are met. “Unlike the large language models that are usually available in the public domain today, the Swiss AI Initiative strongly emphasized transparency and Open Source. Everyone must be able to understand how the models were trained, the sort of data used, and how results are recovered,” stresses Jan Hesthaven, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at EPFL.

    To develop such models, the Swiss AI Initiative will use ten million GPU hours on the new Alps computer over the next 12 months, equivalent to the computing power of a single GPU running at full load for over 1,100 years. Switzerland is therefore the first country in the world to operate a research infrastructure on the next-generation NVIDIA Grace Hopper Superchip.

    Swiss AI Initiative is already up and running

    This additional computing capacity will be used to develop new, industry-specific AI-based models for use in different areas such as robotics, medicine, climate sciences, or diagnostics. In addition, the Initiative will also explore fundamental questions in the development and use of LLM models, such as: What form will future interaction between humans and AI take? What is the appropriate ethical framework? How do we manage security and data privacy? What new approaches can be used to scale up models and make them more energy efficient?

    AI for industry and public administration

    The Swiss AI Initiative has set itself the goal of bringing together science, industry, and politics to collaborate in shaping and driving forward the development and use of artificial intelligence in Switzerland. Existing partnerships with companies, hospitals, and public-sector bodies will be expanded further. Swisscom’s CTO Gerd Niehage commented: “Here at Swisscom we welcome the Swiss AI Initiative, especially as we are convinced this will be an important building block in Switzerland’s digital future. It accelerates the digital transformation and creates new capabilities our country needs to play a dominant role in the area of generative artificial intelligence. For Swisscom, AI solutions like the Swiss AI Initiative are a key element of innovative digital solutions that our customers can trust.”

    The software infrastructure, accumulated expertise and base models developed in Switzerland should be transferable as openly and directly as possible to society and industry. To remain competitive, SME’s will also have to rely increasingly on the use of AI in the future. Like public services, they will be able to directly benefit from the open Swiss AI Initiative. On top of that, the Swiss AI Initiative is developing a program for supporting start-ups in the area of artificial intelligence.

    Networking researchers all over Switzerland

    ETH Zurich and EPFL operate their own AI centers that will work closely together in the future, along with the Swiss Data Science Center, to conduct world-class, interdisciplinary AI research. This initiative aims to pool the specialist knowledge of around a dozen Swiss universities, technical universities, and research institutes. Over the past few months over 75 professors from all over Switzerland have signed up for the initiative. In addition, other international researchers have also been invited to work together on the development of multilingual, cross-border, open-source LLMs. ETH Zurich and EPFL are already members of ELLIS, the European network of AI excellence, which incudes some 40 AI hot spots in Europe. 

    Press contact

    Markus Gross

    ETH Zurich
    Switzerland

  • EuroEAP 2024 kommt nach Stuttgart!

    EuroEAP 2024 kommt nach Stuttgart!

     

    What is EuroEAP?

    The EuroEAP international conference, organized by the EuroEAP Society with a not-for-profit distinctive character and always held in Europe, primarily aims to share the latest advances and findings in this emerging field. It gathers experts from all over the world in a highly multidisciplinary event driven by scientific quality and industrial impact, with an organization that enables significant opportunities for one-to-one discussions in a friendly atmosphere. Today, the event expands its scope to the larger international and diverse research community of soft smart materials and soft transducers. The event is conceived as an exclusive forum for international experts and professionals seeking scientific quality, industrial impact, and opportunities for cooperation.

     

    When?

    June 11–13

    Important deadlines:

    • Hotel reservation (special rate): 10 APRIL 2024 (70 pre-booked rooms)
    • Early registration & abstract submission: 10 APRIL 2024
    • Deadline for registration: 10 MAY 2024

     

    Where?

    Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems 

    Heisenbergstrasse 3 | 70569 Stuttgart | Germany

     

    How to contribute and/or attend?

    Please have a look here: EuroEAP Platform

     

    Curious to see what awaits you there?

    Get exclusive insights in advance: The program 

     

    Tuesday, 11 June

    • A social dinner will be organized on Tuesday evening in the Stuttgart city center.
    • Transport from the MPI to the dinner and from the dinner to the hotel will be provided.
    • The cost to attend this event is covered by the conference registration fee.
    • More details will be released closer to the conference start.

     

    Wednesday, 12 June

    Castle tour:

    A castle tour for the participants of the conference will be organized on Wednesday. We will get a guided tour through Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg, one of the most beautiful baroque castles in Germany.
    The tour will start at 16:00.

     

    Social dinner:

    • Following the castle tour, there will be a social dinner at the restaurant Württemberger Hof (http://www.wuerttemberger-hof-ludwigsburg.de/), which is in walking distance from the castle.
    • The dinner will start at 19:00.
    • Transport from the MPI to Ludwigsburg and from the dinner to the hotel will be provided.
    • The cost to attend this event is covered by the conference registration fee.

     

    Accompanying persons

    • The castle tour and social dinners are open to accompanying people.
    • The participation fees for each accompanying person will be announced closer to the conference start.
    • The fees should be paid in cash at the conference desk (credit cards are NOT acceptable).
    • Attendees willing to join the castle tour and the social dinners should specify the option (including the number of accompanying persons) during the online registration to the conference.

     

    Thursday, 13 June

    SOFTWEAR Days:

    This year there is a satellite event to the EuroEAP 2024 conference: SOFTWEAR Days 2024. There will be an oral session also open to all EuroEAP participants, free of charge, on Thursday 13th of June in the afternoon at the same venue and room as the EuroEAP 2024. Oral presentations will be given by the SOFTWEAR PhD students presenting their research.

    A few slots have also been reserved for presentations by other PhD students outside SOFTWEAR. The topic of the presentation must be in the broad category of soft actuators for wearables. If you, as a non-SOFTWEAR student, want to give an oral presentation (15 mins incl. questions), please contact edwin.jager@liu.se.

    SOFTWEAR is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network in the emerging and rapidly growing field of wearables, with a unique focus on soft actuators for wearables and exoskeletons. The primary objective of SOFTWEAR is to train young researchers in the multidisciplinary science of soft actuators for integration in wearables and augmenting textiles. This will be achieved by merging chemistry, physics, mechanics, electronics, textile technology, design, human-technology interaction, and ethics in a truly interdisciplinary manner, while teaching essential skills in ethics, product development, IPR, and industrial realization, thus providing a unique added value to the careers of the researchers. For more information, see: https://softwear-dn.eu/


    EuroEAP Society Challenge:

    During the EuroEAP 2024, we’ll be having a challenge with € 400 worth of prizes. It is an open competition where teams of talented researchers can showcase a project of their choice and compete with colleagues in academia and industry. The final aim of the Challenge is to captivate and inspire the imagination of experts and the public alike with the possibilities that soft smart materials and soft transducers empower. More information on the challenge web page:
    http://www.euroeap.eu/index.php/euroeap-society-challenge-home.

     

    Deadlines

    • Enrolment: 23 APRIL 2024
    • Final submission: 23 MAY 2024

     

    Cyber Valley is looking forward to this event happening within the Cyber Valley community and welcomes our international guests!

  • Cyber Valley Start-up Fiasco expands into insurance

    Cyber Valley Start-up Fiasco expands into insurance

    Kernen, 6. Februar 2024 – Zu der anfänglichen Kern-Zielgruppe Kfz- und K&L-Werkstätten wurden bei der FIASCO GmbH aus Kernen im Remstal Ende 2023 auch verstärkt Kunden aus der Versicherungsbranche akquiriert. 

    Schnell wurde auf Anbieter- und Kundenseite deutlich, dass die FIASCO-Plattform für all jene Fälle Vorteile und Nutzen bringt, bei denen es um Schadenabwicklungen und schnelle Kalkulation bei Fahrzeugen geht. Aufgrund erhöhter Nachfrage von Versicherungsunternehmen sowie aus anderen Branchen wie Flotten- und Leasinggesellschaften, Glas- und Hagelschaden-Experten, Anwaltskanzleien und Gutachter arbeiten die IT-Spezialisten von FIASCO regelmäßig an weiteren Optimierungen und Modulen der Webanwendung (verfügbar über Browser, keine native App). Mit dem neuen Produkt FIASCOdirect werden ganz gezielt Sachbearbeiter:innen aus der Versicherungsbranche angesprochen und bestmöglich unterstützt. Diese können in wenigen Sekunden und im Zuge von maximal vier aufeinanderfolgenden Schritten für jeden erfassten Karosserie-Schaden die voraussichtlichen Reparaturkosten ermitteln. Dabei müssen keine Schäden extra fotografiert werden. Gleichzeitig können die Kund:innen den Wiederbeschaffungswert mit den Reparaturkosten in ein Verhältnis setzen.

    Erklär Video

    Mehr über Fiasco

    Cyber Valley Start-up Network

    Mit dem Start-up Network fördert Cyber Valley eine lebendige Community von KI-Entrepreneurs. Mitglieder erhalten exklusiven Zugang zu einem vielfältigen Netzwerk aus KI-Forschenden, Investor:innen, sowie weitere Start-up Gründer:innen. Voraussetzung für die Mitgliedschaft ist eine Verbindung zu Cyber Valley, wie beispielsweise Mitglieder oder Alumni der Cyber Valley Community oder durch einen Standort in Baden-Württemberg. Der Kern des Geschäftsmodells bilden intelligente Systeme. Das Start-up-Netzwerk wächst kontinuierlich. Weitere Informationen über die aktuelle Anzahl der Start-ups und das Bewerbungsverfahren: https://cyber-valley.de/start-up-network

  • Cyber Valley welcomes AZOWO and Vectis Finance to the Start-up Network

    Cyber Valley welcomes AZOWO and Vectis Finance to the Start-up Network

    AZOWO is a unique platform offering integrated solutions in the mobility sector, including fleet management software, car and bike sharing, and real-time vehicle data. Their cloud software empowers companies, cities, and municipalities to efficiently implement innovative mobility services. AZOWO’s mission is to enable customers to build, transform, and manage critical processes in shared, connected, electric, and autonomous mobility. Leveraging artificial intelligence, the start-up incorporates advanced features like a unique booking algorithm and an AI document management system into their software platform. By doing so, they aim to facilitate the quick and effective realization of innovative solutions in the ever-changing field of mobility.

    Vectis Finance is on a mission to revolutionize the mortgage advisory industry through a cutting-edge LLM-based platform, comparing financing offers of more than 800 banks. Essentially, the platform serves as a digital co-pilot that is available 24/7, empowering homebuyers to establish new benchmarks in both speed and transparency. This puts the customer at the center of the mortgage process, while saving time for both mortgage advisors and other partners like real estate agents.

    By becoming part of the Cyber Valley Start-up Network, AZOWO and Vectis Finance have joined an AI community commited to advancing technology and fostering collaboration among start-ups, researchers, and industry partners. 

  • Cerebri and Tabularis.AI join the Cyber Valley Start-Up Network

    Cerebri and Tabularis.AI join the Cyber Valley Start-Up Network

    Cerebri is a pioneering medical diagnostic start-up dedicated to transforming EEG diagnostics and accessibility. The electroencephalogram (EEG) is a medical test used to measure the electrical activity of the brain. With a mission to democratize EEG technology, Cerebri seeks to make expert-grade evaluations universally available, transcending geographical boundaries. The start-up addresses challenges in routine and emergency medicine, offering an innovative platform that combines easy-to-use EEG hardware with expert-level evaluation as a service. By integrating artificial intelligence, Cerebri enhances EEG diagnostics, making it more accessible and comprehensible for individuals worldwide.

    Tabularis.AI is a start-up specializing in generating synthetic data that allows for training machine learning algorithms while maintaining the quality of real data without compromising data privacy concerns. With Tabularis.AI, organizations can open up their data, leading to increased efficiency and reduced costs. This is particularly beneficial for tasks like evaluating sensitive customer data, preparing development data, or generating AI training data. Tabularis.AI enables the sharing of data insights while protecting sensitive information, fostering collaboration across teams and companies.

    By becoming part of the Cyber Valley Start-up Network, Cerebri and Tabularis.AI have joined a vibrant AI community dedicated to advancing technology and promoting collaboration among start-ups, researchers, and industry partners. 

  • European Sovereignty in the AI Era

    European Sovereignty in the AI Era

     

    The discussions will center around key questions regarding the current European regulatory framework concerning transparency, fairness, and accountability, as well as the establishment of a robust European data governance framework. Within this overarching theme, the focus will be on the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the efficiency of public institutions.

    How can we ensure the ethical use of AI technologies within public institutions? How can governments guarantee transparency in AI decision-making processes and address and mitigate biases in AI algorithms used in public services? How are governments tackling the security challenges associated with AI applications in critical areas such as defense and national security? Furthermore, what initiatives are being undertaken to enhance the AI literacy and skills of public servants?

    Finally, the aim is to address the role of investments and capital for start-ups and academic institutions in Europe to ensure sustained growth and competitiveness in the AI sector. Eager engagement in insightful conversations and collaborative exploration at this event is anticipated.

     

    When

    Thursday, January 18th, 2024

     

    Where

    AI House Davos

     

    Speakers

    • Jonas Andrulis: Founder, Aleph Alpha
    • Christian Lindner: Federal Minister of Finance, Germany
    • Dr. Rainer Esser: CEO, DIE ZEIT
    • Jochen Wegner: Editor in Chief, ZEIT Online, Moderator
  • Join the global forum for AI progress at AI House Davos

    Join the global forum for AI progress at AI House Davos

    • AI House Davos will bring together leaders in industry, civil society, government, the investing community, and academics to drive the global conversation on artificial intelligence.

    • Confirmed speakers include: Yann LeCun (VP of Meta), Kay Firth-Butterfield (CEO of Good Tech Advisory), Amy Webb (CEO of Future Today Institute), Arvind Krishna (CEO of IBM), Jonas Andrulis (CEO of Aleph Alpha), Theresa May (former Prime Minister of the UK), and Christian Lindner (Germany’s Finance Minister). 

    • Cyber Valley, contributor to the AI House program, invites you to its sessions. 

    Davos, Switzerland. We are pleased to announce the upcoming opening of AI House Davos during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting from January 15-19, 2024. Registration for a packed calendar of events is now open on the AI House website.

    Understanding AI’s current and future capabilities has never been more important. AI will undoubtedly be the dominant discussion at this year’s WEF Annual Meeting, and AI House Davos will be a crucial global forum to bring the deepest discussions on AI to life, from how AI can benefit humankind to how world economies can provide a catalyst for sustainable innovation. 

    The AI House will bring together leaders across diverse sectors — from academics to industry, as well as government, and entrepreneurship — to facilitate deep discussions and collaboration geared toward safeguarding the future of artificial intelligence. The AI House is a dedicated platform with a multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach working to address the challenges and opportunities facing the artificial intelligence ecosyste. This includes conversations surrounding responsible growth, scaling, and regulation. 

    Speakers at AI House include Yann LeCun (VP of Meta), Kay Firth-Butterfield (CEO of Good Tech Advisory), Amy Webb (CEO of Future Today Institute), Arvind Krishna (CEO of IBM), Jonas Andrulis (CEO of Aleph Alpha), Theresa May (former Prime Minister of the UK), Christian Lindner (Germany’s Finance Minister), and many more. Confirmed speakers can be found on the website.

     

    Cyber Valley events at AI House Davos

    AI House Davos events with Cyber Valley contributions

    Five major themes will be covered throughout the week. Monday will focus on the current state of AI. An Opening Ceremony will take place where the AI House initiators will discuss the activities planned for the week. On Tuesday, a dive into AI’s opportunities and risks will take place. Wednesday will focus on applications of AI. Thursday will look toward the next frontier. On Friday, the program will conclude with a review of the week and a look ahead to the future.

    Members of the press should join the waitlists for the specific sessions at AI House they wish to attend. Invitations are at the discretion of the session organizer. Press inquiries about AI House should be sent to steven.perlberg@merantix.com. 

    AI House is a joint initiative led by Merantix, ETH AI Center, Swisscom, UTokyo Institute for AI and Beyond, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), and G42. AI House partners and sponsors include the European Commission, European Innovation Council, European AI Forum, Automation Anywhere, EPFL, EY, TÜV AI Lab, Cyber Valley and many more. Forbes, Handelsblatt, and Devex are the media partners. 

    The AI House is perfectly positioned in the heart of the Davos promenade. Just 750 meters from the congress center, this central location ensures seamless access to all the key events in Davos. Find AI House on Promenade 68, Davos Platz.

    Faheem Ahamed, Group CMO of G42, said: “At G42, we embrace a global, inclusive approach to the future of AI. As the Initiator Partner of AI House Davos, we eagerly anticipate engaging with organizations and individuals who share our dedication to leading-edge scientific research, transformative AI applications, and effective regulation. Together, we can accelerate AI's positive impact on society and the global economy, cultivating an ecosystem that fuels innovation while steadfastly upholding ethical standards in the advancement and integration of this transformative technology.”

    Masami Hagiya, Director of UTokyo Institute for AI and Beyond, said: “As AI technologies spread, all aspects of human society are affected and need to change to build a better world. The multi-stakeholder approach of AI House is a suitable framework for discussing issues from different perspectives of human society. The panel on ‘AI Governance and Safety: G7 Hiroshima AI process’ is a typical topic involving multiple stakeholders. Also, UTokyo Institute for AI and Beyond will host ‘AI and Higher Education,’ focusing on how higher education should evolve as generative AI gradually replaces many aspects of human intelligence. ‘Harmony of Coexistence’ will touch on human intelligence and AI from various perspectives.”

    Dr. Rasmus Rothe, CTO and Co-Founder of Merantix, said: “What the AI landscape really needs now in order to thrive is a vibrant community bringing together all the different stakeholders, from investors, startups, academics, regulators, government leaders, and corporates, to discuss AI’s future, learn about AI’s current application in the real world, and create some meaningful new collaborations leveraging AI’s potential. That’s why we initiated AI House, and it’s why Davos is the perfect venue for these discussions.”

    Evan Sparks, Vice President and General Manager for AI Solutions and Supercomputing Cloud, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, said: “AI will have a transformative societal impact. As a fundamental technology, AI will solve complex scientific challenges and make breakthroughs in drug discovery, provide accurate medical diagnosis faster, predict and prevent catastrophic weather events, and advance renewable energy to help us transition to a net-zero world. However, to make AI beneficial to humanity, we must make it accessible, sustainable, and responsible, and the power of collaboration will help us get there. As co-initiators of AI House Davos, we look forward to being a part of an important initiative that will bring together stakeholders across private and public sectors to design, develop, and deliver efficient and ethical AI solutions to benefit the greater good.”

    Dr. Alexander Ilic, Founder and Executive Director of ETH AI Center, said: “In the imminent future, we anticipate many breakthroughs in AI research to catalyze significant advancements towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – marking a new era of progress and innovation. From education to healthcare to sustainability, AI is a technology that should be accessible, trustworthy, and safe for everybody. The AI House Davos therefore serves as a central hub, fostering and expediting collaboration between global key stakeholders from academia, industry, NGOs, start-ups, and civil society, all dedicated to realizing our shared vision.”

    Laure Willemin, Executive Vice President of Data, Analytics & AI at Swisscom, said: “The AI House Davos is the start of a joint journey towards a common understanding of AI. Switzerland is the right place to host the AI pioneers from all over the world to meet, connect and shape AI. As one of the most competitive and innovative countries, with its renowned universities, Switzerland plays a leading role in AI research and AI development. Swisscom is excited to be part of this journey and committed to develop trusted AI solutions to the benefit of Switzerland.”

    More information about the AI House and its initiators, partners, and sponsors can be found here. 

    Media contact:
    Steven Perlberg
    Head of Communications at Merantix
    steven.perlberg@merantix.com 

    Media contact for Cyber Valley at AI House Davos:
    Hazel Rowland
    Cyber Valley Media Manager
    Hazel.Rowland@cyber-valley.de

  • AI House Davos

    AI House Davos

     

    Join the launch of an international computation and AI network of excellence initiative. We're embarking on an initiative to balance AI development globally, focusing on computing, data, and AI research, aligned with the UN SDGs. Discover use cases and our incubation phase roadmap in an interactive session with Q&A.

     

    When?

    Wednesday January 17, 2024, 13:40-14:00 CET

     

    Where?

    Mountain Stage, AI House Davos, Promenade 68, 7270 Davos Platz

     

    Format

    • Announcement

     

    Moderator and session coordinator: 

    • Katharina Frey, Deputy Head Digitalisation Division, Swiss Foreign Ministry of Federal Affairs

     

    Speakers

    • Alexandre Fasel, State Secretary – Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Switzerland FDFA
    • Andreas Krause, Academic Chair – ETH AI Center
    • Bernhard Schölkopf, Professor – Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems & ETH
    • Ciira Maina, Director Data Science Africa – Dedan Kimathi University of Technology
    • Thomas Schulthess, Director – Swiss National Supercomputing Center (CSCS)


    Further information

    Register

  • AI House Davos: Catalyzing AI tech transfer in Europe

    AI House Davos: Catalyzing AI tech transfer in Europe

     

    It will address the facilitation of cross-sector AI innovation (like ELLIS), discussing the synergy between academia, industry, and government to accelerate tech transfer, drive economic growth, and meet societal needs with cutting-edge AI solutions.

     

    When?

    Wed, 17. January 2024, 10:30 – 10:55

     

    Format

    • Round table
    • Open to the press

     

    Speakers

    • Bernhard Schölkopf, Professor – Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems & ETH
    • Alexander Diehl, Investor & Entrepreneur
    • Rebecca C. Reisch, CEO Cyber Valley

     

    Moderator

    • Julian Enz, Chief Innovation Office, Cyber Valley


    Further information