User Group: Entrepreneur

  • 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!

  • 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.

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    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
  • Top supercomputers strengthen UN SDGs and global sustainability

    Top supercomputers strengthen UN SDGs and global sustainability

    The new network aims to broaden access to supercomputing, data and software infrastructures, and will operate at the intersection of public and private sectors, academia, and civil society. In addition to ELLIS, ICAIN’s founding members include the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, ETH Zurich, the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre, Data Science Africa and the Finnish IT Center for Science, which is the hosting member of the LUMI consortium. 

     

    Supercomputing facilities is essential for AI-based technologies 

    Artificial intelligence has a profound economic and societal impact on a global scale and can help combat challenges such as climate change and pandemics. However, not all players, especially in the global south, have the same access to expertise and computing resources which are crucial for the development and implementation of innovative AI-based technologies. 

    This is where ICAIN comes in: By broadening access to such resources, the founders of ICAIN aim to enable international research projects that benefit society as a whole and are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With the European LUMI and the Swiss ‘Alps’, the new network includes two of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. All founding partners will further contribute to ICAIN by sharing their AI expertise. 

    ICAIN in Davos

     

    Powering the future of AI excellence internationally 

    ICAIN is set to have a strong impact on AI entrepreneurs and scientists internationally, providing them with the knowledge and necessary tools needed to push their AI advancements to unprecedented heights. This initiative positions Europe as a global leader in AI excellence, fostering innovation and collaboration to drive the capabilities of AI forward.  

    ICAIN is driven by the recognition of artificial intelligence as a crucial technology with the potential to address global challenges. The initiative aims to ensure inclusive participation in AI research and viewing AI solutions as global public goods accessible to all. It prioritizes addressing major scientific and social issues in AI collaboratively and transparently. This also illustrates the importance of collaborative efforts between politics and science to ensure that AI remains at the forefront of future developments. 
     

    Cyber Valley Community Member ELLIS joins forces 

    “ELLIS is a pan-European AI network aiming to create outstanding conditions for AI researchers. More than 1,000 top scientists and leading AI research institutions such as ETH Zurich, Cambridge, Oxford, Paris and Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems are part of ELLIS”, says Bernhard Schölkopf, Director of the ELLIS, Director of Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, and Cyber Valley Board Member. “We will contribute our network’s scientific expertise to provide meaningful input on how the compute resources get used, ensuring that the major scientific and social issues of AI are tackled jointly and transparently. We like to think that having ELLIS as a founding partner and co-initiator will be essential to the success of the proposal.”

    Launch highlights  

    ICAIN’s launch was announced at a joint press conference at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 17, 2024, followed by an inaugural panel discussion:

    Panelists 

    • State Secretary Alexandre Fasel, Swiss Foreign Ministry;   
    • Prof. Bernhard Schölkopf, Director of the ELLIS-Institute, Director Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, and Cyber Valley Board Member 
    • ETH Vice President Prof. Christian Wolfrum;
    • Prof. Ciira Maina, Director of Data Science for Africa 

     

    Fully operational by 2025

    The ICAIN initiative aims to achieve full completion by 2025. As part of their objectives for the current year, they are actively seeking additional partners, including research institutes, international organizations, companies, or foundations, to join their mission and provide active support. These partners may contribute financial support or offer contributions in kind, such as computing power or specialized expertise.

    Throughout the ongoing incubation phase, governance rule, coordination processes, and financing for ICAIN will be formulated. Simultaneously, the first pilot projects, in collaboration with other entities, will begin to gather valuable experience in partnership collaboration. By 2025, ICAIN aims to have all its organizational structures firmly established.

    Media contact for Cyber Valley at AI House Davos: 

    Hazel Rowland 

    Cyber Valley Media Manager 

    Hazel.Rowland@cyber-valley.de 

     

    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.

    The Cyber Valley Community is a network of AI researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and start-ups, alongside partners from academia, industry, and society. Cyber Valley GmbH is owned by the State of Baden-Württemberg and the Max Planck Gesellschaft. It acts as the service provider, central organizer, and host for the Cyber Valley Community. While Cyber Valley GmbH is located in Stuttgart and Tübingen, it operates across Baden-Württemberg with a global reach, attracting the best talent from across the world to create the future with AI.

     

    About ELLIS 

    ELLIS is a pan-European AI network of excellence. It builds upon machine learning as the driver for modern AI and aims to secure lasting international leadership of AI made in Europe by connecting top researchers in this field and by creating a multi-centric AI research laboratory. Founded in 2018, ELLIS has grown into a network that counts 41 ELLIS units at world-class institutions in 16 countries, 16 ELLIS programs and a pan-European PhD program. The members of ELLIS are committed to shaping the future of AI in Europe by pushing the scientific and technological boundaries for human-centered, beneficial and safe AI.

  • European funding opportunities for Start-ups

    European funding opportunities for Start-ups

     

    During this 60-minute webinar, start-ups will learn about Europe's stance on AI and dive deeper into funding opportunities available for AI and digitalization support at the European level. The webinar will help participants understand how to navigate the EU funding landscape, and what kind of support mechanisms are available for AI start-ups. This event will take place in English. 

     

    Date & Time

    January 23rd, 2024 – 16:00 CET

     

    Speakers

     

     
    Registration

    Please register here.

  • 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