Our Network 

WestAI is part of a strong network of established AI initiatives in Germany. These connections give us access to the latest developments and best practices in the AI industry. We are also happy to actively promote your networking: through various institutions from our ecosystem and our Events, we offer you the opportunity to exchange ideas with experts, make valuable contacts and initiate joint projects. 

Become part of our network and shape the future of Artificial Intelligence with us!

The four German AI service centers

WestAI is one of four AI service centers funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and represents a significant step towards strengthening the German AI ecosystem. The other AI service centers at a glance:

• KISSKI: This center focuses on AI applications for sensitive and critical infrastructures, particularly in the healthcare and energy sectors.
• Hessian AI Service Center:: Here, the focus is on the so-called third wave of AI, which includes large generalizable models and data-intensive applications.
• KISZ-BB: This center is dedicated in particular to the challenges and opportunities of AI in regions affected by structural change. 

Competence platform KI.NRW

The KI.NRW competence platform is developing North Rhine-Westphalia into a leading national location for applied artificial intelligence(AI) and establishing the state in international networks. As the central state umbrella organization for artificial intelligence, KI.NRW unites the triad of cutting-edge research, innovation and entrepreneurship. The aim is to accelerate the transfer of AI from cutting-edge research to industry, to establish a leading region for professional qualifications in AI and to provide impetus in the social dialog. In doing so, KI.NRW places people and their ethical principles at the center of shaping artificial intelligence. KI.NRW is funded by the state ministries MWIKE and MKW and managed by one of Europe’s leading research institutes in the fields of artifical intelligence and machine learning, the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS in Sankt Augustin. 

The Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

The Lamarr Institute is shaping a new generation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that contributes to solving fundamental challenges in business and society in a powerful, sustainable, trustworthy and secure way. As one of Germany’s central AI competence centers, the Lamarr Institute stands for value-based, internationally competitive and application-oriented cutting-edge research and is involved in science, education, and technology transfer at regional, national and European level.

The research institute is supported by the TU Dortmund University, the University of Bonn and the Fraunhofer Institutes for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS in Sankt Augustin and for Material Flow and Logistics IMP in Dortmund. The Lamarr Institute is permanently funded by the federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as well as by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia as part of the German government’s AI strategy.

AI Village – innovation campus for artificial intelligence and robotics in Hürth

The AI Village is one of the anchor projects for structural change in the Rhineland region and the central coordination centre for artificial intelligence in the region. We see ourselves as a mediation platform and pursue the goal of establishing AI applications and disruptive innovations in the field of artificial intelligence in companies. To this end, we can draw on a network of experts from research and AI companies that is unique in Germany. We maintain prospects for highly qualified specialists through our training and further education programmes and offer the opportunity to experience and touch artificial intelligence up close in our demo area. We transfer artificial intelligence from abstract theory into practice, with the aim of educating people and reducing fears of contact. Thanks to the vision of our project and its employees as drivers of innovation and transformation pioneers, Hürth is becoming an AI hotspot with supra-regional appeal and the centre of a constantly growing AI ecosystem that is shaping the region.

The AI Village is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection and consists of various project partners. The office is shared by the city of Hürth and the AI Bundesverband. The consortium partners KI.NRW, Rheinische Hochschule Köln and Fraunhofer IAIS & FIT are also involved.

AI Grid

AI Grid is an initiative funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to strengthen synergies and collaboration between young talents in the field of artificial intelligence. Young, committed scientists with fresh ideas are brought together with renowned AI experts in a high-quality network.   

The AI Grid network consists of small AI communities and offers, among other things: highly specialized micro-focus groups for exchange and cooperation, mentoring support, regular network meetings, science & innovation tours and workshops.