Fraunhofer Innovation Platform celebrates two years of its existence

"One of the important missions of the Fraunhofer Innovation Platform is to promote joint projects, and as part of this effort, our German colleagues have visited various departments of VSB – Technical University of Ostrava to strengthen existing projects, develop new cooperation proposals, and establish further partnerships to identify common topics. In total, 16 projects have been submitted, including nine under the Horizon programme. I am very pleased to see that we are also doing well in other areas. Some activities, such as the FIP Academy, are being given as an example of good practice to other FIPs abroad. On the other hand, we see great room for improvement in the connection with companies, as an open platform we are interested in cooperation with other business partners," said Jana Kukutschová, Director of FIP-AI@VSB-TUO and Vice-Rector for Science and Research at VSB-TUO.

For this ambitious initiative, the partners each contribute their own expertise. VSB-TUO specialises in artificial intelligence and next generation computing, Fraunhofer ICT focuses on materials research and energy systems, and Fraunhofer IWU specialises in manufacturing technology and production.

One of the joint events was the Energy Forum 2023, which took place in Chemnitz in April this year. This forum, held in cooperation with VSB-TUO, Fraunhofer IWU, and EINS as part of the European project GeoUS – Horizon 2020, explored the topic of renewable heat. The event featured discussions on international research projects and regional applications. In mid-June, FIP-AI@VSB-TUO will be presenting at the Fraunhofer IWU Open House.

As FIP-AI@VSB-TUO celebrates its second birthday, it also marks the one-year anniversary of the FIP Academy. The FIP Academy was established as a platform for researchers from partner institutions to exchange experiences in the form of professional webinars. While in the last academic year, a total of five webinars were held with more than 100 participants and 10 speakers, this year, eight webinars have been organised, featuring 16 speakers and attracting 148 attendees.

In addition to its ongoing activities aimed at strengthening connections with the application sector, for example, in cooperation with the Moravian-Silesian Innovation Centre (MSIC), FIP-AI@VSB-TUO is planning to enhance its visibility. One of the upcoming initiatives is the regular publication of the FIP Newsletter. Furthermore, FIP-AI@VSB-TUO is also one of the partners in the forthcoming REFRESH project. This project aims to create an innovative environment by connecting cutting-edge science, students, and companies, and it seeks to contribute to the successful transformation of the Moravian-Silesian Region.

In June 2021, FIP-AI@VSV-TUO commenced its operations in Ostrava. Thanks to this cooperation, VSB-TUO and other partners not only gain valuable contacts with top scientists from Fraunhofer ICT and Fraunhofer IWU, but can also share the know-how of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, one of the largest applied research and development organisations in Europe, as well as 15 other FIPs worldwide.

Text: Martina Šaradínová, PR specialist for R&D

Photo: Petr Havlíček