Winners of the second ELSA Industry Call
At the end of 2024, ELSA initiated its second Industry Call. We invited start-ups and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to collaborate with us. Numerous companies with groundbreaking ideas and projects applied. A professional and independent expert panel selected the seven most promising companies. Over six months, they will receive a funding of 60.000 euros and will work with renowned AI experts from the ELSA network.
The ELSA Industry Call has been brought to life by the ELSA Innovation Lab to pursue our network’s goal of establishing a close connection between research and industry. The Industry Calls have been a win-win situation for all parties involved. Our researchers gain a deep insight into industries’ pressing challenges and solutions, and our applicants benefit from our researcher’s profound knowledge and expertise.
“The ELSA industry calls offer a clear added value to both the ELSA researchers and the applicants. Knowledge, creativity, idea exchange and direct insights into various industries meet directly. We congratulate our winners – all of them have promising ideas. We hope to support them in growing and developing their ideas further”, concludes ELSA-Coordinator Professor Mario Fritz.
Winning companies
Amongst many applications, these seven companies stood out: Kiin AI (Health, UK), LightMirror (Construction, Lithuania) ReqCon (Construction, Belgium), Starlab Neuroscience (Health, Spain), Trace Labs (Health, Slovenia), Vertliner (Robotics, Greece), Vivid Mind Health (Health, Poland).
Kiin AI
Kiin AI is addressing inefficiencies in drug discovery. The team works on empowering researchers to build, run, and analyze experiments using a market-first Virtual Scientist Platform and Marketplace. Within their ELSA project, Kiin AI will focus on expanding their platform capabilities and integrating 50 more tools into the Kiin AI Marketplace. “We aim to leverage the extensive ELSA expertise network of Academic and Industrial Partners to improve our AI models to better design drug discovery experiments.”
LightMirror
LightMirror develops AI-enhanced reflective panel technology to bring sunlight into hospitals and care homes. Through their solution, they aim to reduce the need for artificial lighting and heating, increase patient well-being and reduce costs.
“Our solution uses machine learning for predictive energy consumption and optimizing renovation of the building. Within ELSA, we will make a benchmark for monitored AI deployment in energy renovation optimization for critical facilities”, explains Dimitri Ionescu, one of LightMirror’s founders.
ReqCon
ReqCon provides every construction company with an always-available AI expert on construction project requirements. Within the ELSA collaboration, ReqCon will make its AI application significantly more transparent, allow better insights into the tool’s decision-making process and increase trust.
“We expect to boost and strengthen our network, accelerate our work and learn from some of the world’s top AI researchers to really shape the future of applied AI tools in a professional context”, says Hendrik Bostoen, Founder of ReqCon.
Starlab Neuroscience
Starlab is an independent, private R&D SME. The Neuroscience Business Unit has extensive experience in brain stimulation and electrophysiology, advanced data analysis, and basic/applied research for both institutional and industrial clients.
Based on Starlab’s previous R&D work on neurodegenerative diseases, Starlab aims to further an operational prototype to validate their brain monitoring system – which is easy-to-use, cost effective, non-invasive, and based on Machine Learning and EEG.
Trace Labs
Trace Labs is the core developer of OriginTrail – the open source Decentralized Knowledge Graph (DKG), key component for reliable and predictable neuro-symbolic AI solutions. In ELSA, Trace Labs will develop a decentralized repository for secure, scalable genomic data sharing and AI-driven personalized healthcare insights that will be powered by OriginTrail DKG. “The partnership with ELSA will also provide an opportunity to explore innovative applications of OriginTrail in space-related projects and foster long-term advancements in the industry.”
Vertliner
VERTLINER is a field robotics company that introduces a novel solution that aims to transform indoor assessments into smart procedures – with robotic technology and Artificial Intelligence. Their SENSATE project seeks to develop a UAV control system for maximum safety and data privacy in GPS-denied environments.
“By collaborating with ELSA, we aim to enhance our technical capabilities, ensure safety and privacy, strengthen our network and accelerate our innovation”, so Vertliner.
Vivid Mind
Vivid Mind’s solution screens for dementia using voice as a biomarker. Vivid Mind’s solution combines patented technology of sound and voice processing with state-of-the-art Machine Learning and AI algorithms to offer a short, voice-based test that can be conducted anywhere with an average smartphone. “We believe that the ELSA Industry Call enables us to become part of the ecosystem of practitioners of secure and safe artificial intelligence.”
We are looking forward to supporting them with 60,000 euros of EU funding, online visibility via our channels and much more. We will keep you updated on their progress.
Additionally, we want to thank all other applicants for their interest in our call and for submitting their projects. The overall high standard challenged our jury during the decision-making process.
This was ELSA’s second industry call. You can find out more about our first Industry Call here.