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Short portrait of the Innovation Park KI in Heilbronn
The aim of the AI Innovation Park is to create an ecosystem in Heilbronn that has international appeal and thus attracts companies, start-ups, research players, specialists, talents and investors in equal measure. The entire AI value chain is to be mapped in the Innovation Park AI - from the qualification of specialists over research to the development, application and commercialisation of ethically responsible AI.
Initially, the focus will be on the areas of production and logistics, trade and distribution as well as public service and services of general interest, whereby there is also a thematic openness for other fields of innovation (e.g. life science).
IPAI's first dedicated building, IPAI SPACES, was opened in summer 2024 with a net floor space of around 8,250 square meters. It houses a visitor center, demonstrator areas, an AI real-world laboratory, co-working spaces and event areas. The visitor center and the real-world laboratory were built with funding from the state. In addition to the attractive space that is already available and will continue to grow in the future for companies looking to set up in the AI sector, the IPAI will offer its users further advantages at its future main location, the IPAI CAMPUS, on around 23 hectares. The plans include:
- a start-up innovation center with coworking space and a comprehensive range of services and consulting for business development,
- a training center,
- a real-world laboratory with a beta data center and test fields for AI products with the latest infrastructure (5G/6G),
- an AI salon that will bring the spheres of ethics, art, culture, knowledge transfer and the “design” of AI to life and enable an ongoing dialogue with citizens,
- specific support services for “Women in AI”.
An ambitious sustainability concept will be developed and implemented to ensure that the IPAI also sets standards in terms of climate protection and sustainability.
This will lay the foundations for the IPAI to become an outstanding national and international example of how large innovation parks in particular can be built and operated in a climate-friendly way.
In 2025, the global AI Enterprise Award, which is aimed at the world's best research groups in the field of applied AI research, will also be presented for the first time.
The IPAI is being realized by Die KI-Stiftung Heilbronn gGmbH, IPAI Management GmbH and IPAI Immobilienmanagement GmbH & Co.KG.
Questions?
Have we aroused your interest? Are you interested in cooperating with IPAI? Do you have any questions? Or do you have ideas and suggestions that you would like to share with us? Then you are welcome to get in touch with the contact persons listed here.
The vision for the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Park in Baden-Württemberg
In order to give the “Artificial Intelligence (AI) - made in Baden-Württemberg” seal of quality national and international appeal and make it a global success, the state government decided in December 2020 to provide state funding of up to 50 million euros for the realization of an AI Innovation Park Baden-Württemberg. On December 3, 2020, a transparent, open and non-discriminatory competitive process for site selection was launched, which met with great interest in all parts of the state.
As a world-class value creation center, the AI Innovation Park is intended to create optimal conditions for Baden-Württemberg to realize as much of the global value creation potential in the field of AI as possible. The aim is to make the state one of the leading development locations for innovative AI products, services and business models.
At the same time, a noticeable economic stimulus is to be provided to overcome the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Speed also plays a key role in view of the strong international competition in the field of AI
The vision becomes reality: Location Heilbronn
At its meeting on 5 July 2021, the international jury of experts specially appointed as part of the competitive process for site selection voted by a large majority to recommend the Heilbronn consortium to the state as the best strategic partner for the realization of the AI Innovation Park. The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism followed this recommendation after a comprehensive overall assessment. On 27 July 2021, the Council of Ministers finally decided to build the Baden-Württemberg AI Innovation Park in Heilbronn with funding from the state of up to 50 million euros.
The Heilbronn consortium will contribute at least the same amount of its own funds, so that a three-digit million euro sum will be available in the construction phase.
Picture below: Unveiling of the construction plaque on the future site of the Innovation Park KI Baden-Württemberg with Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Mayor of the City of Heilbronn Harry Mergel (right) and Prof. Reinhold Geilsdörfer, Managing Director of the Dieter Schwarz Foundation (left).
On September 30, 2021, Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut visited the site of the future KI Baden-Württemberg Innovation Park in Heilbronn for the first time following the state government's decision on the location and inspected the planned area of around 23 hectares in the Steinäcker industrial estate.
An important step in project implementation was taken with the issue of the so-called clearance certificate on December 6, 2021: On this basis, the KI-Stiftung Heilbronn gGmbH may begin project implementation - initially at its own risk - around one year after the official start of the competition procedure for site selection.
Important milestone: On September 22, 2022, the foundation stone for the first own building was laid for the first project component of the KI Innovation Park in the presence of Minister President Winfrid Kretschmann and Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut. “Today we are laying an important foundation stone for one of the state government's major innovation policy visions to become reality,” said the Minister, who also emphasized the importance of the future technology AI: ”AI promises enormous growth and value creation potential, of which we want to realize as much as possible in the state.” She was delighted that the Ipai (Innovation Park AI) would create the largest ecosystem for artificial intelligence in Europe, from which the entire country would benefit. This sustainable AI value creation center will contribute to Europe's digital sovereignty by creating ethically responsible AI. A time capsule for the foundation stone was filled during the event.
On November 24, 2022, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economic Affairs of the State of Baden-Württemberg, invited to the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg in Berlin to present the IPAI. The event was aimed at national and international companies and talents in the field of AI, investors, capital providers, research institutes, political representatives and the national media. Take a look here.
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On December 21, 2022, Moritz Gräter, CEO of the IPAI, received the funding decision of 5.4 million euros for the first partial measure of the IPAI, the visitor center at the initial location Wohlgelegen, from Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut.
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The winning design for the Innovation Park KI in Heilbronn was presented on March 28, 2023. Nine internationally renowned architecture firms submitted their ideas for the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) at the Heilbronn-Steinäcker site. The design by Rotterdam-based firm MVRDV was selected as the winner.
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On July 6, 2023, IPAI and the AI research cooperation Cyber Valley signed a basic agreement on cooperation as part of the Stallwächterparty, the political summer party of the Baden-Württemberg state representation in Berlin. The joint declaration of intent is intended to support the transfer of excellent research into application and promote the sustainable development and expansion of value creation through AI.
On October 23, 2024, the first IPAI Experience Day took place at the IPAI SPACES in the presence of Minister of Economic Affairs Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut. In an open house concept, over 600 invited participants were able to immerse themselves in the world of IPAI and gain exclusive insights into the diverse work and concrete AI projects of IPAI member and partner companies. The event impressively demonstrated how dynamically the IPAI innovation ecosystem is developing.
Contact person
Verena Schneider
Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism Baden-WürttembergUnit “Industrial and Technology Policy, Digitization” / Advisor Digitization of the Economy
verena.schneider@wm.bwl.de
+49 711 123 2203
