AI-hub Noord-Nederland

AI is developing rapidly, creating new opportunities for businesses and organisations across society. But where do you start? Which applications are right for your organisation? And how can you use AI responsibly? Through AI-hub Noord-Nederland, businesses, knowledge institutions and other organisations work together to share knowledge, build connections and advance new AI applications across Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe.

Why was this project launched?

AI is developing rapidly and can help businesses and organisations across society tackle a wide range of challenges. Yet turning these opportunities into practical solutions is not always straightforward. Where do you start? Which applications are right for your organisation? And how do you use AI responsibly, particularly when it comes to data and the human side of AI?

AI-hub Noord-Nederland aims to accelerate the adoption of AI in the Northern Netherlands and strengthen the region's innovation ecosystem. The project focuses on a range of sectors, including industry, healthcare, energy, water, maritime, agrifood, logistics and mobility. Cross-cutting themes include data sharing, skills and talent development, and human-centred AI.

Who is involved in the project?

AI-hub Noord-Nederland brings together knowledge institutions and other organisations from across the Northern Netherlands. Its six key partners are the University of Groningen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, TNO, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) and NOM. Several other educational institutions and organisations are also involved in the consortium. The University of Groningen is the lead partner.

NHL Stenden contributes to the project through its Computer Vision & Artificial Intelligence professorship.

How does the project team approach this?

AI-hub Noord-Nederland works across three areas: informing, positioning and orchestrating.

Informing focuses on making AI knowledge accessible and sharing it with organisations. Positioning helps organisations explore how AI could support their work and identify suitable solutions or partnerships. Orchestrating takes this a step further by bringing businesses, organisations across society and knowledge institutions together to develop new AI applications and public-private projects.

The project also focuses on areas such as AI education, innovation labs, data sharing and human-centred AI.

What are the main results so far?

AI-hub Noord-Nederland has already helped launch several collaborations and initiatives across the Northern Netherlands. One example is the Learning Community Soevereine Data en AI (Sovereign Data and AI), where organisations share knowledge and experiences on maintaining control over data, AI models and AI infrastructure.

New partnerships have also emerged in sectors such as agrifood and technical industry, bringing businesses and knowledge institutions together to address practical AI challenges. Through events, knowledge-sharing sessions and matchmaking activities, the AI-hub has connected organisations and helped develop new project ideas.

These activities contribute to practical AI projects while building a stronger, more connected AI ecosystem across the Northern Netherlands.

Project partners

• University of Groningen
• Hanze University of Applied Sciences
• NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences
• TNO
• University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG)
• NOM
• Noorderpoort
• Alfa-college
• DCTerra
• Firda
• FME
• New Energy Coalition
• Samenwerking Noord
• IT Hub Hoogeveen
• Wetsus