Partner search: Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (KAMK) and the AIKA Ecosystem in Finland are putting together an Interreg Aurora project called Practical AI for Aurora SMEs. The idea is simple: help small and medium-sized businesses get started with analytics and AI in a practical, low-risk way, using the data they already have and testing small pilot cases first. We’re now looking for partners in Sweden and Norway to join us, share expertise, co-design the pilots, and help connect with SMEs across the region.
Greetings from Kainuu Region, Finland!
Based on our experiences and best practices from the region, we are building currently a cross-border Interreg Aurora project called Practical AI for Aurora SMEs and are looking for partners in Sweden and Norway. The project helps SMEs use the data they already have to improve everyday business processes such as pricing, quotations, delivery planning and decision-making. The project is especially aimed at SMEs that don’t have in-house data or AI teams, aren’t sure where to start with AI, and want to test small, safe pilot steps before making bigger investments. We do not develop new AI platforms or infrastructure. Instead, we focus on practical, low-threshold analytics and AI tools, hands-on pilots, and skills building.
We are seeking partners such as universities or applied research organisations, business-support organisations (clusters, chambers, development agencies), SME networks, and pilot SMEs. In that stage of planning partners may propose their way of contributing expertise, we are open to all ideas. We would be grateful to help onboard organisations to help co-design pilot cases, and support learning, to reach SMEs and disseminate results across the Aurora region.
Who we are: The AIKA Ecosystem (Arctic Data Intelligence and Supercomputing Ecosystem in Kainuu) is a Finnish, SME-focused innovation hub led by Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (KAMK). We have practical experience in helping companies test data analytics and AI through low-threshold pilots and supporting step-by-step adoption toward real business use. Find more: – Aika Nature of Technology
If your organisation works with SMEs and is interested in strengthening practical AI adoption and competitiveness in the Aurora region, please get in touch! We will gladly share more details.
Contact: Tatiana Petrova, Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (KAMK)
tatiana.petrova@kamk.fi | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatianapetrova/
