Ecosystem NRW: Where AI is being created for medium-sized businesses
The next ChatGPT will not come from North Rhine-Westphalia. Its strengths lie elsewhere. AI start-ups are emerging there that connect research, industry and medium-sized businesses and solve specific problems.
The German company Maela uses a KI system developed by Hidesk, a Cologne-based start-up, to handle around 40% of its 573 monthly customer inquiries. The KI system can book appointments and process vouchers, saving Maela's administration team around one to two hours of work per day. North Rhine-Westphalia, where Hidesk is based, is not a hub for large KI models, but rather for applied KI solutions that solve specific problems for medium-sized businesses and service providers.
The region's polyzentric structure, with multiple cities and universities, allows for a dense network of start-ups, talent, and companies, enabling short paths to customers and problems. As of May, Cologne had 89 active KI start-ups, with a total financing volume of $224.4 million.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
