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Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to our FAQ section! Here you’ll find clear and practical answers to the most common questions
about the AI-MATTERS Testing and Experimentation Facility (TEF) for the manufacturing sector and the services we offer.

Whether you want to learn how AI-MATTERS supports innovation, discover the resources and services available—
—or find out how to access our facilities, this section will guide you through the essentials.

Who we are

Who is AI-MATTERS intended for?

Technology companies that want to test their AI-based solutions in a real-world production environment and refine or improve them based on the feedback they receive.

Manufacturing companies should test AI-based solutions, assess their suitability and potential impact before proceeding with concrete investments and implementation.

We focus on startups, scale-ups, and SMEs, but large companies are also welcome to participate.

AI-MATTERS is the European testing and experimentation center dedicated to validating new artificial intelligence technologies in the manufacturing sector.

Test your latest technological solution in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics by gaining access to our facilities and real-world production data, or discover how a new technology could be applied to meet your needs—with the possibility of receiving financial support.

AI-MATTERS gives you access to:

  • Real-world production environments and real data
  • State-of-the-art infrastructure and specialized expertise
  • Validation of the proof-of-concept
  • Financial Support Measures for Experimental Projects

No; AI-MATTERS supports both options:

  • Companies that already have an artificial intelligence solution and want to assess its effectiveness
  • Companies that want to understand how artificial intelligence can solve a specific challenge

You can start with a problem, a use case, or an idea.

We offer testing and experimentation facilities andinfrastructure to validate and demonstrate new technologies in a real-world production environment.

  • Access to state-of-the-art facilities
  • Collaboration with AI experts across Europe
  • Reduced costs and risks associated with clinical trials
  • Faster Innovation and Implementation

AI-MATTERS helps companies experiment with, test, and adopt artificial intelligence more safely and efficiently.

The process typically involves:

  1. Define your challenge or use case
  2. Evaluate the available data and systems
  3. Set up a test or an experiment
  4. Perform validation in a live environment
  5. Get your results and recommendations

This structured approach helps companies move from an idea to a proven solution.

We’d be more than happy to help you find out: whether you contact us through our website, at an event, or in person, we’ll help you identify the AI technology best suited to your use case and the partner with the right expertise.

Our services

What services does AI-MATTERS offer?

AI-MATTERS offers testing and experimentation services that help companies validate, improve, and implement artificial intelligence and robotics solutions in real-world production environments.

These services include:

  • Infrastructure (laboratories and facilities)
  • Skills (AI and production experts)
  • Data and Use Cases
  • Collaborative Experimentation

The goal is to help companies move from an idea or prototype to concrete, proven solutions.

All of our services are listed in our Service Catalog.

AI-MATTERS allows companies to test artificial intelligence solutions in a controlled yet realistic production environment.

This means you can:

  • Test the use cases with real data
  • Assess the impact on efficiency, quality, or downtime
  • Make informed decisions before proceeding with implementation
In addition, depending on the requirements, we can consider the possibility of financial support.

AI-MATTERS enables validation through structured experimentation in real-world production environments.

These include:

  • Performance Testing Under Real-World Conditions
  • Assessment of Integration with Existing Systems
  • Assessment of Scalability, Robustness, and Compliance

This narrows the gap between the prototype and the final product, which is a common challenge in the manufacturing industry.

If you have an AI solution that you’d like to test before implementing it on a large scale, contact us for a no-obligation chat.

AI-MATTERS’ services are designed to integrate with your existing systems, data, and processes, backed by expert consulting.

You can start with:

  • A specific problem or use case
  • Current Production Data
  • Limited Knowledge of Artificial Intelligence

The goal is to make AI accessible, not complicated. However, it depends on the context (use case).

So, the best way to answer this question would be during a casual chat over coffee with one of our partners.

Technology providers can use AI-MATTERS to:

  • Test Solutions Using Real Production Data
  • Verify performance with end users
  • Improve the level of maturity (e.g., advance the TRL)
  • Obtain feasibility test results

This helps demonstrate value to customers and accelerate market adoption.

The duration of the services depends on the type of service; it can range from a few hours to a few months.

You can check out our services in the Services Catalog on our website, but you can’t book them.

We believe that, given the complexity of the technologies and use cases, every request, technology, and use case deserves thorough attention. Therefore, if you are interested in one of our services or would like to explore the various possibilities, please feel free to contact us through our contact page.

Investments and Contracts

What kind of investment does an AI-MATTERS service require?

Given the wide variety of services, providers (partners), and durations, there is no single answer. Furthermore, depending on the service, its cost, duration, and the company’s requirements, entities may receive financial assistance in the form of a discount.

If your company is interested in one of our services or would like to discuss your needs with us, we would be happy to schedule a no-obligation consultation through our contact page.

AI-MATTERS allows companies to test artificial intelligence solutions in a controlled yet realistic production environment.

This means you can:

  • Test the use cases with real data
  • Assess the impact on efficiency, quality, or downtime
  • Make informed decisions before proceeding with implementation
In addition, depending on the requirements, we can consider the possibility of financial support.

Depending on the service, its cost, duration, and the company’s eligibility requirements, entities may receive financial support in the form of a discount. This potential financial support is available, subject to eligibility requirements, to European small and medium-sized enterprises, including startups.

If your company is interested in one of our services or would like to discuss your needs with us, we would be happy to schedule a no-obligation consultation through our contact page.

The success rate of services depends on how we define success when we develop a service. AI-MATTERS offers testing and experimentation services that help companies validate, improve, and implement artificial intelligence and robotics solutions in real-world production environments.

Companies often turn to us to determine whether a particular AI technology can function and scale in their environment, or whether it can be validated in a production setting. A positive outcome can lead either to a subsequent investment in the AI technology to implement and scale it, or to the realization that it is not validated and, consequently, to the decision to refrain from further investment.

When we talk about a service, we’re also talking about how we define the success of that service.

We are proud to say that, so far, all of our clients have achieved positive results and are very satisfied with how things have gone.

Data, Security, Intellectual Property, and Results

What kind of results can I expect?

Depending on your needs, AI-MATTERS can offer you:

  • Feasibility Study Reports
  • Measurable improvements (efficiency, quality, downtime)
  • Comments from Real Users
  • Recommendations for Large-Scale Adaptation and Implementation

The goal is to reduce risks and uncertainties before investing.

Companies participating in AI-MATTERS retain ownership and control over their data. Data ownership means that you decide how your data is accessed, used, and shared, ensuring that it remains under your control throughout the entire experimentation process.

AI-MATTERS operates according to structured data governance models, ensuring transparency, proper management, and clear agreements regarding data use.

AI-MATTERS follows strict data management and security procedures, including:

  • Secure Data Management and Storage
  • Controlled Access to Datasets
  • Compliance with European data protection regulations
  • Clear guidelines on data reuse and sharing

The experiments are conducted in controlled environments, ensuring the protection of sensitive industrial data while allowing for meaningful testing.

AI-MATTERS ensures that intellectual property rights are clearly defined and protected throughout the duration of the collaboration.

  • Companies retain ownership of their technologies, models, and data
  • Any results achieved through collaboration are governed by the agreed-upon terms
  • Intellectual property protection is integrated into the framework for collaboration

Specific details on how intellectual property will be handled in an AI-MATTERS service are set forth in the service agreement.

Yes, AI-MATTERS offers controlled test environments that replicate real-world production conditions without interfering with your operations.

This allows you to:

  • Run tests safely before going into production
  • Identify risks early on
  • Test performance under realistic conditions

Places and Travel

Where are AI-MATTERS' facilities located?

AI-MATTERS operates a network of testing and experimentation facilities in eight European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Greece.

These facilities (also known as “nodes”) provide access to real-world production environments where companies can test and validate artificial intelligence solutions.

Usually not; many services can be provided partially remotely, especially for data analysis or initial testing. However, for testing in real production environments or for the use of specific infrastructure, on-site collaboration at one of the European facilities may be required.

Since AI-MATTERS has a presence in several European countries, there is often an office relatively close to your area or, at any rate, within a reasonable distance. Furthermore, the network connects various partners, allowing companies to benefit from the expertise shared across the different offices, not just that of a single office.

Yes. AI-MATTERS is a distributed European network, and companies are matched with the most suitable organization based on their use case, technology, and industry.

You don’t have to choose the location yourself: the consortium will help you identify the node and expertise best suited to your project. These facilities (also called “nodes”) provide access to real-world production environments where companies can test and validate artificial intelligence solutions.

Governance

How is AI-MATTERS structured?

AI-MATTERS is a network consisting of seven nodes and one satellite—for a total of eight countries—that aims to increase the resilience and flexibility of the European manufacturing sector through the adoption of the latest innovations in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics, as well as intelligent and autonomous systems for flexible manufacturing.

AI-MATTERS is one of the four sector-specific TEFs launched by the “Digital Europe” program. All consortium members contribute their expertise in the field of manufacturing across various sectors, such as the automotive, aerospace, and mobility sectors, as well as textiles, recycling, and others.

The governance structure of AI-MATTERS includes the following bodies:

  • The General Assembly (GA; referred to in the Consortium Agreement as the Program Steering Committee)
  • The Board of Directors
  • The National Co-financing Committee (NCFC)
  • The Advisory Board (AB)
  • The Ethics and Compliance Review Committee (ESCC) and the Quality Assessment and Assurance Committee (EQAC)
  • Committees dedicated to specific work packages

Would you like to discuss your use case with our project managers?

For further assistance, you can contact us directly.

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