12 Million Euros for AI Center hessian.AI
Center combines the competence and expertise of 13 universities
Wiesbaden. Hesse supports the exploration of artificial intelligence as a field of the future: Science Minister Timon Gremmels, together with Digital Minister Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus, handed over a funding notice worth twelve million euros to hessian.AI, the Hessian Center for Artificial Intelligence, at the Hessian Ministry of Science, Research, Art, and Culture. Discussions also focused on current and future developments of the center. hessian.AI combines the competence and expertise of 13 universities and, with its scientific excellence, is a key component of the hessian.AI ecosystem.
“hessian.AI is a success story that allows Hesse to shape the research and development of artificial intelligence in a sustainable way,” said Science Minister Timon Gremmels. “With its inter-university structure, it has pioneered important efforts. The Hessian state government supports this enthusiastically: During the development phase from 2020 to 2024, we are providing a total of 38 million euros. Additionally, we have created 20 new professorships to ensure optimal conditions. The impressive list of achievements clearly demonstrates the success of these efforts.”
Since the beginning of funding, researchers at hessian.AI have secured, among other accolades, four LOEWE top professorships, one LOEWE startup professorship, two Alexander von Humboldt professorships, and ten ERC grants. Furthermore, the center has attracted funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for one of four nationwide AI service centers (around 19 million euros) and EXIST funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action for the AI Startup Rising project (around 5.2 million euros) to strengthen the fields of entrepreneurship and technology transfer.
Hesse’s Digital Minister Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus stated: “As one of the pillars of our AI Future Agenda, hessian.AI successfully consolidates the foundational AI research of thirteen Hessian universities. The next step is to strengthen AI applications, create suitable frameworks for our businesses, and continue fostering application-oriented research and innovation for startups and medium-sized businesses to ensure our economic future. With the AI innovation lab located at hessian.AI, which grants companies and researchers access to excellent AI computing infrastructure in Darmstadt, we have already taken important steps forward.”
Hesse’s Minister for Economic Affairs Kaweh Mansoori added: “hessian.AI has long established itself as the centerpiece of the Hessian AI ecosystem and plays a major role in harnessing the immense potential of artificial intelligence in Hesse while expanding the state’s leading position. By involving and supporting businesses, hessian.AI enables our companies to further develop their business models and solutions, thus securing the long-term competitiveness of both businesses and the region. The same applies to hessian.AI’s successful engagement in entrepreneurship and technology transfer, which has already supported numerous startups in bringing innovative business ideas closer to market readiness.”
Prof. Dr. Tanja Brühl, President of TU Darmstadt, remarked: “hessian.AI is a flagship project in and for Hesse. By funding this unique and visionary institution, the Hessian state government is supporting the sustainable development of an internationally visible AI ecosystem. I am delighted that TU Darmstadt can contribute its expertise to hessian.AI and collaborate with all participating universities and partners to shape the center’s successful work. I am convinced that with hessian.AI, we will continue to advance strong AI made in Hesse, creating powerful solutions to pressing future challenges and delivering value to science, business, and society alike.”
“With hessian.AI, the Hessian state government has sustainably strengthened Hesse as a science location. The cooperation in this cross-university structure has set standards in research, transfer and startup funding. The operation of high-performance AI computing infrastructure is a necessary prerequisite for cutting-edge research, but also for transfer and startups. In this way, we are strengthening the state’s digital sovereignty and the Hessian digital economy,” says Prof. Mira Mezini, Co-Director of hessian.AI. “With the development and training of its own language models like Occiglot, hessian.AI has built extensive expertise that is crucial for creating new legally compliant language models in line with the AI Act. hessian.AI and its members are excellently positioned to tackle the diverse questions in research and education, business, and society in interdisciplinary teams and provide answers,” added Kristian Kersting, Co-Director of hessian.AI.
About hessian.AI
hessian.AI, the Hessian Center for Artificial Intelligence, brings together over 60 academic members conducting excellent foundational AI research, provides high-performance AI computing infrastructures and related services, and fosters entrepreneurship and innovation through programs like AI Startup Rising. By promoting the transfer of knowledge and technology, supporting initiatives like “KI macht Schule” (AI Goes to School), and participating in European projects such as EDITH, hessian.AI strengthens the AI ecosystem in Hesse, Germany, and Europe. hessian.AI contributes significantly to digital sovereignty and the responsible development of AI, advancing business, society, and science alike.
