IE University and IBM team up to consolidate Madrid as one of Europe's leading artificial intelligence ecosystems

IE University and IBM join forces to support the vision to make Madrid into a key Artificial Intelligence ecosystems in Europe through the creation of Pier 17, a program for generating disruptive technological ideas and advanced technological prototypes of Artificial Intelligence based on the concept “Learning by making AI”. IE University and IBM will also promote the AI & Jazz Days at IE, monthly meetings bringing together companies, investors, researchers and startups from around the world at IE Tower, the new technological and sustainable headquarters of IE University in Madrid, to strengthen the international AI ecosystem.

As a part of this agreement, IBM experts will be part of the IE University's adjunct faculty and will participate in the identification of professors for the Educating AI thinkers and Tech-makers program. Additionally, IBM will make available the IBM Academic Initiative platform to teachers and students, through which they will have access to IBM resources and technology.

IBM and IE will create a joint TRL for AI certification to certify the degree of development of students' projects. The TRL (Technology Readiness Levels) certification is a methodology that evaluates the maturity of technological projects, designed by NASA and endorsed by the European Commission, which has become an international standard. IE School of Technology students will work for 4 years in IE University's AI Lab and in internships in companies around the world to obtain 4 of the 9 levels of TRL technological maturity with Moonshots projects, engineering prototypes based on radical ideas that require disruptive technologies to solve business challenges. The academic tribunals in charge of providing this certification will be formed by experts from both institutions, both in the degree and master programs.

Global Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem

In addition, with the aim of consolidating Madrid on the world stage of Artificial Intelligence, next Thursday, February 10, the AI & Jazz Days will begin at IE Tower, the new technological and sustainable headquarters of IE University in the capital. These monthly and hybrid meetings will have the collaboration of IBM and will aim to develop a global Artificial Intelligence ecosystem and promote networking between technology companies, investors, international researchers, and startups from around the world that work on Artificial Intelligence projects. During these meetings, technological ideas and engineering components in different TRL phases will be presented to promote their growth within the AI ecosystem. Key figures from Silicon Valley, Boston, Tel Aviv or Singapore, among others, are expected to participate in the next AI & Jazz Days.

Both initiatives are complemented by the creation of a Global Mirror Accelerator (GMA) and the launch of an 'International Call for Startups in AI and Quantum' to boost the development of AI projects. This accelerator will enable a connect in the initial stages of AI technology application from projects developed by IE students using IBM's advanced AI, such as Neurosymbolic AI or Quantum Machine Learning while giving students access to the joint partner ecosystem. As part of the IE-IBM Global Mirror Accelerator initiative, IBM makes available to the IE entrepreneurship collective the “StartUpwithIBM” program so that startups selected jointly between IBM and IE can use IBM technology free of charge for teaching and research purposes.

“At IBM, we aim to help close the knowledge gap in digital skills and capabilities. As a technology company, I firmly believe that we have a responsibility to contribute decisively to facing this great training challenge. This alliance with IE University demonstrates, once again, our firm commitment to education and the academic world, and the importance we give to the university-business relationship as one of the cornerstones that will allow us to move towards a much more sustainable, equitable and inclusive economic and social model. At IBM we have a long tradition of collaboration with universities and academic institutions, both in the area of training, contributing to the development of new digital skills in the STEM areas, as well as research and innovation, which we conceive in an open and collaborative way.” says Mikel Diez Parra, IBM's Director of Innovation for Spain, Portugal, Greece and Israel.

“Pier 17 and the AI Jazz Cafés strengthen IE University's technological commitment. We will work with IBM and our peers in Silicon Valley, Boston, Tel Aviv, etc. to strengthen the network, facilitate investment opportunities, and accelerate the careers of our STEM students. The complexity of today's world requires the development of radical technological talent,” explains Carlos Marqueríe, Vice Dean of Corporate Relations and Innovation at IE School of Technology.

“The global AI ecosystem knows that from now on it has an appointment on the first Thursday of the month at the AI Jazz Cafés.”
Carlos Marqueríe, Vice Dean of Corporate Relations and Innovation at IE School of Technology

Finally, this alliance contemplates the creation of an AI laboratory with IBM technology where IE students can develop their prototypes, with technological advice from IBM.