Organised by the Fraunhofer Innovation Platform (FIP-AI@VSB-TUO), the event aimed to strengthen international collaboration and promote innovation in industry and modern technologies. This year’s central theme focused on transforming industry with intelligent production and energy solutions.

"This event is not only a space for sharing new information and exploring current trends in specific fields, but more importantly, it serves as a platform for establishing new connections that can lead to future collaboration. We have successfully engaged a broad spectrum of companies - from traditional manufacturing businesses to those involved in urban contact agriculture. It is clear that a thoughtfully selected topic – in our case, applied artificial intelligence - is highly relevant to them, and they are eager to cooperate," said Jana Kukutschová, Vice-Rector for Science and Research at VSB-TUO and Director of FIP-AI@VSB-TUO.

The event drew participants not only from the Czech Republic and Germany but also from Slovakia, Italy, Poland, Finland, Turkey, Hungary, and even Mexico. Attendees included representatives from industrial companies such as BRUDERER AG, FIBRO GmbH, Raziol Zibulla & Sohn GmbH, Montec CZ, KUBERG, and TRsystems GmbH, as well as companies from academic institutions like the University of Padova, University of Vaasa, AGH University of Krakow, Istanbul Atlas University, University of Applied Sciences Munich or Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

Academics and industry professionals presented the latest advancements in modern manufacturing processes, from metal forming technologies, product customisation, sensor technologies, AI-driven manufacturing, to hydrogen technologies, and energy systems, including energy flow management and storage.

One of the featured speakers, Ondřej Vitoslavský from the UVB TECHNIK, a company specialising in the development and production of measuring instruments and technological equipment, highlighted their flagship product: world-class, high-precision contact continuous thickness gauges for metal strips. "I am very grateful we were invited. Events like this are incredibly valuable for networking, building partnerships, and discovering exciting projects to collaborate on," said Vitoslavský.

Jiří Koziorek from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (FEECS) at VSB-TUO also emphasised the importance of the event. "For us, it is a fantastic opportunity to connect with a wide range of innovative companies with whom we may establish future partnerships. We have seen increase participation from industry this year, which shows that businesses recognise the value and benefits of these meetings. We have been working with Fraunhofer IWU for perhaps ten years and have collaborated on several joint projects. They are a very close partner, and thanks to the Fraunhofer Innovation Platform, this cooperation continues to grow," said Koziorek from the Department of Cybernetics and Biomedical Engineering at FEECS.

"We are thrilled to see growing interest, with more participants and exhibitors than last year. Our partners also used this platform for productive project meetings," added Marcel Šihor from FIP-AI@VSB-TUO on behalf of the organisers.

Guests also had the opportunity to join a guided tour of the VSB-TUO campus, offering a first-hand look at cutting edge facilities including the Center for Energy and Environmental Technologies, the Protolab 3D Printing Center, Smart Factory, Mobility Lab, and StudentCar. 

Text: Martina Šaradínová, PR Specialist for R&D

Photo credit: Petr Havlíček