ELLIS Alicante is created to promote AI research in Europe
Today ELLIS Alicante was officially created to promote the development of AI in Europe. The President of the Valencian Community Ximo Puig and the Alicante-native Nuria Oliver, who were key supporters of the initiative, presented by videoconference the constitution in Alicante of the ELLIS foundation, a private non-profit foundation that will serve as the basis for the future of the center research.
The constitution of this foundation is one more step to make the Artificial Intelligence research center a reality in collaboration with other universities and technology centers both in Spain and the rest of the world to promote the development of AI in Europe.
The objective of ELLIS is to contribute to the competitiveness of Europe in Artificial Intelligence by promoting both research and the transfer of AI technologies to the most representative sectors, companies and startups of the European economic fabric.
The establishment of the ELLIS center in Alicante is a milestone since it is the only one in Spain and the first one in Southern Europe (Portugal, France, Spain, and Italy).
A total of 40 founders each donated 1,000 euros to the founding capital and the Valencian Government committed a yearly investment of 1.5 million euros, with the aim of exercising a “driving force” and encouraging public-private collaboration.
The project arises from the sum of many contributions and a very diverse group of supporters: universities, public administrations, companies, and professionals from the public and private spheres have come together to make this great initiative possible. ELLIS is a European response to a very important challenge such as strengthening excellence in artificial intelligence.
Núria Oliver pointed out: “I never thought it was possible to combine so much passion and so much generosity” “The history of the establishment of this center can serve as inspiration for similar initiatives, since there are opportunities that are lost due to the lack of communication between the actors public and private ”, said Oliver.
Nuria Oliver explained that at ELLIS Alicante two work teams have emerged to “continue collaborating” on two strategies with factors in common. On the one hand, the strategies for attracting private financing that “we are all convinced is absolutely necessary for the sustainability of ELLIS Alicante”; and, on the other hand, in external communication “and visibility” and “ensuring that the history of its constitution is known and can serve as inspiration for similar initiatives.”
“We think there are missed opportunities due to this lack of collaboration between civil society and the public and private sector,” said Nuria Oliver.
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