DiMeKI

The aim of the joint project is to develop a holistic digital AI method to support knowledge and technology transfer for non-university research institutions and its prototypical application and evaluation at DFKI and Fraunhofer ISST. The transformation potential of digitalization and AI in particular will be used for knowledge and technology transfer. AI is used both as a digitalization technology for the organizational transformation of processes within knowledge and technology transfer as well as a technology to develop a holistic digital method for AI-based support of knowledge and technology transfer from non-university research institutions.

The challenge

Non-university research institutions currently face two main challenges, which can also be seen as opportunities:

• Considering the transformation potential of digitalization and AI in particular for knowledge and technology transfer at non-university research institutions (Transforming knowledge and technology transfer through AI),
• the development of a holistic method that is able to tap into this transformation potential and itself potentially uses AI for this purpose (AI-based methodological support for knowledge and technology transfer).

In this respect, AI plays a dual role: on the one hand as a digitization technology for the support and organizational transformation of task fulfillment processes within KTT and on the other hand as a technology to develop a digitizable holistic method to support knowledge and technology transfer from AI from non-university research institutions.

Our service 

First, individual transfer models of non-university research institutions are compared. Based on this, an actual model of knowledge and technology transfer is created, taking into account the potential of AI-induced digital transformation in knowledge and technology transfer. Derived from this, a normative target method for AI-supported digital knowledge and technology transfer is constructed and its prototypical use and evaluation in the participating institutions. Finally, the strategic integration and application of the digital method in the organizational processes of knowledge and technology transfer is carried out.

The result 

The results and findings flow directly into the knowledge and technology transfer strategies of the network partners. These will be made available as best practice for other non-university research institutions as well as for industry, universities and universities of applied sciences. The prospects for economic success are that the digitized method developed will lead to a quantitative and/or qualitative increase in knowledge and technology transfer and its effects in the medium to long term. Further scientific and economic connection opportunities result from the stimulation of further, new needs for digitized methods and instruments of knowledge and technology transfer in other research institutions. In the medium to long term, the expertise of the participating partners in digitized and AI-supported transfer will become a unique selling point in the context of transfer research and will flow into new priority research.

The partners 

• Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz (DFKI) (German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence)
• Universität Koblenz (University of Koblenz)

The Funding 

Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) (German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
Funding reference: 01IO2307B
Duration: 09/2023-08/2026