Artificial intelligence is considered a key technology for remaining competitive in the future. However, currently SMEs often lack access to technologies, expertise and suitable business models. In addition, there are concerns regarding data sovereignty and privacy. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy launched the innovation competition "Artificial Intelligence as a Driver for Economically Relevant Ecosystems" at the beginning of 2019 to fuel innovation in the field of AI. The proposal "IIP-Ecosphere: Next Level Ecosphere for Intelligent Industrial Production" was selected as one of the most promising concepts in the competition for implementation. A total of nineteen consortium partners and 57 associated partners will jointly build IIP-Ecosphere as an ecosystem for intelligent production.

The vision of IIP-Ecosphere: an innovation leap in the field of self-optimization of production. Building an ecosystem that brings together researchers, suppliers, users, service providers and disseminators in the field of smart production will remove existing barriers and enable companies to successfully apply and extend AI methods. The goal: to increase productivity, flexibility, robustness and efficiency - and thus increase the competitiveness of German industry.

IIP-Ecosphere thrives on cooperation and dialog. The exchange of insights, requirements, barriers, experiences and best practices is a crucial success criterion for the functioning of the ecosystem. Therefore, stakeholders have the opportunity to contribute to IIP-Ecosphere. In Hanover and Nuremberg, stakeholders in innovation support will network to form Regional Innovation Hubs (RIH) to advance technology transfer, innovation and start-ups through joint activities.