THWS technology transfer project "DIG:IT-KMU"
Official launch: The technology transfer project "DIG:IT-KMU – Data Intelligence for SMEs" was launched with a digital kick-off event. Initiated by the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS), the project supports small and medium-sized enterprises in Mainfranken in making more efficient use of their often untapped data resources. Numerous representatives from a wide range of industries, including mechanical and plant engineering, IT services, steel construction and 3D printing, took part in the meeting. The diversity underscored the broad relevance of the project and the common challenge of creating real digital added value from document knowledge.
The two project managers, Professor Dr.-Ing. Andreas Schiffler, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, and Professor Dr.-Ing. Bastian Engelmann, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, see great opportunities for the region in the project. "We are very pleased about the official launch of DIG:IT-KMU," said Professor Dr.-Ing. Schiffler. The enormous interest shows how important the topics of data intelligence and AI-supported information use have become for SMEs. "Together with our corporate partners, we want to bring real, practical innovations to businesses." Professor Dr.-Ing. Engelmann sees the funding of this project as great news for the region. "It will enable us to provide targeted support to SMEs facing major future challenges – and help them become more resilient and digitally confident," he adds.
How the project supports businesses
With the help of modern AI technologies, known as large language models (LLMs) with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), the project team can help make the use of existing data, e.g. in the form of PDF documents, more effective. An LLM is an AI system that uses large amounts of data and neural networks to understand and generate language in order to perform tasks such as word processing, dialogue, or knowledge queries. RAG is an approach in which a language model specifically retrieves external, relevant information from a data source during text generation in order to provide more accurate answers overall.
The aim of the project is to support SMEs in the automotive supply industry, mechanical and plant engineering, and related industries in their digital transformation and to give them access to high-quality AI methods that were previously reserved primarily for large companies. Through intelligent data extraction, knowledge graphs, graph convolutional networks (GCNs), and optimised recommendation systems, companies will in future be able to find information more quickly, make more informed decisions, and design digital processes more efficiently.
Funding and participation: about DIG:IT-KMU
The project is funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy as part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in Bavaria 2021-2027 with a total of EUR 975,130. The project is co-financed by the European Union.
Other interested companies from the region can join the project at any time and contribute their own use cases.
About THWS
The Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS) is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Bavaria and has driven teaching and applied research since it was founded in 1971. With about more than 9,100 students, a wide range of more than 60 degree programmes, and two doctoral centers, THWS covers a broad spectrum ranging from technology to economics and social sciences, language and design. THWS is not only rooted in the region, but also has a strong international focus, which is reflected in numerous collaborations and exchange programmes worldwide and not least in a versatile English-taught degree programmes.
Contact:
Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt
Institute of Digital Engineering
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bastian Engelmann
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Schiffler
Ignaz-Schön-Straße 11
97421 Schweinfurt
Press contact:
Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt
Angela Kreipl
Münzstraße 12
97070 Würzburg
+49 931 3511- 8354