Transforming use cases into business successes

At the recent AIOTI Days 2024 conference in Brussels, a compelling session brought together industry leaders to discuss how transformative products are developed from use cases and pilots within leading European projects. The panel featured insights from Aitor Arnaiz from Tekniker, Irene Carrión from Funding Box, and Sergio Gusmeroli from Politecnico di Milano, moderated by Brendan Rowan from BluSpecs, who shared their real-world experiences, highlighting both challenges and successes.

Journey of persistence in product development

Aitor Arnaiz shared his journey with Tekniker, highlighting the importance of persistence in product development. He detailed how his project Sensoil, a product related to oil monitoring, took years to evolve through various iterations. The turning point came when Iberdrola, a major player in the energy sector, stepped in to support the project. Aitor underscored the vital role of public funding in helping startups survive long development phases. Without continuous support, products might never reach the market. His story raised a critical question for the audience: How long should public funding sustain a project before it transitions to self-sustainability?

Structuring Digital Transformation for SMEs

Sergio Gusmeroli added a structural perspective, sharing the D BEST methodology that aids SMEs in their digital transformation. He discussed how Politecnico di Milano has helped companies create sustainable business cases from initial use cases, emphasizing the role of collaboration between research institutions and industry partners in scaling innovations. His presentation showcased the importance of building strong business cases early on to ensure long-term success.

Unlocking Opportunities for Innovation

This session offered invaluable insights for researchers, developers, and innovators aiming to leverage the potential of cloud/edge/IoT/AI technologies. The takeaways from the panel discussions made it clear that success in this dynamic field requires a blend of persistent innovation, financial support, and strong collaboration. Lastly Irene Carrión highlighted key open calls like MetaOS and AEROS and the upcoming O-CEI project, encouraging projects/startups to explore these avenues for financial support to bring their solutions from concept to reality.