AIDA4Edge

1st Stakeholder Forum – Knowledge Transfer from Research to Market in (Edge) AI

—

by

aida4edge
in

25 November 2025 | Faculty of Electronic Engineering, Niš | Hybrid Event

The first Stakeholder Forum of the AIDA4Edge project brought together 30 participants (14 onsite, 16 online). The event featured 9 speakers from Serbia, North Macedonia, and Germany, sharing expertise on transferring research into market-ready (Edge) AI solutions and fostering collaboration among academia, industry, and innovation-support organizations. We are proud and grateful to our stakeholders for their active participation in this event.

We had the pleasure of hearing the following presentations:

  • Prof. Milan Dinčić – Faculty of Electronic Engineering, University of Niš | AIDA4Edge Project: Showcasing the Potential of the AIDA4Edge Project
  • Prof. Vlado Delić – University of Novi Sad & AlfaNum | Bridging the Gap: From Academic Research to Market-Ready Speech AI
  • Milan Grujev – Institute for Artificial Intelligence R&D of Serbia, ARTIFACT Project | Smart Sensors, Smarter Environment: Edge AI and the Future of Sustainable Environment
  • Prof. Živko Kokolanski – “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” University, Skopje & INNOFEIT | INNOFEIT European Digital Innovation Hub: One-Stop Shop for Digital and Green Transformation
  • Miloš Marković – ProMetronics GmbH (Germany) | Industrial AI: From Innovation to Production – A Startup Perspective
  • Petar Pejić & Toplica Jakimov – Beehold | Beehold’s Experiences in Turning AI Research into Commercial Impact
  • Aleksandra Ristić – Science and Technology Park Niš | From Research to Paid Pilots: How Support Programs Enable AI Commercialization
  • Danijela Vučić – Europe House Niš | Europe House Niš: Connecting EU Opportunities, Knowledge & Innovation

The forum concluded with a very lively discussion, in which stakeholders actively engaged, sharing insights, asking questions, and exploring opportunities for collaboration. During the discussion, it was highlighted that limitations such as limited access to real industry problems, lack of real-world testing, and weak business and market understanding pose challenges in transforming AI research into commercial solutions.

Participants also learned about numerous opportunities for applying for EU project funding, with insights on how these instruments can support research and commercialization in the Edge AI domain.

The event emphasized the importance of structured knowledge transfer, cross-sector cooperation, and support mechanisms to accelerate the commercialization of Edge AI research. It provided a valuable platform for dialogue, exchange of best practices, and strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem.