November 3, 2025. The Helmholtz Association has decided to continue the innovation platform Hi-Acts (Helmholtz Innovation Platform for Accelerator-based Technologies and Solutions) on a permanent basis. Following the successful evaluation by an independent, international committee, the project, which was launched in 2023 and initially funded for three years, will now be made permanent and thus anchored in the Helmholtz portfolio in the long term.
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IBM (NYSE: IBM) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), based in Vienna, Austria, today announced a new collaboration through the IBM Impact Accelerator, IBM’s pro bono social innovation program. The program helps nonprofits and government organizations scale AI-powered solutions for communities, regions and systems facing environmental and economic challenges. The project is part of IBM’s new Cohort 2025, which focuses on sustainably strengthening supply chains.
In early 2025, IBM issued a global call for proposals to identify nonprofit and government organizations working on solutions that use AI to optimize resources, modernize supply chains, reduce emissions and improve digitalization. After an extensive review, the Austrian non-governmental organization UNIDO was selected to participate in this new cohort of IBM Impact Accelerator projects.
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), a specialized agency of the United Nations to promote inclusive and sustainable industrial development, will work with IBM to develop a digital solution to assess digital and AI economic literacy. The tool will be developed to assess digital public goods and infrastructure, the digital and AI maturity of SMEs, the digital skills of employees and the capacity for AI-driven innovation. The pilot project will start in Brazil and Mexico and will be rolled out across Latin America and beyond. The solution will help identify bottlenecks and guide policy, investment and skills initiatives using IBM tools such as IBM Cloud Pak for Data, IBM SPSS Statistics, IBM Decision Optimization and IBM SkillsBuild for analysis and training.
“Artificial intelligence and digital transformation are game changers, they are fundamentally changing our world. They bring risks, but also many opportunities. We need to bridge digital divides and ensure that developing and emerging countries can benefit equally from AI to accelerate their development. This project is an important step in advancing sustainable industrial development through digital transformation worldwide,” emphasizes Gerd MĂĽller, Director-General of UNIDO.
IBM and UNIDO will work together over a period of two years and in two phases. The first phase will start with IBM Garage, IBM’s proven methodology for accelerating digital transformation and achieving meaningful, measurable results. During the development and implementation phase that follows, IBM experts configure IBM resources and technologies to help participants achieve their goals, as well as support pilot implementations in communities and regions and facilitate further scaling.
“We are at a time when advanced technologies like AI are moving beyond innovation labs and into communities and regions to solve real challenges in supply chains and infrastructure. This new IBM Impact Accelerator cohort shows what’s possible when we combine our tools with local insights to build stronger, more sustainable systems,” said Justina Nixon-Saintil, vice president and chief impact officer, IBM.
The organizations were selected based on their support for communities and regions, the feasibility and sustainability of the proposed technology solutions, and transparency in measurement and reporting, among other criteria. IBM’s contribution includes co-developed solutions, technology and expertise. This cohort will also benefit from the support of EY and ServiceNow. EY teams will provide capacity-building workshops and coaching, while ServiceNow will offer eligible projects the opportunity to receive technical expertise, in-kind grants and digital transformation support.
In 2024, IBM announced a commitment of $45 million over five years for the IBM Impact Accelerator to support environmentally and economically challenged populations around the world. To date, 25 organizations have been supported through the program, with projects directly benefiting approximately 2.5 million people worldwide.
Launched in 2022, the IBM Impact Accelerator is a social innovation program that supports communities and regions around the world facing environmental and economic burdens through technologies such as AI and an ecosystem of experts. Each year, the program selects five new projects to develop and scale technology and AI solutions on topics such as sustainable agriculture, clean energy, water management, resilient cities and supply chains. For more information, visit: https://www.ibm.com/responsibility/programs/ibm-impact-accelerator
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Graphic: IBM
