Entrepreneurship

West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau: 150,000 euros for an AI pilot project by WHZ and the Dual University

July 1, 2026. On June 30, the Saxon Cabinet approved a one-time grant of 150,000 euros for the simul⁺ pilot project in southwestern Saxony. As part of the funded project, the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences in Zwickau and the Saxony Cooperative State University – Plauen Study Academy will explore how small and medium-sized enterprises can make better use of data and artificial intelligence (AI).

Stock photo: Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Photo by Steve A Johnson on Unsplash

Bridge to Federal Funding

Minister of State Regina Kraushaar: “The Southwest Saxony region holds great potential for innovation—both in businesses and at universities. Bringing these two sectors even closer together and demonstrating how data and artificial intelligence can help small and medium-sized enterprises in their day-to-day operations is our approach in this project, for which we are providing 150,000 euros. This is money well spent, connecting academia and small and medium-sized enterprises with concrete use cases and laying the groundwork for later application in larger projects. Last but not least, with this project we aim to build a bridge to the planned federal funding from the BMDS, which we expect this year and which is intended to significantly accelerate the transfer of AI from research into market-effective applications. The preparatory work on the pilot project is intended to enable the region to apply as soon as a corresponding call for proposals is issued—so that the prototype testing in small and medium-sized enterprises can grow into something larger.”

Pooling Expertise

The goal of the project is to pool expertise in the field of artificial intelligence and data-driven value creation in southwestern Saxony and make it available to small and medium-sized enterprises. The focus is on the prototypical testing of a regional, sovereign data space—a “data marketplace.” Companies, research institutions, and public institutions will use this space to test how data can be securely exchanged and utilized for AI applications.

Concrete AI use cases will be tested in at least four practical trials with regional companies (so-called real-world experiments). Potential areas of application include automated document processing, image-based quality control, and intelligent production planning. The primary goal is to enable small and medium-sized enterprises in particular to gain experience in how data and AI can be used in day-to-day business operations.

The simul⁺ model project is being implemented by the West Saxon University of Applied Sciences Zwickau (WHZ) and the Saxony Cooperative State University – Plauen Study Academy (DHSN). The WHZ contributes its extensive expertise in data analysis, while the DHSN leverages its close ties with over 700 industry partners. With a funding rate of 80 percent, the project has a total budget of 187,500 euros. The project will run for six months.

The results of the project are to be incorporated into the Chemnitz/Southwest Saxony master plan process. They are intended to demonstrate whether and how the approach can be applied to other companies or regions. The pilot project is self-contained but can also be linked to potential future federal funding in the areas of artificial intelligence and key digital technologies.

Background

The simul⁺InnovationHub of the Saxon State Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development supports innovation-driven regional development in the Free State of Saxony. Together with stakeholders from academia and research, the business community, local governments, and public institutions, the initiative aims to strengthen value creation and quality of life in Saxony’s regions.

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