Partnerships

AI, Data & Robots (ADRA)

AI, Data & Robots (ADRA)

Partnership website: https://adr-association.eu/

The AI, Data and Robotics (ADR) Partnership is a European initiative that brings together industry, academia, and the European Commission to develop innovative technologies at scale. By pooling resources, expertise, and investments, the partnership aims to generate long-term impact, strengthen European competitiveness, and support job creation and economic growth.

Objectives of the ADR Partnership

The partnership is structured around three main goals:

  • Technological Sovereignty: Strengthen Europe’s control over key technologies and expertise in AI, data, and robotics.
  • Innovation Leadership: Position Europe as a leader in developing technologies with high environmental, social, and economic relevance.
  • Market Competitiveness: Enhance Europe’s global standing in AI, data, and robotics markets.

Why Connect to ADR?

For researchers and entrepreneurs in Flanders, joining the ADR ecosystem offers several advantages:

  • Access to European networks and collaboration opportunities with leading institutions and companies.
  • Participation in Horizon Europe projects, with funding and support for research and innovation.
  • Insight into strategic priorities, helping align local efforts with European goals.
  • Contribution to responsible technology development, guided by European values and principles.

The ADR Partnership promotes trustworthy and value-driven innovation, grounded in fundamental rights and ethical standards. It supports Europe’s ambition to lead globally in the development and deployment of AI, data, and robotics technologies.

What are partnerships?

Partnerships group the EC and private and/or public partners, to coordinate and streamline the research & innovation initiatives and funding in some selected key domains.

How to use partnerships?

  • orientation
    Partnerships publish strategic documents, e.g. outlining the main research and innovation challenges or key focus points.
  • networking
    Partnerships often organise events, such as info days, brokerage events, etc. Meet potential partners and learn about the nuances that are not visible in the official documents.
  • ecosystem analysis
    Partnerships typically have an advisory board, and publish impact studies of previous actions. These are good sources of information to uncover the main R&D&I players in the domain.
  • steering the agenda
    Partnerships collaborate with the EC on outlining the strategy and the future funding opportunities in their domain, based on input from industry, academia, and other stakeholders.
Author Do you have an additional question? Or spotted a mistake? Don't hesitate to contact me!
Image of Nico Deblauwe
Nico Deblauwe

nico.deblauwe@vlaio.be

Testimonial

Miricle - Mine Risk Clearance for Europe

The Miricle project, ‘Mine Risk Clearance for Europe’, obtained funding under the European Defence Industrial Development programme call ‘Underwater control contributing to resilience at sea’. The main objective of the project was to achieve a European and sovereign capacity in future mine warfare and create a path for the next generation ‘made in Europe’ countermeasure solutions. In order to realise this objective, Miricle addressed various stages: studies, design, prototyping and testing. These stages inter alia included the successful testing of an XL Unmanned Underwater Vehicle, a protototyped mine disposal system and multiple innovative systems to detect buried mines. Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), was one of the five Belgian partners in the consortium. Within the project, VLIZ was able to forward its research on the acoustic imaging of the seabed to spatially map and visualize buried structures and objects - in this case buried mines - in the highest possible detail. VLIZ also led the work on ‘Port and Offshore Testing’, building on the expertise of the institute in the field of marine operations and technology.