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ELIAS Reveals the Winners of Its First Open Call: Pioneering AI Solutions for a Sustainable Future

ELIAS Reveals the Winners of Its First Open Call: Pioneering AI Solutions for a Sustainable Future

Jun 20, 2025 | News, Press Release

Press Release: ELIAS Reveals the Winners of Its First Open Call: Pioneering AI Solutions for a Sustainable Future

Bringing Cutting-Edge AI Innovations to Sustainability Challenges

Trento, Italy – June 20th, 2025

The European Lighthouse of AI for Sustainability (ELIAS) is excited to announce the selection of four visionary projects as winners of its 1st Open Call for AI-driven sustainability projects. These cutting-edge initiatives will receive funding and support to develop AI-driven solutions addressing some of today’s most urgent environmental and societal challenges. 

This milestone marks a major step forward in ELIAS’s  commitment to harnessing artificial intelligence to drive sustainable innovation and societal impact.

Strong Interest from Across Europe and Beyond

The call attracted remarkable interest, with 214 submissions from startups, SMEs, and NGOs across 32 countries, highlighting the vibrant European and global AI innovation ecosystem committed to tackling pressing societal and environmental challenges. Proposals addressed seven targeted use cases (UCs), including AI for Building Optimisation (53 proposals), AI for Monitoring Virtual Infrastructure (24), Responsible User-centric Advertising (22), Mitigating Misinformed Migrant Perception in the EU (15), AI for Forecasting Vegetation State (42), Materials Discovery (13), and Personalised Co-piloting Systems (44), alongside 42 proposals covering other relevant topics.

Each selected project will enter a six-month development programme, receiving up to €60,000 in funding, and visibility through ELIAS channels and events.

Rigorous Selection Process

Projects were assessed by the consortium members and by 2 independent experts on three key criteria:

  • Excellence: Innovation, ambition, and technical feasibility
  • Impact & Scope: Relevance to sustainability and market potential
  • Implementation: Team capability and resource readiness

Tie-breakers considered diversity, environmental and social impact, and submission timing. Only the highest-scoring projects progressed to the final selection.

“The response to our first Open Call exceeded all expectations, showing just how vibrant and mission-driven the European AI ecosystem is. These four selected projects demonstrate the transformative power of AI when applied with purpose and responsibility,” said Prof. Nicu Sebe, Coordinator of ELIAS.

Meet the Winners

LUCIA (Learning Urban Cognitive Intelligence for Autonomous Buildings)

by EWALA IT Services (SPAIN)

LUCIA is an open-source, AI-powered platform that optimises energy use in smart buildings. Lightweight and privacy-preserving, it deploys self-learning agents across systems such as HVAC, lighting, and energy metering to detect inefficiencies, adapt in real time, and reduce costs and emissions. These edge-based agents, coordinated by a central server, enable scalable, automated control while preserving data sovereignty. Fully aligned with GAIA-X and ELIAS principles, LUCIA directly addresses UC1 – AI for Building Optimisation, offering a secure, sustainable solution for both public and private infrastructure.

PINNSSHS (Physics-Informed Neural Networks for Self-Healing and Sustainable Solutions)

by Valence Technologies (BELGIUM)

PINNSSHS advances the design of self-healing polymers using a reverse-engineering approach powered by physics-informed neural networks (PINNs). Starting from target mechanical properties like Young’s modulus and viscosity, it identifies optimal chemical formulations, validated further through chemical kinetics simulations to ensure fast, cost-effective curing. This intelligent pipeline accelerates polymer development by up to six months and supports sustainable innovation aligned with the EU Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan, directly addressing UC6 – Materials Discovery.

TENSORIA (Tensor-Network Enhanced System for Observability and Real-time Intrusion Analysis)

by Multiverse Computing SL (SPAIN)

TENSORIA combines the precision of autoencoders with the interpretability of tensor networks to deliver a lightweight, transparent, and energy-efficient AI for real-time cybersecurity monitoring of virtual infrastructures  (UC2 – AI for Monitoring Virtual Infrastructure). By improving transparency and interpretability, TENSORIA enhances decision-making and accelerates response times while maintaining performance on par with existing AI methods, addressing the common challenge of “black box” models in cybersecurity.

AI-REFRAME (AI-Based Approach for Reshaping European Frames on Migration and Refugees)

by Athens Technology Center (Greece)

AI-REFRAME uses deep learning and large language models to detect and counter disinformation about migration. Designed for all user levels—journalists, policymakers, educators, and the public—it provides interpretable insights and reliable counternarratives to foster informed, inclusive dialogue (UC 4 – Mitigating Misinformed Migrant Perception in the EU). The project supports media literacy, promotes critical thinking, and aids policymakers in crafting more targeted and culturally sensitive policies, contributing to human rights and sustainable development goals.

Looking Ahead: AI for a Sustainable Europe

These winning projects exemplify ELIAS’s vision of AI as a powerful driver of sustainable development, ethical innovation, and societal well-being. By supporting mission-driven AI initiatives, ELIAS continues to strengthen Europe’s position as a global leader in responsible AI research and application.

“The diversity and real-world impact of these projects are impressive. It’s inspiring to see so many innovative SMEs, NGOs, and startups contributing to our vision, showcasing the strength of AI innovation across Europe. We look forward to discovering even more groundbreaking solutions in our second Call opening early 2026,” said Cecilia Zanazzo, Project Manager of ELIAS.

Building on the success of its first Open Call, ELIAS is set to accelerate cross-sector collaboration and innovation to create a greener, fairer future. The second Call for proposals will open in early 2026, welcoming new AI projects focused on driving sustainability and positive societal impact.

Access Press Release here: ELIAS Reveals the Winners of Its First Open Call: Pioneering AI Solutions for a Sustainable Future

For the full ranking list of evaluated proposals, visit: ELIAS 1st Open Call – Ranking List

Contact

Aygun Garayeva, PR Manager, ELIAS

Nicu Sebe, Coordinator, ELIAS

elias-coordination@unitn.it

ELIAS Strengthens Interdisciplinary AI Research Through ELLIS PhD Program

ELIAS Strengthens Interdisciplinary AI Research Through ELLIS PhD Program

May 28, 2025 | News, Press Release

Press Release: ELIAS Strengthens Interdisciplinary AI Research Through ELLIS PhD Program

The European Lighthouse of AI for Sustainability (ELIAS) is shaping the next generation of AI researchers—through the ELLIS PhD Program—by uniting cutting-edge technical training with ethical responsibility and a focus on sustainable impact.

Trento, Italy – May 27, 2025

ELIAS is reinforcing its commitment to developing responsible and impactful AI by supporting the Interdisciplinary Track within the ELLIS PhD & Postdoc Program, now marking its first full year.

This pioneering track connects AI experts and researchers whose primary expertise lies outside of machine learning, such as biology, law, climate science, and humanities, fostering collaboration through a unique dual-supervision model that blends technical excellence with societal relevance.

“Through this track, ELIAS is helping nurture AI researchers who not only understand the algorithms, but also the broader systems they influence—equipping them to engage deeply with disciplines such as biology, law, climate science, and the humanities. By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and dual supervision, the program ensures that technical innovation goes hand in hand with societal insight and responsibility.” said [Nicu Sebe, ELIAS Coordinator].

Reflecting the need for context-aware, inclusive and sustainability-driven research, the track pairs PhD students with supervisors in both AI and a complementary discipline. The 2023–2024 cohort is already delivering high-impact work in areas like synthetic biology and Earth system science — showcasing the program’s transformative potential.

Spotlight on Interdisciplinary Innovation

AI for Molecular Design

Researcher: Kieran Didi – University of Oxford

Kieran’s research explores the transformative potential of generative modelling techniques — such as diffusion models and flow matching — for biomolecular design in synthetic biology. While these methods have revolutionised image generation, their scientific use in fields like drug discovery and protein engineering is still limited by low success rates and controllability.

“This project aims to develop next-generation generative models that are not only powerful in theory but also effective in practice. The goal is to identify the most efficient way to computationally model and design biomolecules so they reliably meet experimental constraints once synthesised in the lab. Key challenges include incorporating fitness measurements into design, modelling complex experimental environments like multi-state density conditions, and leveraging atomistic modelling for greater structural control.”

Foundation Models for the Earth System

Researcher: Sebastian Hoffmann – Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry

Sebastian’s research sets out to create WeGen-Land, the first Foundation Model for the Earth’s land surface — a breakthrough for geoscientific AI. Building on the success of Deep Learning Weather Prediction (DLWP) models, which have rapidly outperformed traditional numerical approaches, this project applies data-driven, task-independent techniques to a domain that has seen little comparable innovation.

“WeGen-Land will be trained on petabytes of satellite data using masked autoencoders to extract meaningful representations of the land surface. It will be combined with WeGen-Atmo — ECMWF’s atmospheric Foundation Model — to create WeatherGenerator, the first Earth system Foundation Model based entirely on raw observational data. The research integrates diverse satellite data into a unified model, couples land and atmosphere, and ensures scalability across space and time to support applications like carbon cycle and vegetation forecasting.”

Through their research, Kieran and Sebastian are bridging cutting-edge AI and scientific discovery — from biomolecular design to Earth system modelling — by harnessing advances in machine learning architecture and representation learning.

The Interdisciplinary Track complements the ELLIS Academic and Industry Tracks. The Academic Track includes cross-border supervision and research exchange, while the Industry Track blends academic and industrial mentorship with a six-month placement. Together, they reflect ELLIS’ mission to foster collaborative, impactful, and ethically grounded AI — a mission further amplified by ELIAS, which helps ensure Europe’s leadership in sustainable, responsible AI.

Expanding Reach Across Europe and Beyond

The ELLIS PhD & Postdoc Program now spans over 50 leading institutions across Europe, including key ELIAS partners such as the University of Copenhagen, University of Tübingen, Czech Technical University, ANITI, University of Trento, Università degli Studi di Milano, ELLIS Alicante, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, IDEAS NCBR, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, ETH Zurich, Inria, Aalto University, and the University of Manchester. International collaboration is further strengthened through partnerships like CIFAR/ELLIS, with a select number of students hosted at top institutions in Canada.

The 2024 call saw 1,479 applicants from 96 countries and 102 nationalities, with nearly 3,200 applicants registered in total. Among 90 selected candidates, the most represented nationalities of the selected applicants were Europeans (51%), Chinese (13%), Indian (8%), Iranian (8%) and Israeli (3.5%) — reflecting the program’s strong global appeal and commitment to inclusivity.  

  • ELIAS Research Areas 41% 41%

610 applicants (41%) indicated research interests (RI) associated with ELIAS and sustainability.

  • Diversity and Inclusion 29% 29%

Of the 90 selected candidates, 29% identify as female.

  • ELIAS Representation 38% 38%

Of the 90 selected applicants, 38% will be joining institution within the ELIAS Consortium.

“We’re very pleased to welcome such a diverse group of students and hope they will consider joining the Interdisciplinary Track for cross-domain collaborations.” said [Charlotte Delage, ELIAS Scientific Coordinator at IP Paris & ELLIS PhD Program Coordinator].

Current data for the overall PhD program (pending final confirmation from the newest cohort) indicate the following track distribution: 73%  in the Academic Track, 16% in Industry, and 1% in Interdisciplinary, with 22% of our students  identifying as female.

A Single Entry Point for Global Talent

Each autumn, prospective students can apply centrally to the ELLIS PhD & Postdoc Program through a unified platform, offering access to a wide network of leading AI labs across Europe. The next call for the 2025-2026 intake will open in October, stay tuned for more information here or on the ELLIS website: https://ellis.eu/news.

In addition to the annual call, faculty members can nominate exceptional candidates year-round: https://ellis.eu/nomination-phd-postdoc.

🌟 Looking Ahead: EDS 2025

ELIAS will be one of the supporters of the upcoming edition of European Doctoral Symposium (EDS), spotlighting interdisciplinary AI research with panels, workshops, and mentoring sessions. The event will feature strong representation from the ELIAS Network among its speakers.  More information can be found here: EDS 2025 – Robust AI, EDS 2025

Access Press Release here: ELIAS Strengthens Interdisciplinary AI Research Through ELLIS PhD Program

Contact

Aygun Garayeva, PR Manager, ELIAS

Nicu Sebe, Coordinator, ELIAS

elias-coordination@unitn.it

ELIAS & IRCAI at GITEX Europe 2025: Workshop on Responsible AI and SDG Innovation

ELIAS & IRCAI at GITEX Europe 2025: Workshop on Responsible AI and SDG Innovation

May 27, 2025 | Events

From 21 to 23 May 2025, the ELIAS project was prominently featured at the inaugural GITEX Europe in Berlin, joining forces with the IRCAI, International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence under the auspices of UNESCO, to spotlight the intersection of Responsible AI and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With over 40,000 attendees from more than 100 countries, GITEX Europe made a powerful debut as one of the continent’s largest gatherings of investors, innovators, policy-makers, and researchers focused on digital transformation and emerging technologies. For ELIAS, it provided a unique opportunity to share research, tools, and insights with a global audience while strengthening partnerships aligned with ethical and impactful AI.

Workshop: Responsible AI in Practice

On 23 May, ELIAS and IRCAI, in collaboration with AI in Africa, hosted the workshop “Responsible AI in Practice: Bias Testing, Privacy and Compliance”. This hands-on session focused on some of the most pressing challenges in AI development:

  • Identifying and mitigating algorithmic bias

  • Ensuring data privacy and protection

  • Understanding and applying EU AI regulations

  • Showcasing practical tools developed within the ELIAS framework

Participants included representatives from startups, public institutions, academia, GIZ, AWS, and municipalities. The session not only fostered knowledge exchange but also demonstrated the concrete outcomes of the ELIAS project in advancing trustworthy and regulation-aligned AI systems.

AI & SDG11 Challenge
6 startups—ToumAI (winner), Solvesall d.o.o., TIMLEAD, IANUS Technologies, Aed Energy, and DeepLeaf—pitched groundbreaking AI solutions for urban sustainability and resilient cities. Each received booth space and GITEX exposure, thanks to IRCAI and AI in Africa’s support.

🔹 Panel: Transforming Urban Futures
Led by speakers including Joao Pita Costa (ELIAS), Mustapha Zaouini, Kennedy Tumenta, and Asya Syvolob, this vibrant panel explored AI’s potential in shaping inclusive and future-proof urban ecosystems.

🔹 Networking Highlights
From a VIP reception at the House of Slovenia to meetings with UN Innovation reps, the event created invaluable opportunities for international collaboration.

UNESCO AI Centres Meeting: Strengthening Global Collaboration

Representing ELIAS and its partner organisation IRCAI, Joao Pita Costa further contributed to the global AI ethics dialogue at the UNESCO AI Centres meeting on February 10, 2025, at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The meeting provided a platform to present ELIAS’ research and outcomes from the Workshop, reinforcing the importance of interdisciplinary and international cooperation in AI governance, emphasizing the consortium’s mission to develop AI solutions aligned with sustainability and democratic principles.

AI for a Democratic and Sustainable Future

The JAISD Workshop and AI Action Summit 2025 reinforced the urgent need for responsible AI development that upholds democratic principles and drives sustainable progress. As a key contributor, ELIAS continues to shape AI policies and research, ensuring that technological advancements align with societal well-being, ethical standards, and long-term sustainability. Through its continued collaboration with academia, industry, and global partners, ELIAS is dedicated to positioning Europe as a leader in AI innovation—one that prioritises inclusivity, respects fundamental rights, and fosters a more just and cohesive global society.

Atmospheric Machine Learning Emulation Challenge (AMLEC)

Atmospheric Machine Learning Emulation Challenge (AMLEC)

Apr 21, 2025 | Challenges & Competitions, Opportunities

Competition Updates

Competition Now Closed — Winners Announced!

In the frame of ELIAS, the Atmospheric Machine Learning Emulation Challenge (AMLEC) has concluded with outstanding contributions from the AI and climate science communities. Organised by the University of Valencia’s Image and Signal Processing Group, AMLEC invited participants worldwide to develop machine learning–based emulators for Radiative Transfer Models (RTMs) — a cornerstone of Earth observation and climate research.

🥇 1st place – Dr Jasdeep Singh (Khalifa University), with a final score of 1.525. His award includes sponsored participation at ECML PKDD 2025 in Porto.
🥈 2nd place – Hugo2, developed by Jorge Vicent Servera (University of Valencia).
🥉 3rd place – rpnn1, developed by Romain Poirier (Magellium, France).

The results demonstrate the potential of surrogate modelling and physics-informed AI to accelerate atmospheric modelling, improve climate simulations, and enable more efficient use of hyperspectral satellite data.

📌 Looking ahead: AMLEC will be featured in a special session at ECML PKDD 2025 (Porto, 16 September 2025). The 1h 15min session will provide:

  • An overview of atmospheric RTMs and emulation techniques.

  • Presentations by the top three participants, showcasing their approaches and results.

A peer-reviewed publication profiling the top models is also planned, further highlighting the challenge’s scientific impact.

Competition Details

About the Challenge

Radiative Transfer Models are fundamental tools in Earth observation and climate research. However, their high computational demands often limit their application in real-time or large-scale scenarios — especially as the volume and complexity of hyperspectral satellite data continue to increase.

Common alternatives, such as look-up tables (LUTs), can reduce computational load but are memory-intensive and lack flexibility. Machine learning-based emulators offer a promising alternative by producing fast and accurate approximations of RTM outputs.

AMLEC aims to support the development of statistical models that emulate RTM behaviour, enabling faster atmospheric data processing, improved climate simulations, and enhanced remote sensing workflows. The challenge also addresses the difficulties posed by high-dimensional inputs and the complex physics embedded in RTMs.

Key Dates
  • Challenge opens: 21 April 2025
  • Submission deadline: 30 June 2025
Dataset & Resources

Participants will have access to:

  • Training and test datasets based on atmospheric RTMs

  • Evaluation metrics and submission guidelines

  • All materials are hosted on Hugging Face: RTM Emulation Dataset

All scripts will be made publicly available after the end of the challenge.

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Expected Outcomes

  • A peer-reviewed publication summarising the challenge and profiling the top three performing models will be submitted to a remote sensing journal.

  • Results will also be presented at the ECML-PKDD conference, providing visibility within the research community.

  • Participants will gain valuable experience in atmospheric modelling and machine learning-based emulation techniques.

How to Participate

Participation is open and free.
To take part, simply create an account on HuggingFace.co, which will be used to submit your results.

🗓️ Deadline for submissions: 30 June 2025
🔗 Challenge Details and Dataset Access

Have Questions?

For further information or queries, please contact:
Jorge Vicent Servera
📧 jorge.vicent@uv.es

Partners and Support
  • Key Partners & Supporters (e.g., Kaggle, NeurIPS, NASA/JPL, Bosch): platform is huggingface, ECML-PKDD conference
  • Funding & Sponsorships : no funding opportunities of prize details are yet set up
Evaluation Criteria

  • How Entries Will Be Evaluated : all details about the results submissions and evaluation procedures are given https://huggingface.co/datasets/isp-uv-es/rtm_emulation

  • Judging Panel: evaluation follows a calculation and comparison of error metrics. No judging panel is foreseen at this stage.

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FAQ

Exploring the Future of Sustainability and AI

Exploring the Future of Sustainability and AI

Mar 13, 2025 | Events, News, TDW

On 7 March 2025, the ELIAS project organised its first Theme Development Workshop (TDW) focusing on Sustainability & AI. The event took place in Bucharest, Romania, in a hybrid format and brought together over 40 in-person attendees and 10 online participants, including experts, researchers, industry leaders, and students to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can address global environmental and societal challenges. The four-hour event featured in-depth presentations, engaging discussions, and expert insights on the intersection of AI and sustainability.

The workshop began with a thought-provoking session on the regulatory and ethical aspects of AI, led by Professor Marko Milosavljević from the University of Ljubljana. He highlighted the critical need for AI accountability, transparency, and inclusive governance to safeguard human rights and ensure AI benefits both the planet and its inhabitants.

The workshop then delved into three main research areas of the ELIAS project:

AI for a Sustainable Planet: Marius Leordeanu from the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest (Romania) showcased how AI-powered UAV remote sensing enhances environmental monitoring and resource management. He highlighted the role of machine learning in predicting vegetation changes and optimising drone flight paths for more accurate 3D mapping. Leordeanu also introduced the Romanian AI HUB, launched on February 28, 2025, supported by the Romanian Government and a consortium of universities and companies under the Smart Growth, Digitalization, and Financial Instruments Program (PoCIDIF). Additionally, Leordeanu discussed future collaboration with ENFIELD: European Lighthouse for Trustworthy and Green AI, an initiative aimed at advancing fundamental research in adaptive, sustainable, human-centric, and trustworthy AI. This partnership seeks to drive innovations that align AI development with environmental sustainability and societal well-being.

AI for a Sustainable Society: The next session featured Ioana Manolescu from INRIA (France), who discussed digital democracy and the role of data journalism in fostering transparency and empowering non-technical users. Manolescu stressed the importance of integrating diverse data sources to inform public policy effectively. Nicolò Cesa-Bianchi from Università degli Studi di Milano and Politecnico di Milano (Italy) followed, discussing the challenges of transparency and fairness in digital markets. He underscored the risks posed by AI-driven digital platforms in areas such as trading and e-commerce, where a lack of transparency can negatively affect decision-making. Cesa-Bianchi called for designing algorithms that promote fairness and transparency, showcasing research on maximising social welfare in price auctions and financial markets.

Trustworthy AI for Individuals: This session focused on ethical considerations and the importance of fairness, safety, and model transparency in AI deployment. Nicu Sebe from the University of Trento and Lorenzo Baraldi from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Italy) discussed recent advancements in deep learning models, which aim to reduce harmful biases and improve the safety and trustworthiness of AI systems. Their presentations included insights into new techniques for identifying and mitigating unsafe content in AI models, with a focus on ensuring that AI technologies are developed in a responsible and ethical manner.

Charlotte Delage from IP Paris (France) also shared her insights on nurturing a network of promising young AI researchers, stressing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, diversity, and talent retention in Europe. Delage highlighted the need for expanding AI networks to create a more inclusive and innovative European AI ecosystem.

The workshop concluded with a session on Entrepreneurship and Tech Transfer, featuring Nina Peters from the Tübingen AI Center (Germany) and Isabelle Siegrist from the ETH AI Center (Switzerland). They discussed initiatives to connect talent between academia and industry, foster AI entrepreneurship, and support AI startups. The speakers also introduced the ELIAS Alliance—a pan-European network fostering AI entrepreneurship—and the AI Launchpad, a pan-European accelerator that supports AI startups from European universities.

Participants were also inspired by testimonials shared by Wieland Brendal from the ELIAS Node Tübingen (Germany), Jessica Montgomery from the ELIAS Node Cambridge (UK), and Tine Norgaard Aage from the ELIAS Node Copenhagen (Denmark) that are all part of the ELIAS Alliance. These firsthand accounts showcased how AI innovations are already transforming industries and society.

​Throughout the event, six thematic sessions were presented, followed by interactive Q&A discussions. One of the key takeaways from the workshop was the importance of collaboration between AI researchers, environmental and social science experts, and policymakers to create effective AI-driven solutions that promote sustainability.

The insights gained from this workshop will shape the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) on Sustainable AI that will be presented by the ELIAS project, guiding Europe’s future priorities in AI and sustainability. ELIAS will continue to support AI-driven sustainability initiatives through upcoming workshops, funding opportunities, and collaborative efforts across Europe.

Take a look at the material presented during the workshop: Presentations

Watch the event recording here!

This event was the first in a series of Theme Development Workshops that will be organised by ELIAS in the next two years, also in collaboration with the European AI & Robotics NoEs, other AI flagship projects, and the ELLIS community. Stay tuned for the next one!