AI for manufacturing: AI-MATTERS helps FBK accelerate innovation for SMEs

In industrial processes, Artificial Intelligence is playing an increasingly important role, thanks in part to solutions developed by innovative startups and SMEs.  However, transforming a promising prototype into a technology ready for deployment in real production environments is often the most challenging step. It requires expertise, infrastructure, and testing environments that many companies do not have in-house. This is where AI-MATTERS comes in: the European Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEF) network dedicated to AI for manufacturing, in which Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) plays a leading role in Italy.

The objective of the project is to help companies test, validate, and implement Artificial Intelligence solutions for manufacturing before they reach the market, reducing risks, time, and costs.

AI-MATTERS is a Europe-wide initiative that provides companies with access to advanced technological infrastructure. Through its long-standing expertise in applied research, Fondazione Bruno Kessler makes its know-how available with its Center for Digital Industry to help transform complex concepts into industrial applications.  Scientific expertise, laboratories, and advanced infrastructure enable companies to develop, test, and validate AI technologies in real production environments. Application areas include:

• • machine vision for quality control;
  • predictive maintenance to reduce machine downtime;
  • digital twins to test future scenarios without disrupting production.

The services are tailored to the specific needs of each company and focus on validating technical feasibility, testing solutions in industrial environments, and verifying their reliability.

A concrete example of how this collaboration can accelerate innovation is the partnership with Robotizr, a dynamic company that is redefining the way industrial automation is programmed and managed. Through the service “Application of formal methods for reliable industrial systems,” FBK worked with the company to improve the reliability and safety of robotic systems through the application of formal software verification methods. The result was the validation of a platform that combines accessibility and security, capable of preventing operational errors and ensuring greater reliability in production processes.

This experience demonstrates how applied research can accelerate the validation of practical industrial solutions, contributing to the development of intelligent, safe, and sustainable automation in line with the principles of trustworthy Artificial Intelligence.

How to access AI-MATTERS services

If your company is interested in developing or validating Artificial Intelligence solutions for manufacturing, you can contact FBK for an initial discussion of your application and technology needs. Based on this preliminary assessment, a customized support pathway is defined according to the specific requirements of each company.

An opportunity to learn more about the AI-MATTERS model and the services available will be offered through a webinar scheduled for June 23, 2026. Details will be published shortly on the website https://dicenter.fbk.eu/servizi.

For more information about the project and to consult the service catalog:

• https://dicenter.fbk.eu/servizi
• https://it.ai-matters.eu/

To contact us: [email protected]