As an academic partner of Lab 42, the University of Applied Sciences of Graubünden (FHGR) based in Chur will support the Mindfire Foundation, based in Zug, with its objective of becoming a global leader. This also aims to sustainably ensure the competitiveness and innovative ability of the canton of Graubünden with the Science City Davos. According to a press release, the FHGR and Mindfire signed a corresponding strategic partnership on April 6. FHGR Rector Jürg Kessler comments: “Projects like Lab-42 line up perfectly with our strategy and contribute to regional development.”
Lab-42 aims to make the canton of Graubünden more attractive for establishing tech startups. It is a development and competence center for all technical, ethical, and factual issues concerning intelligence, intelligence research, and artificial intelligence (AI) with the world’s best links. It consists of a physical laboratory in Davos and a virtual laboratory with global access that aims to bring together hundreds of thousands of AI enthusiasts and skilled persons using the latest virtual reality and collaborative technologies.
According to Kessler, his university can provide a broad range of competences, such as the Competence Centre for Data Analytics, Visualization and Simulation. Relevant topics and contributions from the University of Applied Sciences of Graubünden are said to be machine learning, data and text analysis, and robotics as well as computing.
According to the FHGR, the university and the Mindfire Foundation share the same corporate and societal values. Both do not want to leave the development of artificial intelligence up to autocratic governments and large technology groups. The idea is to find a third way and actively participate in the creation of AI through innovative collaborations between research, economy, and society. Both partners see the creation of artificial intelligence as a decisive future technology “that could put Switzerland at the front of the pack”.
