INTERREG Network DataKMU – Data Analysis Without Limits

The DataKMU network brings researchers together with business people across borders in order to exchange expertise on data science and promote innovative projects. In the field of smart farming, for instance.

On the Bavarian-Austrian border, there is a whole range of competences in the field of data analysis: Passau scores with the processing and visualisation of large volumes of data, Kempten with mobility, Kufstein with image analysis, and Salzburg with analyses of time series as well as in the industrial sector. However, the neighbouring economic regions still hardly make use of this existing expertise.

The INTERREG association DataKMU wants to change this: "We want to try to exchange expertise in the field of data science and transfer it to the region," says Prof. Dr. Michael Granitzer, holder of the chair for data science at the University of Passau and project partner in the research association.

In order to achieve this, the participating universities, together with business people from the region, identify various topics that are promising for the border region. These include mobility, Industry 4.0 and smart farming. In these areas, researchers are developing so-called use cases.

More sustainable management through data analysis

Example Smart Farming: This term describes the use of machine learning in agriculture. Passau-based data scientist Prof. Dr. Granitzer sees many opportunities for improvement here through data analysis, for example in farm management or in optimising the use of fertilisers. "We are primarily interested in making things more sustainable. If I can better control the use of fertilisers, this will have an effect on CO2 emissions."

Business people from the region are involved right from the start when the research association promotes innovative pilot projects. DataKMU develops examples for recipes for success and other regional issues, which in turn can be accessed by companies in the border region. Events are also part of the activities aimed at stimulating knowledge transfer and exchange. Prof. Dr. Granitzer and his team can build on their experience from previous Passau Data Science Summits.

Participants and funding

The Fachhochschule Kufstein leads the project. In addition to Prof. Dr. Granitzer, Prof. Dr. Harald Kosch, Chair of Computer Science with a focus on Distributed Information Systems, is also involved at the University of Passau.

The following universities contribute their expertise to Bavaria and Austria:

• University of Applied Sciences Salzburg
• University of Applied Sciences Vorarlberg GmbH
• Kempten University of Applied Sciences
• University of Salzburg

The following business transfer offices support the project:

• Bayern lnnovativ GmbH in Nuremberg
• INN.KUBATOR start-up centre in Passau
• Innovationsservice lTG in Salzburg
• Standortagentur Tirol in Innsbruck
• Wirtschafts-Standort Vorarlberg GmbH (WISTO) in Dornbirn

The European Union is supporting the project with funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the INTERREG programme Austria – Bavaria 2014 – 2020.

Principal Investigator(s) at the University	Prof. Dr. Michael Granitzer (Lehrstuhl für Data Science)
Project period	01.05.2019 - 30.06.2021
Source of funding	Europäische Union (EU) > EU - Europäischer Struktur- und Investitionsfonds (ESI-Fonds) 2014-2020 > EU - ESIF - Europäischer Fonds für regionale Entwicklung (EFRE) 2014-2020 > EU - ESIF - EFRE - INTERREG Österreich-Bayern 2014-2020
Projektnummer	AB215
Themenfelder	Angewandte Informatik, Ingenieurinformatik/Technische Informatik