On January 28, 2026, Minister President Winfried Kretschmann, Minister of Science Petra Olschowski, and the presidents of KIT, the University of Stuttgart, and the University of Tübingen signed the founding agreement for the connAIx Graduate and Research Center [de] in Stuttgart.
connAIx – Research School for Applied AI – is the full name of this unique institution, which is based in Heilbronn and supported by the three leading AI universities in Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, and Tübingen. At connAIx, they will pool their expertise in cutting-edge research across disciplines, enabling them to immediately leverage their international network.
“This is excellent news for the state of Baden-Württemberg,” said Minister President Kretschmann. “We need highly trained AI experts in AI, robotics, chip design, and cybersecurity technologies.” ConnAIx combines cutting-edge research with practical application. “It brings our excellent AI research together with engineering sciences and promotes AI talent for science and industry. This strengthens Baden-Württemberg as a state of inventors and thinkers and as one of Europe’s leading AI hubs.”
State provides connAIx with €30 million in annual funding
Minister of Science Petra Olschowski added: “In the field of AI, we need rapid results in order to survive in the face of tough international competition and respond agilely to the needs of the economy.” The fact that three state universities are working closely with companies and start-ups to qualify top AI talent at the highest level with tailor-made career paths sends a very strong signal. “Today, we have to think in terms of innovative ecosystems in order to shape and advance the future of AI in the best possible way,” emphasized Minister Olschowski.
With full operation planned for 2029, Baden-Württemberg will fund connAIx with around €30 million per year. The Dieter Schwarz Foundation will support the state and the universities by providing space and infrastructure in Heilbronn free of charge. Ten professors with a focus on doctoral supervision will then work with 60 international doctoral candidates and 20 postdoctoral researchers. Their work will primarily focus on controlling and developing the next generation of AI, such as humanoid robots or machines.
Rapid transfer of research results to industry
“With connAIx, we are creating a unique location in Heilbronn where academic excellence meets real industrial challenges,” explained Professor Gunther Friedl, Managing Director of the Dieter Schwarz Foundation. “In doing so, we offer much more than just space. We guarantee talented students direct access to the key players in our ecosystem – from IPAI and Campus Founders to global market leaders. This integration creates a real-world laboratory in which AI solutions can be validated immediately under real conditions and transferred into practical application.”
Professor Oliver Kraft, Vice Rector of Research, Teaching, and Academic Affairs at KIT, explains connAIx's ambitions: “The three universities are combining their existing expertise in numerous fields of research with applied AI in a targeted manner. Above all, this is crucial in terms of promoting young scientists and in transferring research results to industry more quickly. In this way, connAIx will make a significant contribution to strengthening Europe's position as a business hub and ensuring its technological sovereignty.”
University of Stuttgart contributes interdisciplinary research expertise
Professor Peter Middendorf, Rector at the University of Stuttgart, emphasizes the importance of the graduate center: “connAIx stands for a new quality in the training of young scientists in applied artificial intelligence. The University of Stuttgart is contributing its research expertise to advance the fields of chip design and robotics, among other things. By working together with strong partners, we are creating a dynamic research and innovation ecosystem that significantly accelerates the transfer of research results and the development of forward-looking innovations.”