Nvidia to Back Four German AI Startups as Merz Urges Firms to Open Doors for AI
Nvidia will back four German startups under a nearly $10B Europe push; Merz urges firms to adopt AI.
The startups are Agile Robots, Avelios Medical, Mirelo and Reflex Aerospace. Nvidia did not disclose the size of the planned investments. Agile Robots develops AI-powered robots for manufacturing, logistics and healthcare. Avelios Medical builds AI-powered hospital management software. Mirelo develops AI models that generate audio for videos, and Reflex Aerospace designs and builds satellites.
The investments come as Germany seeks to accelerate AI adoption in its industrial sector. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the country aims to become a leader in integrating AI into key sectors and described the technology as a major opportunity for the economy. He named manufacturing, machinery and the automotive industry as areas for AI integration and urged small- and medium-sized businesses to use the data they already hold.
“Please open your doors for AI to make use of your data,” Merz said. “This is a real secret and a real advantage for Germany to make use of all the data which is already available in our companies.”
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang echoed Merz’s remarks and highlighted Germany’s expertise in manufacturing, mathematics and science. He said AI would strengthen rather than replace the country’s industrial capabilities. “AI can only augment your capability, it will not replace your capability,” Huang said, describing the technology as a new instrument for businesses.
Nvidia is also expanding its collaboration with the German federal government and its Industry 4.0 Platform, which brings together representatives from government, industry, research and trade associations, to accelerate the adoption of industrial AI. On Monday, the government signed a joint declaration of intent with Nvidia to advance AI models for industrial applications.
Earlier in the day, Siemens announced new AI solutions developed with Nvidia at its factory in Erlangen, Germany. Siemens said the technologies could reduce engineering work involved in preparing production by up to 85%, while AI-powered production planning could cut costs by as much as 20%.
Huang visited France last week, where he announced investments in four French startups and met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss AI development. He is scheduled to deliver a keynote address in Berlin on Wednesday.