The IO+ Week: Watt Matters in AI returns - bigger and more urgent

AI promises a lot: better healthcare, a smarter industry, faster science, and solutions to societal challenges that still seem beyond our reach. But that promise comes at a price. As AI systems become larger, more powerful, and more ubiquitous, their hunger for energy is growing as well. That is exactly what we need to talk about. And that is why IO+ is organizing Watt Matters in AI for the second time, on 16 and 17 November.

With fitting pride, we can say that the first edition left us wanting more. Last year, in a single day, we covered the entire chain, from chips and compute to data centers and energy infrastructure. This year, we want not only to repeat that success, but to surpass it. Watt Matters in AI is growing into a two-day conference, with a more international program, a stronger European perspective, and more room for depth, encounters, and concrete answers.

The content program committee is led by Stijn Grove of the Dutch Datacenter Association and Tijs Wilbrink of imec. Together with them, we are building on the distinctive theme of Watt Matters in AI: energy efficiency as a prerequisite for responsible AI growth. The goal is clear: not only to inspire but also to provide participants with practical insights into the future of compute, photonics, grid congestion, smart workloads, software efficiency, and how Europe can strengthen its own innovative power.

Tickets

Tickets are available starting today, with an early-bird discount. Anyone who wants to join the conversation about the energy demand behind AI, the infrastructure needed for it, and the choices that companies, researchers, and policymakers need to make now, can go to wattmattersinai.eu. Because AI is changing the world, but only if we also dare to talk about what it requires: energy that is smart, sustainable, and sufficiently available.

Also this week on IO+

Of course, much more happened in the world of innovation. As every week, here is a selection from last week’s production on IO+. Read them all here.

Defense seeks entrepreneurship

With the Dutch Defense Venture Track, the Dutch Ministry of Defense is explicitly opening the door to startups, young professionals, and new ideas. The program shows that security is not only a matter for barracks and ministries, but also for entrepreneurship, technology, and collaboration with the high-tech world.
https://ioplus.nl/en/posts/defense-startups-for-a-new-era-inside-the-defense-venture-track

Choosing a study without the sales pitch

Unitold wants to help secondary school students with one of the biggest choices of their young lives: choosing a study program. Not through brochures or marketing stories, but by putting them directly in touch with students who already know the program from the inside.
https://ioplus.nl/en/posts/skip-the-pitch-get-real-unitold-reinvents-university-choice

Seven new golden standards

After an impressive career at Philips, Carmen van Vilsteren has no intention of sitting back. She wants once again to contribute to medical technology that becomes the global standard, while also helping more female leaders claim their place.
https://ioplus.nl/en/posts/carmen-van-vilsteren-chases-seven-new-gold-standards

The guide to Europe’s chip ambition

For startups, the European chip landscape can be overwhelming. The ChipNL Competence Centre aims to be both translator and guide: a place where young companies can find the right knowledge, networks, and access to European programs.
https://ioplus.nl/en/posts/our-chip-ambitions-need-translators-like-chipnl-competence-centre

PhotonDelta sees the summit getting closer

After years of pioneering, the Dutch photonics industry is entering a new phase, according to PhotonDelta: scaling up. The technology works, the ecosystem is in place, but now Europe must prove that it can also turn its lead into economic value.
https://ioplus.nl/en/posts/photondelta-sees-tipping-point-approaching-moment-for-scaling-up

Students do not wait for the system

TutorMe shows how students build their own solutions for problems they experience every day. While education struggles with guidance and accessibility, enterprising students are connecting their fellow students with affordable support.
https://ioplus.nl/en/posts/students-develop-their-own-solution-to-academic-challenges

German quantum computer pushes the boundary

A German quantum computer has set a new record in calculations with qubits. This brings the promise of quantum computing another step closer, although the road to widespread application remains complex and challenging.
https://ioplus.nl/en/posts/german-quantum-computer-breaks-qubit-computation-record

Sodium-ion gains momentum

Sodium-ion batteries are making strong progress. They could become an important alternative to lithium-ion, especially as costs, raw material availability, and safety become increasingly important factors.
https://ioplus.nl/en/posts/sodium-ion-batteries-are-happening--faster-than-you-think

Preventing biofouling before it starts

Nemean BioLabs is working on biobased coatings designed to prevent biofouling before the problem arises. The startup is targeting installations where buildup leads to energy loss, maintenance costs, and lower efficiency.
https://ioplus.nl/en/posts/nemean-biolabs-aims-to-stop-industry-biofouling-before-it-starts

Smarter ways to manage water and solar power in the city

Digitalization can help cities tackle two growing problems at once: flooding caused by heavy rainfall and peak loads from solar energy. By making smarter use of data, cities can gain more control over an increasingly crowded and vulnerable urban system.
https://ioplus.nl/en/posts/combating-flooding-and-solar-peak-in-cities-with-digitalization

A Daily Podcast

Or do you prefer to listen? A new episode of our daily podcast is ready for you every weekday at 6:30 AM. In it, our AI colleagues Oliver and Shelby discuss the two most interesting stories of the day. That makes IO+ Daily the perfect way to start your morning with optimistic news from the world of innovation and technology. See you tomorrow.

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