Invitation to Tender: Mapping Nordic AI and Data Ecosystem and Strongholds

Nordic Innovation is looking for a supplier to map the Nordic AI and Data ecosystem and associated Nordic strongholds, as well as to provide recommendations for concrete Nordic level actions and instruments in the field of responsible use of data and ethical AI.

This tender is part of Nordic Innovation's AI and Data program.

Read more about our AI and Data program

About the AI and Data program

The AI and Data program is one of eight programs launched by Nordic Innovation in 2021 that contribute to fulfil the goals of the Nordic ministers for business and innovation's eight initiatives for a greener post-COVID-19 business sector 2021-2024 – and the Nordic prime ministers' vision that the Nordic region will be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world in 2030.

The AI and Data program will run in the period 2021–2024 with a vision of contribution to make the Nordic region a leading region in digitalisation, AI and responsible use of data.

The program takes responsible use of data and ethical AI as a starting point . By making public datasets available across the Nordics, it is possible to gain experience on responsible use of data and ethical AI across the Nordic region.

Action points:

• Making public datasets with high value available across the Nordic countries for companies that develop solutions with artificial intelligence.
• Exploring perspectives, needs and opportunities of data for Nordic companies.
• Joint branding and exchange of experience between companies and other relevant actors across the Nordic countries.
• Implementation of the Nordic Smart Government (NSG) roadmap.

Consequently, the action points are operationalised in three work packages.

Work packages

1. Nordic datasets (WP1)
2. Capabilities (WP2)
3. Nordic Smart Government (WP3 - not part of this Invitation to Tender)

The purpose and scope of the procurement

The purpose of this procurement is to map the Nordic AI and Data ecosystem and to identify Nordic strongholds in the field of AI and Data, taking responsible use of data and ethical AI as a starting point.

The mapping shall provide an overview of the current state of the Nordic AI and Data ecosystem as a whole. In addition, the mapping shall describe the most relevant national initiatives, programs and support measures and the main actors in the five Nordic countries bearing in mind the two work packages of the AI and Data program (WP1 Nordic datasets; WP2 Capabilities). This should also include identification of national level best practices in the five Nordic countries. A short comparison with relevant EU level activities shall also be included if it brings value for the identification of areas where the Nordics could take the lead together.  

On the basis of mapping national actors, initiatives and best practices in the five Nordic countries, the Supplier shall identify Nordic strongholds which should bring most synergies and opportunities for collaboration at the Nordic level. For the purposes of this assignment, a Nordic stronghold is defined as an area where the Nordic countries complement each other and together posses the necessary prerequisites for the Nordic region to become a frontrunner in the field of AI and Data.  

Based on the ecosystem mapping and identification of Nordic strongholds, the Supplier shall deliver recommendations for targeted Nordic level measures and instruments which should provide most potential for Nordic added value[1], considering the program’s budget framework. The suggested measures should benefit the Nordic business sector. The measures should ideally be such that built on top of national (or bilateral) seed-level initiatives or best practices helping them to grow more. As a result, measures can be implemented more efficiently at the Nordic level and/or they create more impact. Since a previously published report by Rambøll has provided recommendations in the field of datasets that can be collected and opened across the Nordic countries, a special – but not exclusive – emphasis on the recommendations should be put to WP2 – Capabilities.     

In addition, the Supplier shall create the basis for launching pilot projects that can, for instance, test how capabilities of Nordic companies could be improved to stimulate understanding, adoption and application of AI in Nordic companies. The purpose of the pilot projects is to coach Nordic companies in the use of AI for the benefit of their businesses as well as to identify, demonstrate and showcase use cases. Joint branding, exchange of experience and creation of broad-based multi-stakeholder partnerships between companies across the Nordic countries could also be the focus of such pilot projects.     

The mapping of the ecosystem and Nordic strongholds shall at a minimum include:

1. Mapping of the current state of the Nordic AI and Data ecosystem as a whole.
2. Mapping of the most relevant national actors, initiatives and best practices in the five Nordic countries.
3. Identification of Nordic strongholds with most potential for Nordic Added Value.
4. A short comparison with relevant EU level activities (if it brings value for identifying areas where the Nordics could take the lead together).
5. Recommendations for Nordic level measures and specific instruments to achieve the vision of the program, with a special (but not exclusive) emphasis on recommendations for WP2 – Capabilities. 
6. Create the basis for launching pilot projects as described above. 

Timeline

Questions and answers

[1] Nordic cooperation is rooted in the idea of Nordic Added Value, i.e., that cooperation across the Nordic region creates new synergies and leads to greater benefits than each Nordic country could obtain individually. Nordic Innovation seeks activities and measures which creates results that would not otherwise be possible.