Dr. Frederik Flöther

🌌 Is Greater Zurich becoming a hub for #SpaceTech? 🚀 The privatization of low earth orbit is heralding a new industrial revolution, with the #GreaterZurichArea emerging as a key hub. As private #space stations make low earth orbit more accessible, our region’s diverse tech ecosystem is poised to thrive. 💫 Greater Zurich is home to top research institutions like the University of Zurich's Space Hub and pioneering companies that closely collaborate, driving #innovation and enhancing the region's competitiveness. This synergy creates new momentum for a promising future in the space age. 🌐 Other thriving sectors, such as #LifeSciences and #AdvancedManufacturing also stand to benefit significantly from the space economy's growth. They can leverage lower transportation costs to low Earth orbit and conduct R&D in space, further solidifying our region as a premier location for technological breakthroughs. 🔍 Learn more about the impacts of the #SpaceEconomy on the Greater Zurich Area here: https://okt.to/cZRa05. For a deep dive on how Starship boosts the space economy, read our interview with Oliver Ullrich: https://okt.to/6zOGsy.

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A very interesting #article from Radomir Novotny about the return of #analogcomputers. Also the part about the practical applications of analog computers at the ZHAW School of Engineering (in Switzerland) is very interesting. So definitely an article worth reading! And https://lnkd.in/eyJFpbaF

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The International Space Station #ISS is getting old. Sometime around 2030 it will be decommissioned in a controlled way (provided that NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration manages to secure the funding needed for the deorbit vehicle). For some time, companies like Blue Origin, Axiom Space and VAST have been working on plans for commercial post-ISS space stations. On the occasion the ILA Berlin - Pioneering Aerospace I have looked at yet another concept, Starlab. For my piece for DER SPIEGEL, I spoke to European Space Agency - ESA's Director General Josef Aschbacher and Airbus Defence and Space's Head of Low Earth Orbit & Suborbital Programs Manfred Jaumann. Among other things, I learned that the module for the station (diameter: eight meters) will be built from steel and not from aluminum - and in a shipyard and not a cleanroom. The project very much depends on SpaceX's #Starship as it is supposed to be brought to orbit in one piece, no assembly needed. Will all this work? Will the finance side of things make sense? We will find out! https://lnkd.in/eCeGVdsD

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For those who missed it, here a recording of the insightful and fascinating talk between Martin Ebers Brian Williamson Boniface de Champris on #AI #Regulation in #Europe and how the #AIAct can be implemented properly in the #EU and as a model for others. Please do listen in! #CCIAeurope #innovation #digitalEU CCIA Europe

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Did you know that ETH4D offers funding for ETH faculty to teach at partner institutions in low- and middle-income countries? Claudia Wiehler, PhD student at the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zurich, took advantage of this grant to offer a 3-day workshop on social network analysis to early-career researchers from all around Nigeria at the Conflict Research Network West Africa. Claudia shared about the mutually beneficial experience in a conversation with ETH4D: "I would encourage other ETH researchers to seize this opportunity to connect with researchers and institutions in the respective country and to exchange knowledge with them... At the same time, ETH researchers should also consider the grant from the perspective of research ethics and decolonizing academia. At least in the social sciences, there is a tendency that scholars travel to low-​income countries to conduct their own research, extract knowledge, and then develop their own careers 'back home.' From this perspective, grants enabling South-​North mobility are critical to actively foster knowledge transfer and provide resources to strengthen the research communities in the respective country." Read the rest of Claudia's insightful interview: https://lnkd.in/d_XB72qA Learn more about the Teaching Stay grant for ETH researchers: https://lnkd.in/dMC8iGNF ETH Zürich

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When it comes to quantum safe - also called post-quantum cryptography or #PQC, you should have started getting familiar with it already YESTERDAY. A great statement by Alessandro Curioni at a quantum computing panel at #PointZeroForum in Zurich today. PQC is vital for the finance industry and so much more, as #quantum computers are getting more and more mature and pose a very real risk to today’s #cryptography.

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This week I'm dedicated to share tools and insights that benefit science. After more than a decade, as a former OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences (NTB Interstaatliche Hochschule für Technik Buchs SG) student, there is still science flowing in my blood. On my opinion, NVIDIA has the software and hardware to achieve extraordinary results and solve the most complex problems. Do you know Modulus? NVIDIA Modulus is an open-source framework for building, training, and fine-tuning Physics-ML models with a simple Python interface. Modulus empowers engineers to construct AI surrogate models that combine physics-driven causality with simulation and observed data, enabling real-time predictions. With generative AI using diffusion models, you can enhance engineering simulations and generate higher-fidelity data for scalable, responsive designs. Modulus supports the creation of large-scale digital twin models across various physics domains, from computational fluid dynamics and structural mechanics to electromagnetics. #science #physics #machinelearning

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✂ Cutting-Edge Manufacturing: AI Applications in Switzerland 🇨🇭 “Overall, the adoption of AI in the Swiss tech industries is not advanced”, says Torbjørn Netland, Professor of Production and Operations Management at ETH Zürich. Netland draws this conclusion from a survey conducted by his Chair in collaboration with Swissmem and Next Industries, in which more than 200 Swiss tech companies took part. “There is no doubt that it can be a game changer.” Yet, to this day, most companies are not yet AI-ready. For example, they lack the data governance or IT infrastructure needed to release the potential of AI. “The good news for them is that their competitors aren’t ready either,” Netland says. “The question is, for how long? The picture looks brighter in other areas of application. In R&D (research and development) the share of companies that are already in the phase of pilot testing is twice as large as for manufacturing, at 22%. About one-third of the companies plan to adopt AI applications at scale in R&D over the next three years. “If we repeated our survey with a representative European sample, the results would likely be aligned with ours, probably show even less experimentation and implementation!”, Netland says. Often we, in the Global South assume that AI adoption in manufacturing is vastly different in Europe and the US, but it is not. We at DataProphet are committed to providing unparalleled optimization to companies all over the world. #dataprophet Reference: von Dzengelevski O, Bickel M, Zhang Q, Netland T, The state of AI in the Swiss tech industry: Results from a survey by ETH Zurich in cooperation with Swissmem and Next Industries. https://lnkd.in/dj4bFstt

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Open-source requirements for European public sectors has been in an on-again, off-again relationship with lawmakers for the last few decades. Depending on what political wind is blowing, it is emphasized in policies or even invested in, or neglected and eventually departed. Germany has seen many experiments for Free Open Source desktop and office environments for their civil servants. All with a varying degree of success and permanent impact. Public-sector tenders for software solutions often prefer or require the usage of open source components where possible. The Netherlands has on the one hand, seen parliamentary questions about ‘FOSS-fetisjism’ in the early 2010’s, but is noways still releasing code of important public tools such as the DigiD and CoronaMelder apps. One could argue though that this openness primarily serves transparency and auditability. What is the true value of embracing (F)OS software within the public sector, given that the backends and APIs of the applications and websites that both the public and civil servants consume are, more often than not, built on top of proprietary cloud platforms that cannot be audited in the same way? https://lnkd.in/eRsF8DMd

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Ash and Nickelsburg (2024) argue that the #Sahm Rule is often used in public discussions as a #recession indicator, but historical analyses suggest it is less reliable compared to other methods. Their VAR analyses reveal that the Sahm Rule can be confounded by expansionary #unemployment combined with contractionary shocks. Consequently, they caution against interpreting the Sahm Rule as a definitive indicator of recession. Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Hurricane Beryl, which impacted Texas during the survey week for the July #employment report, had "no discernible effect" on the data. Reference: Ash, T., & Nickelsburg, J. (2024). Works like a Sahm: Recession indicators and the Sahm rule. Economics Letters, 111878. https://lnkd.in/dgahGsRp #spy #ai #macro #qqq

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Today the EU AI Act came into force. Some people believe this is a reason to celebrate. And some people believe it is the opposite. I tend more towards: More harm than good. If you are curious about that side of the argument, you could start with Prof. Dr. Patrick Glauner's expert evidence, which I cannot share often enough. So, what do you think and feel about the EU AI Act today? Expert evidence: https://lnkd.in/eJhWpdEN

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How will we move from artificial intelligence to AGI? In this month’s episode of The Craft our colleague Patrick got the opportunity to talk with Stephen, the founder and CEO of our portfolio company Orca. Not only will they talk about how a Universität des Saarlandes alumni made it to the forefront of AI in the valley but more important how he wants to facilitate the road to safer AIs. Stephen & Patrick will go into detail about what tech requirements are needed to proceed towards AGI, how we’ll know that we have reached AGI, and whether we will soon hit the ceiling with the current transformer architecture. If you are keen to find out more about why Stephen believes that established big data companies should be racing to acquire startups building chips for AI, what AGI has to do with a chatbot on steroids, and what the future of AI has to do with napkins at Michelin star restaurants, don’t miss out on tuning into the latest episode of the Craft! Listen to the latest episode & sign up to Patrick's podcast 'The Craft - Pioneers of the Coding Frontier': Substack: https://lnkd.in/euFT6C_k Spotify: https://lnkd.in/d2KMyJ-H Don't miss previous episodes featuring the following amazing tech wizards: 🔥 Daniel Krauss - CIO & Co-Founder Flix 🔥 Sean Mullaney - CTO at Algolia 🔥 Matt Butcher - Co-Founder & CEO Fermyon Technologies 🔥 Christian Beedgen - Founder & ex-CTO Sumo Logic 🔥 Niilo Säämänen - CTO Wolt #CTO #techpodcast #AGI #AI #RAG

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#QuantumTechnology Global Business Innovation Programme to Germany. Still time to get your application in - don't miss the #deadline: 21 July 2024! Are you a #CEO #founder or senior #decisionmaker in a #QuantumTechnology #SME and interested in exploring the #German market and find collaboration partners, then this is for you. The actual visit to Germany will take place from 6 to 11 October and include participation at the Quantum Effects Exhibition and Conference, one of Germany's leading #Quantum events. Why Germany? Germany is a worldleader in science and innovation and has particular strengths in #QuantumTechnologies. The field is also a key priority for the German government, evidenced by a 3 billion € “Action Concept for Quantum Technologies”, running from 2023-2026, which aims to maintain Germany’s competitiveness in this field, and strengthen the country’s position at the top of quantum developments in the EU. More info below. https://lnkd.in/ez6rHb-9

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🔬 ETH Zurich's latest research led by Andreas Moor has revealed a pivotal interaction between proteins on colorectal cancer cells and liver cells that could significantly advance our fight against deadly metastases. By understanding the "molecular handshake" that allows cancer cells to take root in the liver, the team opens the door to potential treatments aimed at preventing the spread of cancer. This discovery not only shifts the landscape of cancer treatment but could lead to groundbreaking therapies to halt metastases before they start. #CancerResearch #ETHZurich #HealthInnovation #Oncology Read more: https://lnkd.in/eCRgdh3y

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Happening right now: Being part of our longstanding partnership with the Aspen Institute Germany we're discussing the impact of AI on Labor and Education in our AI Tech Dialogues. In response to Stormy-Annika Mildner icebreaker question to the participants "Whether we are well prepared for the AI revolution?" I was amongst the few optimistic respondents. Why that? Yes, I'm convinced that AI will substantially transform labor and work and, maybe for the first time ever, generative AI is a technology with particular importance for knowledge workers. At the same time, AI is democratizing knowledge work and lowering access barriers, as (your own) natural language is becoming the general interface to knowledge work. There is a specific opportunity for countries with a skilled labor gap, such as Germany, here. Assisted or augmented coding, for example, soon will become the norm... However, this revolution will require its own literacy efforts, as learning to use these powerful tools and understanding their potential but also their limitations is a skill in itself. Gaining these skills will be crucial for this journey which will substantially shape the next decade and beyond. Learning starts with using it. Time to start it now. Just put your favorite generative AI app on your home screen. Play around. And show it to your kids. Kristin Keveloh Florian Butollo Silke Gebel Thomas Habenicht Annika Mattes Molly Hall

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“The current AI craze is a result of this toxic surveillance business model. It is not due to novel scientific approaches that–like the printing press–fundamentally shifted a paradigm. And while new frameworks and architectures have emerged in the intervening decade, this paradigm still holds: it’s the data and the compute that determine who “wins” and who loses. […] In addition to the current technologies that are being called “AI,” we also need to look at the AI narrative itself. The story that’s animating marketing and hype today – how is this marketing term being deployed? By wielding quasi-religious tales about conscious computers, artificial general intelligence, small elves that sit in our pocket and cater to our every desire, massive companies have paved the way for unprecedented dominance.” A marvellous acceptance speech from Meredith Whittaker for the 2024 Helmut Schmidt Future Prize. I very strongly share Whittaker’s optimism as a driver of action and analysis, as opposed to complacency. Via Bundeskanzler-Helmut-Schmidt-Stiftung #AI #AIEthics #ResponsibleAI

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How do extremist and conspiracy actors exploit Telegram for monetarization? And what is the role of big platforms like Amazon, Paypal or YouTube? Harald Sick and I are happy to have the opportunity to contribute to the great GNET blog exploring the intersection of digital activism and monetary incentives. Therefore, we analyzed a vast dataset of 12 million text-based messages from 1,200 conspiracy theorists and far-right channels, uncovering the monetary motivations behind online activities. Here are the key findings: 💰 Direct Financial Transactions: Over 265,000 messages contained references to monetization, with bank account information being the most common method, appearing in nearly 35,000 messages. PayPal also emerged as a popular choice, with 28,000 references, particularly among right-wing extremists and supporters of certain movements. 💰 Affiliate Links and Platforms: Notably, the publishing house Kopp-Verlag and online marketplace Amazon were frequently utilized for indirect revenue generation. Kopp-Verlag, in particular, appeared in 90,000 links, offering a wide array of products catering to the target audience. 💰 Cryptocurrency: While crypto wallets played a lesser role, they provided insights into financial activities. Despite their perceived anonymity, our analysis of 89 identified Bitcoin and Ethereum accounts revealed incoming transactions totaling 702,400 euros, shedding light on cooperative intentions within these communities. 💰 Collaborative Efforts: Surprisingly, our investigation uncovered minimal collaboration among actors in soliciting donations, with only a few channels actively rallying support for specific wallets. This highlights a competitive landscape within the donation marketplace. 💰 Transaction Networks: Further analysis of individual wallets and transaction networks revealed limited interconnectivity among actors and negligible involvement of external funders. Instead, donations were often directed towards high-profile influencers, indicating a preference for visibility over broad support. ❗❗The findings stress the need to advocate for greater transparency and accountability on major online platforms. It's crucial to put pressure on these platforms to mitigate the exploitation of monetary incentives for radicalization.

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