JADS MKB Datalab kicks-off 12 new projects for 10 SME companies

On Friday 21 February 2025, JADS MKB Datalab launched a new round of projects. This time 12 projects with 10 SMEs. From professional medical and fire safety service at events, to UN-certified plastic packaging solutions, from dairy supply to remote access and IIoT solutions. A wide range of different companies! JADS MKB Datalab, founded in 2018, has a mission to make data science and AI accessible to SMEs. Although a digital transition can be a big step forward especially for small companies, they often do not immediately see the added value of data science and AI, do not know where to start or do not have the right skills themselves to get started with data. JADS MKB Datalab offers accessible solutions. During the kick-off session, the companies were personally introduced and paired with the student consultants.

JADS MKB Datalab has assisted a wide variety of companies over the past seven years, for whom it has carried out a diverse range of projects, from fairly simple to highly complex. The number of supported entrepreneurs now stands at 203, but the number of implemented projects is almost double at 375, as many past entrepreneurs come back for more. For master students working for JADS MKB Datalab as an independent consultant, this is proof that every company can get more out of data science and AI.

10 project partners at the same time

Friday 21 February 2025 was the kick-off for a new round of projects with 10 project partners. The master students, including from JADS Data Science in Business and Entrepreneurship, who will carry out the assignments for the JADS MKB Datalab, will work on interesting delineated projects in which they will help organisations become more data-driven. Companies like Polder Knowledge, Event Medical Service, CurTec, XLINQ, Wienerberger, Greenaumatic, iBuyFlowers, Interfood, IXON and Annadiva are taking their (next) step in the field of value creation with Data and AI with twelve projects.

JADS MKB Datalab’s track record: more than 203 SME entrepreneurs helped during 375+ projects. 

The kick-off at the JADS campus was led by Anique Kuijpers, Virgil Sowirono and Jules Kuipers. During the kick-off, SME Companies introduced themselves and met with the student consultants.

Projects?

Some of the projects the student consultants will work on together with the JADS MKB Datalab:

• Sales Forecasting for Smarter Inventory Management – A company in the packaging industry wants to enhance operational efficiency by developing a sales forecast model. The goal? Optimized inventory management that ensures reliable, sustainable solutions while boosting customer satisfaction.

• Translating Industry Expertise into Data-Driven Decisions – An organization with decades of experience aims to improve decision-making processes by leveraging data. By transforming industry knowledge into a predictive model, the company seeks to enhance operational efficiency and streamline workflows.

• Customer Insights for a Smarter Hardware Product Line – A technology-driven company supporting industrial manufacturers wants to gain deeper insights into customer interactions with its hardware products. By analyzing usage patterns, the company can refine its cloud-based platform, improving remote monitoring, service capabilities, and performance analytics.

• Scaling an ESG Data Platform with Smart Infrastructure – A growing ESG-focused organization is looking to professionalize its data platform to support business growth and evolving customer needs. The focus is on building a robust data science infrastructure and creating clear, user-friendly work instructions for both internal teams and clients.

Central kick-off provides additional insight

During a kick-off moment, the companies introduce themselves and their challenges, and the students who will work on the challenges also introduce themselves. The students then make individual agreements about the working method and communication with the company for which they are taking up a challenge. The planning of the eight-week projects is overseen by a professional from the JADS MKB Datalab. These sessions are very inspiring, as it also gives a good idea of what other companies from completely different sectors are working on in terms of value creation from data. The demand of the SME company is central within projects, as students carry out the projects as a side job outside the curriculum. Besides delivering a defined project, students gain practical work experience; such as development of both soft-skills in addition to the hard skills from the course.

Eager to discover how JADS MKB Datalab can help your SME business?

Discover where the opportunities lie for your organization! April 25, 2025 we have a new kick-off session. To optimize your business question, please apply before April 4th, 2025. Find out more on our JADS MKB Datalab page.