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Project consulting - Civic Coding – Innovationsnetz KI für das Gemeinwohl

Civic Coding project consulting

Consulting services for AI projects for the common good

The application deadline has expired. Unfortunately, we can no longer accept your application.

Overview

  • What do we offer? Up to 30 hours of one-to-one online expert advice and hands-on support on artificial intelligence, data, strategy and organization – for your AI project for the common good.
  • For whom? Projects related to AI for the common good at all stages of development and legal forms, whether by private individuals, associations, non-profit organisations or start-ups.
  • When? The application deadline is Sunday 15 September. The consulting hours should be used by the end of October at the latest. Applications can be submitted via the Civic Coding Communityuntil all places have been allocated.

Is your project about using data for the common good?

The Civic Data Lab can help. It is a programme by civil society for civil society, run by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. Civil society stakeholders can find everything they need to overcome obstacles in using data for the common good. In the Community you will find like-minded people and in the Academy a wide range of learning opportunities on data in civil society.

You can book a data consultation hour at the Civic Data Lab to discuss your project. During the consultation it will be agreed whether and how the Civic Data Lab can support your data project with technical, organisational and legal expertise. Click here for more information.

Why should you apply

Are you facing a strategic challenge in your AI project for the common good? Would you like expert advice on AI or data-related topics? Are you just starting out and wondering how to get your idea off the ground? The Civic Coding project consulting service offers:

  • A team of interdisciplinary experts will advise and support you on the individual challenges of your project in one-to-one appointments.
  • Consultations take place online and can be tailored to your availability or individual needs.
  • You will have up to 30 hours of consulting and support at your disposal.
  • You will retain all rights to your idea and your project.
  • You can also apply for the programme with multiple projects.
  • The programme is free of charge.

Let us work together to take your AI project for the common good to the next level!

What do projects in consulting say?

    • Lola Güldenberg

      „The fact that we are now in a position to take the next steps and submit a major funding application would not have been possible without the project consulting.“

      Lola Güldenberg – Projekt „KI & Inklusion“

    • Lukas Salecker

      „Thanks to this external perspective, we were able to sharpen our unique selling point and more clearly formulate the added value that we can bring.“

      Lukas Salecker – deliberAIde

    • Cristian Amaya

      „The project consultancy really helped us move forward. In workshops involving all employees, we talked about topics such as communication and structure.“

      Cristian Amaya - ConBotics

    What topics can we offer advice on?

    • We advise you on questions such as...

      • Is AI a fit for your project? General questions on the landscape of artificial intelligence methods and their potential benefits for certain use cases
      • Can you manage our own AI? Advice on operating or hosting AI models
      • Will AI actually solve your problem? Advice on testing AI models and applications
      • Can AI align with your ethics? Advice on questions relating to the explainability, transparency and fairness of AI models
      • How might this affect sustainability? Advice on energy consumption considerations of AI

    • We advise you on questions such as...

      • Where can you find data? Data collection (e.g. web scraping, API queries)
      • Is the data you have relevant for AI? Data preparation (e.g. anonymisation, annotation)
      • How do you maintain your data? Data management (e.g. setting up databases/data structures)
      • Can you make your data available for access? Data provision (e.g. in archives/repositories or via API)
      • What can your data tell you? Data analysis
      • How can you interact with the data Data visualization? (e.g. interactively using a dashboard)
      • Is any of this feasible within the compliance structure of your organisation? Advice on compliance-relevant aspects of data processing and hosting
      • Open Data

    • We advise you on questions about...

      • the development of sustainable financing and business models
      • the development of social impact models
      • organisational and team development
      • funding opportunities
      • stakeholder participation and process-related aspects
      • project management
      • user-centred working and UX design
      • collaborative and co-creative cooperation with external partners
      • digital accessibility
      • communication and public relations

    How does the process work?

      Application

      Join the Civic Coding community and apply with your AI project for the common good in just a few steps.

      Decision

      You will receive an email from us with feedback on whether your project is eligible for the Civic Coding project consulting.

      Kick-off discussion

      In an online kick-off meeting we will learn more about you, your project and your requirements. Together, we will establish the objectives for the consultation.

      Consulting

      Your consultation begins and can be flexibly scheduled within a 30-hour time budget for advice and hands-on support.

      What are the criteria?

      We use the following criteria to determine whether your project is eligible for Civic Coding project consulting.

      Your project, your initiative or your idea...

      • offers a plausible solution to a specific societal problem and thus contributes to the common good.
      • is directly or indirectly related to at least one of the three ministries' themes or fields of action (Labour and Social Affairs, Environmental and Consumer Protection, and/or Society and Commitment).
      • has a direct or indirect connection to AI, in that artificial intelligence is used, or the preparatory work or the prerequisites for the use of artificial intelligence are provided or created, e.g. through the processing or use of data.

      In addition, your consulting needs correspond to the technical and temporal offer of the project consulting (AI consulting, data consulting, strategic and organisational consulting).

      Who will consult you?

        • Laura Heym

          I am thrilled by the enthusiasm, motivation and creativity of the teams. It is gratifying that we are able to bring both structure and momentum to the projects through consulting.

          Laura Heym, zukunft zwei

        • Simon Stegemann

          In the Civic Coding project consulting, we analyse data, processes and existing solutions in order to develop AI concepts that sustainably boost projects for the common good.

          Simon Stegemann, N3XTCODER

        • Dr. Anamika Datta

          In the era of AI, ignorance is costly. Our consulting evaluates your AI readiness, empowering informed decisions across tech and non-tech teams for Technical & Data, Team & Culture, Ethical, and Strategy & Commercial domains.

          Dr. Anamika Datta, Product expert, and AI consultant N3XTCODER ecosystem

        • Tobias Oertel

          How can artificial intelligence be used in your project so that it offers high added value for society? For AI systems to work for all of us, we need to think about how AI and its guidelines should be designed. At zukunft zwei, we focus on people and organisations in the context of technical solutions.

          Tobias Oertel, consultant on digitalisation, organisational culture, civil society and politics at zukunft zwei

        • Katrin Erbacher

          How is artificial intelligence changing the way we work together? AI systems have the potential to expand and facilitate our work. They confront us with new questions, challenges and ways of working. For digital innovation to really take hold, there needs to be a shared understanding within the organisation of what change means: from roles and communication processes to decisions, attitudes and values. At zukunft zwei, we support people in developing further in the transformation and learning together.

          Katrin Erbacher, organisational developer and systemic consultant at zukunft zwei

        • Jonathan Moore

          At N3XTCODER, we want to demystify AI. We walk you through the landscape from AI tools, to Machine Learning concepts and guide you into specific areas that are relevant to real challenges you are facing.

          Jonathan Moore, CTO & co-founder at N3XTCODER

        Conducted by

          • [Translate to English:] Zur Website von n3xtcoder
          • [Translate to English:] Zur Website von zukunft zwei

          Questions and answers

          • Your AI project for the common good must cover at least one of the subject areas of the three federal ministries, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV). The fields of action are the following:

            Topics BMAS (Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs)

            • Occupational health and safety
            • Work culture
            • Labour market
            • Work organisation
            • Transparency and explainability of AI applications
            • Social partnership and participation
            • Continuing education

            Topics BMUV (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection)

            • Environmental protection
            • Nature and species conservation
            • Natural climate protection
            • Climate change adaptation
            • Circular economy
            • Resource conservation
            • Consumer protection

            Topics BMFSFJ (Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth)

            • Democracy and diversity, prevention of antisemitism, racism, discrimination and extremism
            • Engagement and digital participation
            • Digital sovereignty and youth and media protection
            • Access to consulting, services and benefits
            • Dementia and care in old age, demographic change
            • (Economic) equality
            • Compatibility of family and career

          • Chatbots, voice assistants or smart home are examples of AI technologies that are being used more widely in society. They are becoming increasingly prominent in our everyday lives. Most of the time, the development of AI-based technologies is driven by economic interests. AI for the common good, on the other hand, is oriented towards values that are important for the general public. It enables intelligent solutions for societal challenges. The Civic Coding initiative strengthens sustainable, social and participatory models for the use and development of AI applications.

          • There are issues relevant to the common good in almost every area of social life, be it the world of work or social issues like equality, transparency and participation. In addition, the focus on the common good ranges from environmental protection and sustainability to equal rights for marginalised groups and the reduction of prejudice.

          • Yes! Projects at all development stages can apply for project consulting:

            • Idea generation
              You have a rough idea for a new product (including applications or processes) or a new service that can solve specific challenges and problems for one or more target groups.
            • Concept development
              You are developing a concept for your product or service and defining the key features. You are also developing a concrete implementation plan.
            • Prototyping and testing
              You are creating a first prototype of your product or service to make your idea tangible for first users/stakeholders. You are testing this prototype to ensure that it meets the needs of users/stakeholders.
            • Implementation and launch
              You are currently implementing an initial version of your product or service that meets at least the minimum user requirements, or are already making it available to a wider group of users.
            • Further development & scaling
              You are in the process of developing your product or service to cover more functions, a wider audience or more applications.

            In our Civic Coding community you will find projects at all these development stages. Register now and post your first project idea!

          • Yes, AI projects for the common good that will receive or have already received other funding can also apply to the project consulting programme. We look forward to supporting you in the further development of your project through this service.

          • The Civic Coding project consulting does not offer financial support. Instead, we offer hands-on support a by a team of interdisciplinary experts from zukunft zwei and N3XTCODER in the areas of AI, data organisation and strategy.

          • Yes, we assess each project independently, so you can apply more than once if you have different projects.

          • Yes, you retain all rights to your project or idea.