NCC for HPC at INOFEST 2024: Innovation Festival in Žilina
On September 17 and 18, 2024, the fifth edition of the innovation festival INOFEST 2024 organized by the INOVATO association, took place in Žilina. The event became a unique platform for the meeting of experts, entrepreneurs, academics, innovators, students, representatives of the state administration and the public, thereby strengthening cooperation in the field of regional innovation ecosystems in Slovakia.
More than 200 participants attended the two-day program, which included lectures, workshops, discussions and networking. The main goal of the event was to contribute to the connection of companies and other actors at the national level, while creating new business opportunities and inspiration for solving current challenges in the business and social environment.
The first day's program focused on key topics such as automation, robotics, space industry and sustainable solutions. Experts such as František Duchoň from the National Robotics Center spoke at the conference, who talked about Slovakia's progress in the field of robotics, and Michaela Musilová, an astrobiologist and astronaut, who presented the possibilities of how space technologies can improve life on Earth.
A leading place also belonged to the topics of sustainability, circular economy and modularity, where, for example, Stanislav Martinec from KOMA Modular spoke about how modular construction can contribute to a sustainable future. During the first day of INOFEST 2024, a significant part of the program was devoted to the topic of artificial intelligence under the title "Artificial intelligence as the topic of 2024". In his presentation, Libor Bešényi from XOLUTION ROBOTS focused on the implementation of AI in businesses and drew attention to the difference between effective and unnecessary deployment of AI. Martin Jančura from ITRANSYS explained that not all AI is the same and understanding it correctly is key to success. Martin Haranta from PERBIOTIX pointed out how AI can help even small companies achieve great success. Mária Bieliková from KInIT spoke about the potential of AI to transform Slovakia in the field of business and the public sector. The block ended with Vladimír Šucha, representative of the European Commission in Slovakia, with the presentation "Artificial intelligence in action: Catalyst of changes in the economy and society". Šucha emphasized that AI is not only a technological tool, but also a catalyst for fundamental changes in the economy, education and public services, which can fundamentally affect the future of Slovakia and Europe. The evening was characterized by innovations and a social program, including a musical performance by Tomáš Bezdeda and the ceremonial presentation of the innovation award.
The second day of the festival was dedicated to inspiration from business, where successful entrepreneurs such as Artur Gevorkyan and Ľubomír Klieštik presented their stories. The conversation with Michaela Musilová attracted the attention of the younger generation in particular, as she shared her experiences from scientific missions and simulations of life on Mars.
The INOFEST 2024 program also included a special workshop attended by the National Competence Center for High Performance Computing (HPC). Lucia Demovičová presented the competence center project, which helps companies and institutions use powerful computing capacities to solve demanding tasks in the field of research and development.
During his presentation, Michal Pitonák presented several successful case studiessuccess storieson which NCC collaborated with various companies. These projects have shown how the use of supercomputers and computing clusters can accelerate and streamline innovation and product development in various industries.
In addition to the main program, participants had the opportunity to take part in side events, including an exhibition of innovative technologies, robotics workshops and discussions on the future of electromobility. One of the highlights of the festival was the presentation of financing options for innovative projects, where experts provided an overview of available resources, including European funds and the Horizon Europe program.
INOFEST 2024 in Žilina once again proved that Slovakia is a country where innovation, cooperation and new technologies have their place and that such a festival can be a great opportunity for building relationships, inspiration and growth in the field of innovation.
