Opening Mondai: House of AI

The new House of AI, Mondai, officially opened on the TU Delft campus on Thursday. At Mondai, science, education and innovation in AI will be brought together through a program of conferences, workshops, hackathons and other events for students, alumni, scientists, professionals and the interested public. Mondai is also the first place of convergence in Delft: where collaboration between TU Delft, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Erasmus MC regarding AI, data and digitization can take place.

Mondai is the Japanese word for ‘question’ or ‘problem’. The aim is to connect parties in an accessible way, and thus stimulate innovation, capitalize on economic opportunities and contribute to social challenges and problems. Think, for example, of inspiration sessions for SMEs, where companies and organizations are helped to use AI appropriately to complete a project or answer a question.

Collaboration is crucial

Geert-Jan Houben, Magnificus AI Professional Vice-Rector, Data and Digitization at TU Delft, says: “The potential of artificial intelligence (AI) as an enabling technology is enormous. At TU Delft, we research, design and build AI technology itself, as well as its use, and we develop innovations together with the business community. AI education is available to all students and AI plays a key role in research across all faculties. It’s great that Mondai is now here, a place where partners can also meet in person.

Rector Magnificus Tim van der Hagen adds: “AI, data and digitization are increasingly essential to solving the great scientific and social problems of our time. Nearly 1500 scientists at TU Delft alone are working on AI. The TU Delft Campus innovation ecosystem also emphasizes AI and digitization, with several field labs such as RoboHouse, SAM|XL and Do IoT. To be able to capitalize on the great potential in the field of AI, collaboration between all these parties is crucial. With Mondai, TU Delft takes the lead in this area.

New ideas and connections

TU Delft also works within the so-called convergence in close collaboration with Erasmus University and Erasmus MC on various themes. Mondai is home to Place de la Convergence, a meeting place for scientists and other partners active in the Convergence. For the AI, data & digitalization theme, Leiden University and LUMC are also affiliated. Floris Italianer, director of Convergence, says: “In times of Covid and post-Covid, it is important to also have a good meeting place. We are now creating this with this convergence place on the TU Delft campus. New ideas and connections can arise here. In this way we are creating new opportunities together and as a region we can play a leading role in this important topic.

Things to do in Mondaic

Mondai activities and programming have already started: for example, a symposium on AI from Team Epoch, one of the DreamTeams, has taken place, and there are regular DeepDive meetings for AI centered on human. An AI inspiration session for SMEs and AI Convergence ‘Mixers’ are planned for the fall, during which actors from business and government are brought together around a specific theme. The TU Delft AI Labs will also hold their monthly meetings at Mondai.

More information

Mondai is located in the community building NEXT Delft. You will find an accessible event and presentation room, a content studio, workspaces and a meeting point. For more information: www.mondai.nl†