Programme
Innovation Lab
A tailored 6–12 month programme for organizations facing a complex challenge that existing tools cannot solve. Together we design, develop and implement a bespoke Prescriptive AI solution.
About the Lab
The ABW Innovation Lab is a tailored 6–12 month programme for organizations facing a complex challenge that cannot be solved with existing tools or standard approaches. Together, we design, develop and implement a bespoke Prescriptive AI solution that helps organizations make better decisions. By combining scientific research with practical solution development, we create decision-support tools tailored to each organization's operational reality.
Every Innovation Lab is supported by ABW's unique ecosystem of universities and industry partners. Researchers contribute new analytical methods and scientific validation, while companies bring technical expertise and implementation experience. Together, we develop solutions that work in practice while contributing to new research, open-source tools and knowledge that can benefit the wider sector.
Is the Innovation Lab for you?
Innovation Labs are designed for organizations facing a complex strategic challenge that cannot be solved with off-the-shelf technology. We are looking for organizations that:
Have a challenge that Prescriptive AI can address
Seek a bespoke solution rather than an existing product
Are committed to implementing the solution in their organization
Are willing to work closely with academic and industry partners over an extended period
Are interested in contributing to broader scientific and sector-wide learning
Innovation Labs are particularly suitable where solving the challenge requires new analytical methods, organizational change and long-term collaboration.
Key concept
What is Prescriptive AI?
Most organizations use data to understand what happened or to predict what might happen. Prescriptive AI goes one step further and answers a harder question:
“Given what’s happening and what’s likely to happen, what should we do next?”
By combining data, predictive insights and mathematical optimization, it recommends the best course of action while respecting real-world constraints such as budgets, capacity, equity and time.
Typical decision challenges
How do we allocate scarce staff, vehicles or financial resources?
How can we reach the most beneficiaries with a limited budget?
Where should we locate our facilities or services?
How should we distribute food, medicines or other essential supplies?
Which routes minimize travel time, costs or emissions?
How can we organize the collection of waste, donations or reusable products?
What is the best plan when demand or supply is uncertain?
How the Innovation Lab works
Every Innovation Lab follows the principles of Design Thinking, combining human-centred design with analytics, AI and scientific research. Organizations work as one integrated team with experts from ABW’s academic and industry network, so solutions are technically robust, scientifically validated and designed for successful implementation.
01
Challenge
We start by defining the decision challenge. Together we explore the organizational context, dive into the problem, assess available data and set clear objectives, success criteria and implementation requirements.
02
Solution Design
The team designs the Prescriptive AI approach, which may involve new optimization models, algorithms and software. Researchers contribute scientific expertise, while industry partners bring implementation experience and technical know-how.
03
Co-Development
Researchers, data scientists, software engineers and domain experts build and validate the solution alongside your organization. Your team strengthens its capabilities through hands-on collaboration, coaching and knowledge transfer, while new insights may feed publications, open-source tools and reusable methods.
04
Pilot
The solution is tested in a real operational environment. Together we evaluate performance, refine models, train users and support organizational change so the solution fits existing workflows.
05
Scale
After a successful pilot, the solution is prepared for wider implementation. Your organization receives technical documentation and continues with its implementation roadmap to scale the solution internally.
Why work through an Innovation Lab?
A production-ready solution
Developed with leading researchers and industry experts who are otherwise hard and costly to access.
Validated methods
Scientifically validated methods that are ready for operational implementation.
A trained team and roadmap
The people and the plan to sustain and scale the solution inside your organization.
Sector-wide learning
The opportunity to contribute to publications, open-source tools and shared knowledge.
Explore an Innovation Lab
If a complex strategic challenge could benefit from analytics and AI, let’s explore whether a Lab is the right fit. Where external funding is needed, we develop joint funding proposals with partners.