Nordic AI Talks To Animals

And how AI funding is performing across the Nordic region

Author

Peter Juel Jensen
October 03, 2024

Pioneer AI: Checking the Nordic AI Pulse

Welcome to Pioneer AI’s newsletter, The Nordic AI Pulse. We are a Nordics-focused AI investment fund.

We track, share, and analyse information and insights on Nordic-related AI news, deals, and trends.

📚 In This Issue:

  1. Nordic AI Talks to Animals

  2. Nordic AI News

  3. Nordic AI Funding News

  4. Podcast Insights

  5. Upcoming: Nordic AI Events You Shouldn't Miss

Nordic AI Talks to Animals

What happened: Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have decoded the meanings of 19 distinct pig grunts and squeals using artificial intelligence. Over ten years of study, the team recorded over 15,000 pig sounds from farms in Denmark and Germany, identifying emotions such as happiness, sadness, and stress. Their findings show that pigs in conventional farms express distress more frequently (25% of the time) than those in outdoor environments (8%).

Reports in Danish media on the research.

Why it matters: The study shows how AI can deepen our understanding of animal welfare. These insights would never have been uncovered without AI. By decoding pig emotions through AI, we can better respond to their needs and improve their treatment, paving the way for more humane farming practices. This also highlights how the Nordic region can combine AI innovation with the region's commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. Moreover, it could provide an interest boost to other AgTech + AI startups in the Nordic region, positioning them at the forefront of AI-driven solutions for agriculture.

What do you think? Any comments or thoughts? Let us know via email or contact us on the Pioneer AI LinkedIn page here. 

Nordic News Roundup

  • Young generations in Sweden use AI to pay bills, invest in the stock market, and apply for loans. [SE] (Dagens PS)

  • The creator of “SkoleGPT” for elementary schools discusses how AI puts teachers between a rock and a hard place. [DK] (Folkeskolen)

  • According to a new survey, 20% of Norwegian companies are using AI. [NO] (Dagens Perspektiv)

  • Swedish university wants to transform students’ AI ideas into working business models in 120 hours. [SE] (Vioster)

  • AI is being used to predict the risk of breast cancer by studying the so-called “zombie cells.” [DK] (Ritzau)

  • Will AI prove to be a boost to nuclear power? [NO] (Kode24)

  • 50% of Swedes are interested in AI that simplifies their daily lives. [SE] (Samsung)

  • AI is being rolled out to make traffic safer for people with reduced mobility in Sweden. [SE] (University of Gothenburg)

  • Danish AI company could be heading for a huge payday. [DK] (Børsen) - Paywall

  • This 15-year-old Swede has built his own AI service. [SE] (Ny Teknik)

🚀AI Funding News🚀

Select Nordic AI-related deals, investments, acquisitions and insights. 

Congratulations to all of the founders and teams!

Pioneer AI’s top Nordic AI funding insights and highlights:

1: How did AI do in Q3?

Pioneer AI tracked 21 Nordic AI deals in the third quarter of 2024. The quarter’s biggest funding round was Leya raising a $25 million series A. The region’s capitals dominated funding activity. Zefort, based in Kaarina in western Finland, was the only company located outside Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo to close a funding round this quarter.

2: Looking at 100+ AI deals for the year

So far, we have tracked 80 funding rounds across the Nordics for 2024. That puts funding activity on track to surpass 100 deals for the year - a testament to the attractive and active AI ecosystems found across the Nordics. The year’s largest funding round so far belongs to Norwegian 1X, which raised $100 million in January.

3: Across the spectrum

A closer look at this year’s funding rounds reveals the breadth and width of the Nordic AI scene. Companies from agtech to wildlife conservation have closed funding rounds in 2024. AI combined with Software-as-a-Service has proven a popular category for investors, with 16 closed funding rounds. Analytics, Generative AI solutions, Energy-related AI, and Enterprise Software are also among the top-performing categories, measured by the number of funding rounds in 2024.

🎧Listen To🎧

Nordic AI news and analysis for your ears.

  • In Good Company - The Norweigan Wealth Fund’s podcast talks to the EU’s top tech regulator, Margrethe Vestager, about the future of AI.

  • Prompt [DK] - Will AIs like Google’s new Notebook LM tool disrupt the podcast space?

  • Data Management in the Nordics - On how AI is creating a paradigm shift in data and data management.

📅Training, Meetups & Conferences📅

Conferences

  • October 14-18: Process Mining Conference 2024: Industry and scientific conference on process mining. [Copenhagen, Denmark]

  • October 18: IMA AI Conference: The 50th International Management Assistants Conference will examine the state of the industry and potential disruptions by AI. [Stockholm, Sweden]

  • October 21-22: Nordic AI Meet: Symposium early-career AI researchers to network, collaborate, exchange ideas, and form a Nordic approach to building AI solutions for the societal good. [Helsinki, Finland]

  • October 21-23: D3A: The Danish Digitalization, Data Science and AI brings together a diverse audience to explore the latest trends and research in AI. [Nyborg, Denmark]

  • October 30-31: Digital Tech Summit: Denmark's largest deep tech conference, exhibition, and meeting place for researchers and Danish companies. [Copenhagen, Denmark]

  • November 6: AI Summit 2024: Explore real-life use cases for AI in businesses with input from leading Danish companies on their experiences and initiatives. [Aarhus, Denmark]

  • November 13: AI Day 2024: The latest AI knowledge from 35 Danish and international experts and inspiration for your company on implementing AI tools. [Aarhus, Denmark]

  • November 13: AI in municipalities and civil society: AI lessons learned from public organisation and focus on what challenges and solutions look like going forward. [Stockholm, Sweden]

  • December 10-12: First International Conference in AI Music Studies: Explores the prospects, challenges and new methodologies required to study AI music. [Stockholm, Sweden]

Meetups

Do you know an event, meetup or similar that you think should be on the list? Let me know!

Got an AI story or insight from the Nordics? Share it with us!

Reply to this email or connect on LinkedIn.

Until next time,

Pioneer Venture AI,