Despite producing petabytes of high-value scientific data, many Research Infrastructures lack the scalable compute environments and AI tools needed to extract its full potential. RI-SCALE develops Data Exploitation Platforms — not for sharing the data itself, but to empower each RI to analyse, exploit, and innovate with their own data using cutting-edge AI and data exploitation technologies.
Maximise the Value of Your Research infrastructure Data with RI-SCALE
Pain Points Addressed by the Project
The RI-SCALE project targets fundamental obstacles to exploiting the growing volume and complexity of research data produced by Research Infrastructures (RIs). While each RI generates valuable datasets, many lack the tools, compute capabilities, or expertise needed to realise their full potential. RI-SCALE focuses on developing reusable, scalable technologies that individual RIs can adopt to extract greater value from their own data holdings.
The pain points and solutions provided by the project are as follows:
Difficulty in Reusing and Valorising Large and Complex Datasets
Pain Point: The increasing scale and complexity of RI-generated data makes it difficult to reuse or valorise, particularly where RIs lack the technical infrastructure or capacity to support high-end analysis.
Solution: RI-SCALE delivers Data Exploitation Platforms (DEPs) — cloud-hosted, AI-enabled environments that empower RIs to process and analyse large datasets using advanced, scalable tools. These platforms enable deeper insights and greater reusability, tailored to each RI’s domain and data.
Limited Access to Advanced Compute and AI Capabilities
Pain Point: Many RIs lack sufficient computational resources to support modern AI-based analysis, limiting their ability to unlock value from data.
Solution: RI-SCALE enables access to scalable e-infrastructure and AI frameworks that can be deployed within or alongside RIs. These services offer powerful analysis capabilities without requiring local high-performance computing resources.
Limited Technological Interoperability and Tool Reuse
Pain Point: While RIs often operate independently, many face similar technical challenges. However, there is limited reuse of AI tools, frameworks, and platforms across domains.
Solution: RI-SCALE promotes technology-level interoperability, enabling RIs to adopt common AI frameworks and tools, even while keeping their data siloed. This fosters a shared ecosystem of reusable components and best practices, without necessitating data integration or cross-RI data sharing.
Fragmented AI Innovation Across RIs
Pain Point: AI-related initiatives within RIs are often isolated and inconsistent, leading to duplication and underutilised potential.
Solution: RI-SCALE integrates AI technologies into its platforms in a modular, reusable way. This enables systematic development, adaptation, and deployment of AI models across different RIs, reducing fragmentation and accelerating impact.
Skills Gaps in AI and Data Analytics
Pain Point: Many RIs lack the in-house expertise to implement or apply AI-driven data exploitation, limiting their ability to fully leverage emerging technologies.
Solution: RI-SCALE delivers targeted training and knowledge-sharing activities for both RI operators and end-users. Through competence centres, workshops, and webinars, the project equips technical staff with the skills to deploy and maintain AI tools, while also empowering researchers and users to effectively apply these tools in their domain-specific data contexts.
Barriers to SME Participation in Research Data Exploitation
Pain Point: SMEs often struggle to access RI technologies or engage with research data ecosystems, missing opportunities to innovate.
Solution: RI-SCALE supports collaborative engagement models that bring SMEs into the development and validation of exploitation platforms. This opens new channels for SMEs to create value-added services or applications using AI technologies adapted to RI data contexts.
Become a Partner in RI-SCALE
RI-SCALE is inviting new partners to co-design and test its Data Exploitation Platforms (DEPs). We’re looking for:
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Research Infrastructures
Do you generate large datasets but lack the computing resources or AI tools to fully exploit them? Join us to explore how DEPs can unlock new research and reuse pathways for your data.
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Compute Centres
Are you looking to expand your service offering with AI-ready platforms for scientific users? RI-SCALE offers a chance to collaborate on scalable DEP deployments and serve new research communities.
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SMEs, Startups & Spin-offs
Are you developing AI tools or looking for access to scientific datasets and compute environments to test and scale your solutions?
RI-SCALE engages spin-offs from university ecosystems and EDIH-supported companies: 1)Validate DEP capabilities, 2) Co-design services, 3) Access resources through a credit-based model
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Academia & Innovation Networks
Universities, trainers, and digital innovation hubs (DIHs) are encouraged to contribute to training, co-design, and dissemination efforts. If you’re part of a knowledge-transfer programme or national RI node, there’s a place for you in the RI-SCALE Competence Centre.
