From AI-powered gardening to phone bots: AI Hub Nuremberg advises SMEs and small businesses

In many SMEs and small businesses in the Nuremberg metropolitan region, AI has long been a topic of discussion, but it rarely happens on its own. Companies often lack their own IT departments, the initial use cases are unclear, and questions regarding the GDPR and the EU AI Act often remain unanswered. Added to this is the search for lessons learned from other companies that have already gone through this process. This is exactly where the AI Hub Nuremberg comes in, an initiative by Wirtschaftsförderung Nürnberg and NIK e.V., launched on January 1, 2025.  

Here’s what the AI Hub offers:  

We spoke with Andrea Reindel, project manager at NIK e.V. and one of the driving forces behind  the AI Hub, about the questions businesses are currently bringing to the table, how high the demand is in the region, and why, in the end, almost everything boils down to the shortage of skilled workers.  

Andrea often repeats this line during initial consultations. Many companies believe they have to switch to a completely different world. But that’s not the case. Canva, HubSpot, Adobe, and Claude have long been part of the toolkit at many companies and come equipped with AI features. She herself has just switched from ChatGPT to Claude because it works better for her day-to-day business. So anyone looking to get started with AI rarely starts from scratch. It’s more about consciously using existing tools, clarifying expectations, and identifying use cases that will truly make a difference in your own business.  

Andreas’s stance on the current AI debate is clear. Data protection and data sovereignty must be taken seriously. But the collective fear that AI will “take over the world” has, in her view, an effect that is not discussed enough: people aren’t experimenting, aren’t implementing, and aren’t developing anything further.  

This dual approach shapes the work of the AI Hub: identifying risks, but enabling action. Andrea speaks openly about the fact that language models can make mistakes, invent connections, and distort sources. That is precisely why it is important to know the limits and not to accept everything an AI spits out at face value. It is this blend of openness and realism that appeals to many companies that are unable to assess the situation in-house. That is why the AI Hub’s expert network also includes AI legal experts who publish checklists. Questions regarding the GDPR, the General Data Protection Regulation, and the EU AI Act—which increasingly affects every company, regardless of size—are among the most common concerns. There is significant uncertainty about whether one is even allowed to get started. 

If you want to understand exactly what happens at the AI Hub, take a look at the use cases that companies bring to the table. There’s the nursery that wants to control its sowing and watering via AI sensors: soil moisture, weather data, and plant needs all in one loop. There’s the doctor’s office where the phone never stops ringing and an AI phone assistant is supposed to handle the initial communication so the team can focus on patients. And there are many small and medium-sized businesses building internal knowledge databases so that  employees no longer have to search through four tools for answers to their questions about vacation requests or process documentation, but instead receive a response from an AI assistant.  

From Andreas’s perspective, the same underlying motive usually lies behind these various cases: a shortage of skilled workers. Many workshops and practices are short-staffed. AI isn’t meant to replace these workers, but to take over routine tasks so the team can focus on what they’re qualified to do. That’s exactly where the AI Hub comes in: with initial consultations,  knowledge sharing, and a network of over 70 experts who are matched to specific needs. All events are free thanks to funding from the Nuremberg Economic Development Agency, making them accessible even to businesses without a consulting budget. Andrea and her team adapt the program flexibly; whatever is currently on the community’s mind makes it onto the agenda.  

When the AI Hub launched on January 1, 2025, the internal forecast was that small businesses would still be hesitant. The opposite has turned out to be true. Every day, the AI Hub receives inquiries from businesses that are getting started with AI or are actively working on AI agents and need support in
finding specialists. This response, particularly from smaller businesses, is the  reason behind the decision to extend the project by two years. 

At the same time, the target audience is expanding. In collaboration with Nuremberg University of Applied Sciences, an AI lecture series for students and recent graduates is currently being developed. The goal is for them to understand early on  how AI is transforming their professional world before they find themselves right in the thick of it. This bridge  between academia and the professional world is particularly important to Andrea: Those who enter the workforce in two years will encounter companies where AI has long been part of everyday life. 

At the Nürnberg Digital Festival 2026, the AI Hub is once again a cooperation partner of the AI  Camp. The partnership began as early as 2025 and, in Andrea’s view, “simply worked.”  The large AI Hub community brings experts and real-world questions that the AI Camp can address directly.  

Andrea Reindel is a project manager at NIK e.V., where she oversees the AI Hub Nuremberg. For the past two years, she has been working within the digital economy network on events, working groups, and association-related matters. The AI Hub Nuremberg was launched on January 1, 2025, on the initiative of Wirtschaftsförderung Nürnberg and NIK e.V., and serves as the central point of contact for SMEs and craft businesses in Nuremberg that want to get started with or expand their use of artificial intelligence.

What is the AI Hub Nuremberg?
The AI Hub Nuremberg is an initiative of the Nuremberg Economic Development Agency and NIK e.V. It was launched on January 1, 2025, and serves as the central point of contact for SMEs and craft businesses in Nuremberg that want to get started with or expand their use of artificial intelligence. Over 70 experts from the network provide support through knowledge sharing, networking, and free events.

How much do the AI Hub Nuremberg events cost?
All AI Hub Nuremberg events are free of charge. This is made possible by funding from the Nuremberg Economic Development Agency. There are no participation fees. 

Who is the AI Hub Nuremberg intended for?
The primary target group consists of SMEs and  craft businesses in Nuremberg. In 2026, the target group will be expanded to include students and  recent graduates, among other initiatives, through an AI lecture series at the Nuremberg  University of Applied Sciences. 

What typical use cases do companies bring to the AI Hub?
 Common use cases include AI phone assistants in doctors’ offices, internal knowledge databases for employees, and automation using AI sensors. A concrete example: A nursery wanted to automate sowing and watering using AI sensors. 

How are AI Hub Nuremberg and the AI Camp at the Nuremberg Digital Festival connected?
AI Hub Nuremberg is a partner of AI Camp 2026, which will take place on July 1, 2026, at the Z-Bau in Nuremberg. The two events complement each other: AI Hub supports AI beginners year-round, while AI Camp serves as the annual gathering of the AI community as part of the Nuremberg Digital Festival. 

When will AI Camp 2026 take place?
AI Camp 2026 will take place on July 1, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Z-Bau, Frankenstr. 200, 90461 Nuremberg. The event will be conducted in English. Tickets are available at: AI Camp Tickets