KickstartAI and AI Coalition 4 NL Continue Successful Collaboration with National AI Challenge 2025

Utrecht, April 23, 2025 - In an announcement at the National AI Congress today, KickstartAI and the AI Coalition 4 NL (AIC4NL) have once again joined forces to accelerate the AI revolution in the Netherlands. Frans Muller, CEO of Ahold Delhaize, one of the founding partner companies of KickstartAI, unveiled the second edition of the National AI Challenge, the flagship of this renewed collaboration. This challenge promises to deliver concrete AI solutions for urgent societal and business issues, underscoring the Netherlands' ambition to lead in global AI development.

The National AI Challenge was introduced by KickstartAI and AI Coalition 4 NL in 2024, focusing on solving concrete challenges in businesses and social organizations using AI. The winner of the first edition, Erasmus MC, has worked with KickstartAI over the past year to improve efficiency and quality of care in the Emergency Department through AI technology.

The National AI Challenge 2025 will start at the end of April and will select not one but two use cases this year. The selection will take place in September by a jury of AI experts. Participating organizations must present a concrete, relevant problem within their core activities, with potential for societal impact and sufficient qualitative data for AI development.

Nils Beers, CEO at KickstartAI:

"We are delighted to continue our successful collaboration with AIC4NL and build on the momentum of last year's National AI Challenge. This partnership enables us to jointly address pressing societal challenges with innovative AI solutions, and we are excited to see the impact of this year's selected use cases."

"The ongoing collaboration with KickstartAI is crucial for promoting AI adoption and development in the Netherlands," says Klaas Wagenaar, Board Member of AIC4NL. The National AI Challenge is an example of our commitment to promoting practical AI applications that benefit society, and we look forward to supporting this year's initiatives."

During the congress, KickstartAI and Erasmus MC will share their experiences in developing and implementing AI solutions in healthcare in a breakout session, including initial insights and results from their collaboration.

For more information on participating in the National AI Challenge 2025, click here