Vaccination programs & Cancer-fighting AI: OpenSky's Leading Research

Research and development is at the heart of the technologies that tomorrow's generations will use every day. At OpenSky, we actively collaborate with leading institutions on some of the EU's largest research programs. Here's how we're playing our part in building the systems and world of tomorrow. 

Without research, none of the tech we take for granted today would exist. From the internet and IoT technologies to the blockchain, cloud-based tech, and edge computing — research, development and time are the difference between experimental ideas and everyday essential business tools. At OpenSky, it’s one of our core beliefs that Research is among the most important facets of delivering high-quality technologies and tools on the global business stage; every year, we invest at least 10% of our revenue into new research programs.

From Electronic Vaccination Registries and biomimicry machine learning projects, to using AI and blockchain to improve access to quality public healthcare, our research division is engaged in some of the largest research programs in Europe. Here’s how research is driving everything we do at OpenSky, and how it directly leads to better and faster cutting-edge tech solutions for our partners. 

How our research department works

At the heart of our Research efforts is our passionate and talented research lead, Dr Tudor Pitulac. He brings more than 20 years’ experience with European funding programs to his efforts in spearheading multiple million-euro research funding programs with partners from across the globe. 

“Technology is about discovery and mastery. For us in our industry, we need to be out in front of our clients and competitors, and that means we need to be at the front of technology research and development,” he explained.

“If we are engaged in important research, and using tools to solve the latest, hardest problems, it means we are learning what we need to offer better solutions and technologies to our government and public sector partners.”

OpenSky Top Research and Development Projects in 2022

To ensure that the technologies we are building are future-thinking and using cutting-edge discoveries and research techniques, we’re engaged in some of the EU’s largest research programs, including Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe (where OpenSky are members of numerous consortia that prepare project proposals), and more. Here are just a few of them:

• MSD privately financed research – The state-of-art in Electronic Vaccination Registers. This 4-phase research project has expanded from scoring the efficacy of the Electronic Vaccination Registries (EVRs) of 30+ countries in the EU and UK, to now examining more than 50 countries, including territories across the Asia Pacific region.
• Cardynal – A research program that’s exploring how we can use AI in the fight against cancer.
• cAPItalise – This AI/ML program hopes to take advantage of a mountain of energy-related data to help human engineers and designers improve energy efficiency and sustainable practices.
• “IAIA” – This ATOS-led project proposal is discovering how cybersecurity professionals could leverage the power of AI to defeat AI-based systems employed in cyberattacks.
• Connect-5 – OpenSky’s contribution to this project proposal led by RCSI is toward improving access, trust, and security in public health using blockchain infrastructure.
• ‘setBACk’ – This research project proposal is headed by the International Energy Research Centre at Tyndall National Institute and will uncover critical insights into better energy sustainability practices and techniques.
• Digital Health for All – Our involvement in this research program will help to build the tech and tools that are vital to helping better assist people with disabilities in the health services industry.
• The ‘Anaconda’ project – This project has been prepared under Marie Curie Doctoral Networks program in HEU. As 9 chemistry PhD students generate data and knowledge about biomimicry, our Computing & ML PhD researcher will use sophisticated AI techniques to accelerate useful discoveries.  

“We try to be a be a part of as many project proposals as possible, so that we can gain experience and be able to generate/initiate projects. Our goal is to have research projects aligned to our commercial ones – cutting-edge tech on the research and academic level which drives real system change in corporate and government organisations.”

Dr Tudor Pitulac

How Investment in Research Leads to Better Technology Solutions

Here are 4 ways our research participation is directly improving our professional tech solutions.

Broad experience

Our involvement in so many research programs allows us to get a lot of experience and experimentation across a broad range of industries, tools, and technical applications. This lets us master brand-new and popular tech stacks alike, so that whatever technologies we build, we’re building them well. 

Direct, frontline experience in tomorrow’s essential tech tools

Whether it’s AI, the blockchain, machine learning, or experimental cloud tools, our participation in cutting-edge EU research programs allows us to pioneer and master tomorrow’s essential technologies before they become a must-have.

Consistent practical experience in today’s essentials

With every research project we join, we get a golden opportunity to refine and perfect our techniques and approaches with the most popular and widespread essential tech stacks, frameworks, and languages that underpin the digital landscape. This creates more efficient, lower-investment technologies for businesses that need them to be competitive.

A tide that lifts all boats

Our research findings and discoveries aren’t just for us but are made in the public sphere for some of the EU’s largest research organisations. The discoveries, efficiencies, and advances that we make in new and old technologies inform and advance standard uses and practices, producing a tech space that is better for all.

Since 2004, OpenSky has been using its in-depth research and development efforts to deliver new tools, methods, and solutions that bring value to our partners’ operations. Our work in Horizon EU and other large research programs give us time and unparalleled experience in mastering tomorrow's tools, as well as today's. 

Click below to find out what kinds of leading research, cutting-edge tools, and innovative solutions we’ll bring to solve your unique organisation goals and challenges.