CLAIRE

What CLAIRE does

CAIRNE (formerly CLAIRE, Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe AISBL) is an international non-profit association founded in 2018 and headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, with additional offices in Brussels, Guimarães, Oslo, Paris, Prague, Rome, Saarbrücken, and Zürich. The organization does not develop or commercialize AI technology; instead, it functions as a coordinating body that promotes European excellence in AI research and innovation with a human-centred focus, and represents the interests of the European AI community across research, industry, and policy.

CAIRNE's core offerings are organized around three membership-based networks: a Research Network of more than 500 member groups and institutions that conduct AI research, an Innovation Network for for-profit AI organizations, and a Rising Researchers Network (R2Network) of more than 260 PhD students, postdocs, and master students. Complementing these networks are educational resources (brAInfoods, "AI in a Nutshell," EU AI Act explainer), Special Interest Groups (AI for Space, Ethical/Legal/Social Aspects of AI), Theme Development Workshops, and signature events such as the European Robotics Forum.

CAIRNE is funded primarily through EU Horizon program participation and donations, with no commercial pricing model — membership and access to networks are offered free of charge to qualifying institutions. Supporters include nine European national governments (Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Slovak Republic, and Spain) and Gold Member institutions such as DFKI, INRIA, Sapienza University Rome, and CERN-affiliated groups. In 2023 the organization rebranded from CLAIRE to CAIRNE following a legal trademark challenge, while preserving its legal name, governance, and member commitments.

Name

CLAIRE

Legal name

Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe AISBL

Website

https://claire-ai.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CAIRNE (formerly CLAIRE) is a Netherlands-headquartered, Belgium-registered international non-profit association that coordinates Europe's AI research community through three membership networks spanning 500+ research groups, for-profit AI organizations, and 260+ early-career researchers, supported by nine national governments and EU Horizon funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AI Research Community Organization

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• AI research collaboration
• European AI policy
• Research network membership
• AI community building
• Human-centred AI

Headquarters

HQ city

The Hague

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. EU Horizon Funding: CAIRNE participates in EU Horizon calls to fund and facilitate community building initiatives, research collaborations, and AI projects across Europe.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CAIRNE (formerly CLAIRE) is an international non-profit association (AISBL) that coordinates the European AI research community through three membership networks: a Research Network of 500+ member groups, an Innovation Network for for-profit AI organizations, and a Rising Researchers Network of 260+ PhD/postdoc/master students. The organization promotes human-centred, trustworthy European AI by fostering cross-border collaboration, participating in EU Horizon calls, organizing events and conferences, publishing educational resources, and representing member interests to policymakers and governments.

Product overview

CAIRNE (formerly CLAIRE) is an international non-profit association (AISBL) that does not provide AI services or products. Instead, it offers a portfolio of community networks and programs: the Research Network (500+ member groups and institutions), the Innovation Network (for-profit AI organisations), and the Rising Researchers Network (R2, 260+ Ph.D. students and postdocs). Additional offerings include the brAInfoods educational resource, the European Robotics Forum (ERF) annual conference, Special Interest Groups (SIGs) on topics including AI ethics and space, and Theme Development Workshops. CAIRNE promotes European AI excellence through community building, events, media channels, and participation in EU Horizon calls—not through commercial AI products or services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Network A pan-European network of over 500 member groups and organizations including not-for-profit labs and institutions that conduct and regularly publish AI research, providing access to cross-border collaboration and visibility for European AI research excellence.
• Innovation Network A network for for-profit organisations conducting AI research or AI-based innovation, providing a community for companies and start-ups seeking access to the European AI research community, talent, and ecosystem participation.
• Rising Researchers Network (R2) A self-organised network of over 260 PhD students, postdocs, and master students in AI that supports career development, networking, visibility, and integration into the broader European AI research community.
• brAInfoods An educational resource providing accessible information about AI concepts, AI safety, and AI literacy for the European public.
• European Robotics Forum (ERF) An annual robotics conference organized by CAIRNE, bringing together researchers and industry professionals in robotics and AI.
• Theme Development Workshops Workshops designed to develop thematic priorities and strategic initiatives for the European AI research community.
• Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Interest groups including the AI Special Interest Group on Space and the Special Interest Group on Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of AI (SIG-ELS), providing thematic community engagement.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GenAI4EU Nexus projectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2026CAIRNE is a partner in the GenAI4EU Nexus project, which aims to advance generative AI applications across Europe. This collaboration supports the development of European AI language models and promotes innovation in the European AI ecosystem.
• KnoWare projectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2026CAIRNE partners with the KnoWare project, contributing to knowledge management and AI research initiatives within the European AI community.
• euRoboticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2026CAIRNE collaborates with euRobotics to advance AI and robotics research in Europe, promoting synergies between the AI and robotics communities.
• NoLeFa projectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025CAIRNE collaborates on the NoLeFa project, supporting European AI research and innovation initiatives.
• CONVOLVE projectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025CAIRNE is a partner in the CONVOLVE project, which focuses on AI research and innovation collaboration across European institutions.
• AI, Data and Robotics AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2025CAIRNE partners with the AI, Data and Robotics Association to coordinate efforts in AI research, data management, and robotics across Europe.
• Government of BelgiumcoreOthersThe Government of Belgium officially supports CAIRNE's vision for European AI excellence.
• Government of the Czech RepubliccoreOthersThe Government of the Czech Republic officially supports CAIRNE's vision for European AI excellence.
• Government of FinlandcoreOthersThe Government of Finland officially supports CAIRNE's vision for European AI excellence.
• Government of GreececoreOthersThe Government of Greece officially supports CAIRNE's vision for European AI excellence.
• Government of ItalycoreOthersThe Government of Italy officially supports CAIRNE's vision for European AI excellence.
• Government of LuxembourgcoreOthersThe Government of Luxembourg officially supports CAIRNE's vision for European AI excellence.
• Government of the NetherlandscoreOthersThe Government of the Netherlands officially supports CAIRNE's vision for European AI excellence.
• Government of the Slovak RepubliccoreOthersThe Government of the Slovak Republic officially supports CAIRNE's vision for European AI excellence.
• Government of SpaincoreOthersThe Government of Spain officially supports CAIRNE's vision for European AI excellence.
• Gold Members (DFKI, INRIA, SAPienza, CertiCon, BRAINdtsc, CIIRC, ZHAW, IDSIA, Imagga, L3S, LIACS, LASI, LiU, NORA.ai, AachenAI, BUA, THK-AI)coreOthersPremium organizational members including DFKI, INRIA, Sapienza University Rome, CertiCon, BRAINdtsc, CIIRC CTU Prague, ZHAW, IDSIA, Imagga, L3S Research Center, LIACS Leiden, LASI Portugal, LiU, NORA.ai, AachenAI, BUA Berlin, and THK-AI who provide financial and strategic support as Gold Members.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ELLIS (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems): ELLIS is a pan-European AI research network of PhD programs and research units. It is the closest comparable to CAIRNE in scope and mission — both target European AI research excellence — making them the most direct peer.
• AI, Data and Robotics Association (Adra): Adra is the European private-sector partnership in AI, Data, and Robotics, partnering with the European Commission. CAIRNE explicitly collaborates with Adra, confirming overlapping mandates in coordinating European AI stakeholders.
• European Association for Artificial Intelligence (EurAI): EurAI is the oldest European AI academic association representing AI societies across Europe. It overlaps with CAIRNE's Research Network mission around European AI research coordination and representation.
• euRobotics: A European non-profit association representing the robotics community, and an explicit CAIRNE partner. CAIRNE co-organises the European Robotics Forum with euRobotics, reflecting deeply overlapping scope in AI-and-robotics research coordination.

Broad incumbents

• Partnership on AI: A multi-stakeholder organisation focused on responsible AI, founded by major tech firms and NGOs. Comparable to CAIRNE in mission around human-centred, trustworthy AI but operates globally with a different governance model.
• Global Partnership on AI (GPAI): An OECD-backed international initiative guiding responsible AI development. Shares CAIRNE's policy-advocacy and responsible-AI orientation but operates at a higher geopolitical level with member-state representation.
• OECD AI Policy Observatory: An OECD-hosted platform providing AI policy analysis and multi-stakeholder coordination. Operates at a higher jurisdictional level than CAIRNE but serves a comparable convening and policy-influence function.

Emerging players

• Responsible AI Institute: A non-profit focused on responsible AI certification and assessment frameworks. Shares CAIRNE's interest in AI ethics and human-centred AI but is more product/certification-oriented than research-coordinating.
• Center for AI Safety (CAIS): A US-based research organisation focused on AI safety research and policy. Compares with CAIRNE's SIG-ELS work on ethical, legal and social aspects of AI, but at smaller scale and US-centric scope.
• Future of Life Institute: An independent non-profit working on AI governance and existential risk. Comparable in mission focus on human-centred AI but operates globally and is advocacy-driven rather than a research confederation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vision_claire
• Facebookfacebook.com/claire.initiative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/visionclaire

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CLAIRE