BASF partners with University of Waterloo to accelerate innovation and operational excellence with AI

/EIN News/ -- MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The French version of this press release is available here.

BASF and the University of Waterloo’s Data and Artificial Intelligence Institute (Waterloo.AI) are joining forces to advance AI applications through a three-year collaborative research agreement that will run from 2025 to 2028. This partnership is designed to facilitate knowledge sharing and develop advanced AI systems to drive operational excellence, enhance customer value, and streamline processes.

As part of BASF’s commitment to harnessing value and unlocking new potential through AI innovation, the partnership will leverage novel root cause analysis, forecasting, and optimization methodologies and integrate advanced graph structures and language and data models to deliver granular, real-time insights in complex situations. Through these innovative solutions, BASF and the University of Waterloo will aim to empower business users with tools for analyzing and optimizing intricate structures and combine ease of use with transparency to maximize adoption and business impact. 

“At BASF, we’ve been on a decade-long journey of AI innovation, and this collaboration with the University of Waterloo is our next step forward. By applying advanced methodologies, we can better equip our teams with the tools needed to optimize complex global value networks,” said Jürgen Müller, Global Head of AI Innovation Center at BASF. “However, innovation thrives on collaboration, and partnering with university leaders, like the University of Waterloo, underscores our commitment to operational excellence and a future powered by AI.”

The BASF AI Innovation Center is the key hub for technological advancement, strategically harnessing cutting-edge AI solutions to meet diverse business challenges while igniting future innovation. Designed to be BASF's dedicated innovation arm for AI, the center fosters a collaborative environment that spans various functions and product lines and partners with leading industry and research players like the University of Waterloo to enhance research and development efforts.

“As one of Canada’s most innovative universities, we are pleased to partner with leaders like BASF to support the development of advanced AI systems,” said Dr. Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Waterloo. “Collaborating with industry provides both our students and researchers with an opportunity to unlock innovative solutions that will impact the world for the better.”

Through this partnership, BASF and the University of Waterloo will contribute to reinforcing Canada’s position as a hub for digital innovation, leverage local funding opportunities, and provide research opportunities for post-doctoral fellows and graduate and undergraduate students at Waterloo.AI. This will advance AI research while learning directly about industry applications spanning production, engineering, R&D, and management. 

“With BASF’s support, we are excited to advance research in cutting-edge areas such as large language models, natural language processing, AI-driven optimization, and supply chain management,” said Dr. Stephen L. Smith, Co-Director of Waterloo.AI. “This collaboration presents a unique opportunity to make fundamental advances in these fields and to work closely with BASF to integrate these technologies into AI systems that will transform their operations.”

About the University of Waterloo

University of Waterloo is a leading global innovation hub that drives economic and social prosperity for Canada and the world. With more than 42,000 students, we are home to the world's largest co-op education talent pipeline, to game-changing research and technology, and to an unmatched entrepreneurial culture. Together, these create partnerships and solutions to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. Find out more at uwaterloo.ca.

About Waterloo.AI

Since launching in 2018, Waterloo.AI’s multi-disciplinary research teams have been collaborating with industry to develop intelligent systems in areas such as disease detection and treatment, understanding language and emotion, and vehicle navigation. Our projects are building tomorrow’s intelligent systems today, by translating industry requirements into deployable, real-time embedded AI. In years to come, we expect this investment to yield profound dividends for the economic prosperity and quality of life of people all around the world.

About BASF Digital Solutions

BASF Digital Solutions makes digitalization possible for BASF. In global and cross-functional teams, digital experts develop innovative solutions, create new exciting customer experiences and business growth, and make processes more efficient. We provide powerful IT and offer expertise and access to pioneering technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, blockchain, big data or in the field of cyber security.

In Canada, BASF Digital Solutions established the Digital Hub Toronto in December 2020 to deliver digital solutions according to BASF's business needs. Toronto is a key location for the Digital Hub as a powerhouse for AI development and innovation. It provides BASF with access to a diverse talent pool, strong connections with academic institutions, world-renowned AI researchers, a growing number of AI startups, and proximity to the US market. To date, the Hub employs over 72 employees from 13 different nationalities, all playing instrumental roles in BASF's digital transformation.

About BASF

BASF Canada, headquartered in Mississauga, is a subsidiary of BASF SE and an affiliate of BASF Corporation in North America. BASF has approximately over 1,100 employees in Canada and had sales of $2.6 billion in 2024. For more information about BASF Canada’s operations, visit www.basf.com/ca.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €65.3 billion in 2024. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.

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Daniela Lopera
                    BASF Canada
                    +1 (437) 424-0346
                    daniela.lopera@basf.com
                    
                    Ryon Jones
                    University of Waterloo 
                    +1 (226) 339-0894
                    rnjones@uwaterloo.ca