In mid-December, FLEXI officially launched with its kick-off meeting and first general assembly in Austria, hosted by the University of Innsbruck. During the three-day event (17–19 December 2025), project partners, use case leaders and advisory board members came together to align on the project vision, confirm working methods and establish the groundwork for the initial implementation steps.

Day 1: Vision, Work Packages, and Use Cases

The first day of the meeting focused on building a shared understanding of FLEXI’s amis and foreseen results. After the welcome session and partner introductions, the Advisory Board joined the discussion, offering valuable insights to guide the project’s ambition and impact.

The project work packages were presented as follows:

• WP1 – Project Management (led by Ass. Prof. Sashko Ristov)
• WP2 – FLEXI Requirements and Roadmap (led by Magda Foti)
• WP3 – FLEXI Services for Flexibility Markets (led by Peter Rosengren)
• WP4 – FLEXI Framework Integration and Evaluation (led by Ass. Prof. Nishant Saurabh)
• WP5 – Reporting and Knowledge Community (led by Niusha Shakibi Nia)

FLEXI’s four use cases were also highlighted, showcasing the diversity of real-world contexts the project will address:

• UBITECH: AI-Powered Digital Assistant for Clean Energy Transition (Costas Mylonas)
• Siemens: Mobility and multi-modal energy integration (Juliana Kainz)
• CheckWatt: Distributed flexibility for the national grid (Peter Rosengren)
• FEN Research GmbH: Sector-Coupled Energy Optimisation (Nikolaus Fleischhacker)

The day concluded with a “Pint of Science” event and a collaboration mixer, where partners gained a broader scientific understanding of FLEXI and identified potential collaboration opportunities, such as joint papers, shared datasets and methods.

Day 2: Strategies, Coordination, Visiting FENR Living Laboratory

On day two, discussions delved deeper into technical and organisational planning, including topics such as market collaboration, regulatory input, project management processes, exploitation planning, and dissemination and communication strategies.

A key highlight was the visit to FEN Research GmbH, where partners were given a tour of the HyWest and EWest laboratories. Demonstrations included infrastructure under development within the REINFORCE project, such as:

• Long-term storage: a Hydrogen Smart Container (delivered by EDC-Anlagentechnik GmbH)
• Short-term storage: batteries and energy monitoring systems
• E-mobility facilities: car sharing and car charging of electric vehicles (Hyundai Motor Company)

The visit offered a concrete view of how FLEXI will connect digital solutions with real operational assets and living lab environments.

Day 3: Data Foundations and Technical Architecture

The third day focused on establishing robust data and technical foundations to support the implementation of all use cases. Partners agreed on the following:

• Data Collection Plan: including responsibilities and expected data inputs/outputs.
• Scientific and Technical Roadmap: linking datasets, models, and services into a coherent architecture.
• Repository strategies, interfaces, and collaboration workflows: enabling efficient development and preparation for upcoming milestones.

The Kick-Off Meeting and General Assembly marked a strong start for FLEXI, establishing shared priorities, clarifying how partners will collaborate, and connecting strategic goals to real infrastructures. With alignment on work packages, Use Case plans, and data/architecture foundations, the consortium is ready to move from planning to delivery.