General

innovation labs

Collaborative facilities for AI research, prototyping and transfer.

How the laws define this

Both frameworks establish innovation labs as controlled, structured environments designed for experimentation, testing, and piloting new technologies to build broader innovation capacity. They diverge, however, on the operational setting, participant structure, and ultimate objective of these facilities. In AiNed — Artificial Intelligence Investment Programme (National Growth Fund), innovation labs are collaborative facilities that bring together industry, researchers, and public partners to conduct AI research, prototype systems, and enable technology transfer to boost national and local research capacity. By contrast, the Strategy of Digital Transformation of Slovakia 2030 frames innovation labs exclusively as public sector experimentation environments meant to pilot new models, technologies, and regulatory approaches in controlled settings. While AiNed targets technical AI development and collaborative technology transfer, the Strategy of Digital Transformation of Slovakia 2030 emphasizes using these spaces to test and scale interventions that directly inform regulatory and procurement changes.

Synthesised from the 2 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.

How jurisdictions differ

What is distinctive in each definition, binding law in force first.

Jurisdiction	Instrument	Status	What is distinctive
Netherlands	AiNed — Artificial Intelligence Investment Programme (National Growth Fund)	In Force	This definition adds funding and support under the AiNed programme to increase national and local research and innovation capacity, involving public partners alongside researchers and industry.
Slovakia	Strategy of Digital Transformation of Slovakia 2030	In Force	This definition narrows to public sector experimentation environments focused on piloting models, technologies, regulatory approaches, evaluation, scaling, and informing regulatory and procurement changes.

What it triggers

In the Netherlands, AiNed sets out funding for innovation labs to conduct AI research, prototype systems, and enable technology transfer.source
In Slovakia, the Strategy of Digital Transformation of Slovakia 2030 describes innovation labs as environments for public sector experimentation to test, evaluate and scale interventions.source

Definitions (2)

Collaborative facilities that bring together researchers, industry and public partners to conduct AI research, prototype systems, and enable technology transfer and experimentation. They are funded and supported under AiNed to increase national and local research and innovation capacity.

AiNed — Artificial Intelligence Investment Programme (National Growth Fund)Definition 1 of 2

Public sector experimentation environments for piloting new models, technologies and regulatory approaches in a controlled setting, designed to test, evaluate and scale successful interventions while informing regulatory and procurement changes.

Strategy of Digital Transformation of Slovakia 2030Definition 2 of 2

Not to be confused with

CoLab

CoLab refers to a specific collaborative laboratory for industry-academia R&D and pilots, while innovation labs are broader facilities or environments involving public partners or public sector focus.

Centre(s) of Excellence

Centres of Excellence are collaborative research and infrastructure hubs for applied AI, whereas innovation labs additionally emphasize prototyping, transfer, experimentation, or public sector piloting.

AI Competence Centers

AI Competence Centers are specialized R&D institutions advancing priority-domain AI capabilities, unlike innovation labs which focus on collaborative prototyping, transfer, or public experimentation.

Questions and answers

What funding supports innovation labs in the Netherlands?

AiNed, the Artificial Intelligence Investment Programme under the National Growth Fund, funds and supports innovation labs. It targets AI research, talent development, and innovation hubs across academic and industrial sectors.

How does Slovakia use innovation labs in its digital strategy?

The Strategy of Digital Transformation of Slovakia 2030 defines them as public sector experimentation environments for piloting new models, technologies, and regulatory approaches. They test, evaluate, and scale interventions while informing regulatory and procurement changes.

Are innovation labs legally binding in Netherlands or Slovakia?

No, both AiNed and the Strategy of Digital Transformation of Slovakia 2030 are non-binding policies that fund, guide, or describe innovation labs without imposing duties.