TICRA is a Danish manufacturer of reflector antennas and electromagnetic modelling software, and a trusted business partner providing services essential in ensuring efficient operations for multi-billion-dollar companies such as Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Airbus, and space organizations such as NASA and ESA. TICRA operates in the fast-growing space and satellite sector, where the capability to innovate and embrace new technologies is pivotal for competitiveness and building and maintaining partnerships with major space and airline industry players. 

Prior to participating in the ‘Applied AI Academy’, the company's approach to data was not AI-driven, with only one employee focusing on data and analytics. While the opportunities within AI seemed promising, TICRA was unsure about where to begin and how to strategically integrate AI within their organization. Their participation was therefore driven by a desire to enhance AI understanding and stay technologically ahead in an industry reliant on continuous innovation and long-term partnerships. Former CEO Michael Lumholt's active involvement in the academy led to a strategic transformation, deeply embedding AI and advanced data analytics into the organization, creating a new core team dedicated to AI/ML.

ICDK’s ‘Applied AI Academy’ is the most valuable business trip I’ve ever experienced. The Academy exemplified the state-of-the-art implementations of AI, and demonstrated the many-faceted challenges of adopting AI in business. In parallel, each participant developed an investor pitch of our coming AI-offerings, and this pitch has been a core contribution to our AI-strategy.

Michael Lumholt

Former CEO, TICRA

The ‘Applied AI Academy’ built on an ambition to provide Danish executives across industries and academia with valuable insights and tools to work strategically with AI in their own organizations, as well as a strong knowledge-based AI network across industries and sectors – in Denmark and Silicon Valley.

The academy focused on the commercial, scientific, ethical, and organizational challenges and opportunities that emerge with the increasing integration of AI in today's world. Throughout the academy, participants worked on their own AI case/challenge, and had the unique opportunity to explore and experience the business implications of AI through a Silicon Valley lens. They engaged with AI experts and practitioners from corporations, startups, universities, VC’s, innovation labs, and more. Through facilitated debriefing sessions, they discussed and shared their experiences and learnings within a strong group of participants, refining their own AI case/challenge. In this process, TICRA's new data-driven strategy began to take shape.

Participation in the ‘Applied AI Academy’ marked TICRA's shift toward a data-driven strategy, which gained momentum after the Silicon Valley trip. Michael Lumholt returned to Denmark with new insights and tools, and a deeper understanding of how to start working strategically with AI. He realized how essential a data-driven approach would be for TICRA's future competitiveness and how it could fuel growth. As a result, he transformed the company's strategic focus, including organizational redesign and strengthening AI/ML capabilities, to stay competitive and foster partnership innovation.

ICDK’s decade long presence in Silicon Valley offers clients unique access to top-tier industry networks and insights into rapidly changing sectors. For TICRA, this helped future-proof the company by understanding the impact of data, AI, and digital technology, forging valuable commercial partnerships within a sector where trusted partnerships are critical for harnessing future growth opportunities.

If you face similar challenges in navigating AI and digital tech's business implications, or seek insights from industry experts, contact an ICDK advisor to explore upcoming programs and opportunities to shape your business for the future.