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Aston University and Capgemini officially opened the Centre of Excellence for Enterprise AI on 25 September 2025 at Aston’s London campus on Aldersgate Street. Aston describes it as a collaborative hub where businesses, researchers and policymakers can investigate business problems, test responsible AI, develop skills and work toward enterprise deployment. The university published the launch announcement on 1 October 2025.

What is the Aston–Capgemini AI centre?

The Centre of Excellence for Enterprise AI is an institutional collaboration between Aston University and Capgemini. Its published purpose is to connect academic research and industry delivery so organisations can explore practical uses of artificial intelligence, reduce the risk of early development work and build capability for larger-scale adoption.

Aston’s launch announcement presents the Centre as a collaborative ecosystem for businesses, researchers and policymakers. Its stated goals include creating responsible AI solutions, supporting enterprise impact and developing future-ready talent through training, executive education and targeted upskilling. These are the partners’ objectives; the announcement does not report measured productivity gains or other verified outcomes from Centre projects.

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At launch, Professor Aleks Subic, Aston’s vice-chancellor and chief executive, and Sudhir Pai, Capgemini’s chief technology and innovation officer for financial services, were named as opening co-chairs. Professor Alexeis Garcia Perez was identified as the Centre’s director.

Aston’s announcement names Bendi, Blüm Health, Crediflow, Digital4Health, Intercity Technology, the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), Metal Assemblies, Raiven, SuperTech and TechWM among participating companies. It also says the opening brought together leaders from finance, manufacturing and health, alongside regional and national government figures. The names do not establish that every organisation has the same role or that the list remains unchanged.

See Aston’s launch announcement for the original description: Aston University and Capgemini launch new centre of excellence for enterprise AI.

How the Centre says it works

The Centre’s services page describes an “Explore, Experiment, Execute” pathway. It is a public description of the Centre’s offer, not a guarantee that every engagement will progress through every stage.

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Explore

  • Investigate a business or industry challenge with Aston researchers and Capgemini specialists.
  • Examine emerging AI topics and identify where they may be relevant to an organisation.
  • Use applied research to clarify opportunities, constraints, data needs and responsible-AI considerations.

Experiment

  • Conduct early-stage research and development or a proof of concept.
  • Pilot an approach to test technical and organisational feasibility.
  • De-risk decisions before committing to a larger implementation.

Execute

  • Extend work across the innovation lifecycle toward enterprise deployment.
  • Combine academic expertise with Capgemini’s implementation experience.
  • Support the skills, governance and delivery work needed for operational use.

Aston sets out the model in the Centre’s services description. The page does not publish a case study proving a particular customer result, nor does it state that deployment is included in every engagement.

How can a company work with the Centre?

Aston describes three organisational routes. The distinctions below reflect the benefits and level of involvement listed by the university; prices, eligibility rules and guaranteed availability are not published on the cited page, so organisations should confirm current terms directly with the Centre.

Route Published access and involvement Typical fit
Member Information and networking, including research and white papers, webinars, events and recognition as a member. Organisations seeking awareness of AI research and a network without the deeper collaboration described for higher tiers.
Corporate Affiliate Member benefits plus opportunities for joint thought leadership, project support, employee training and nomination of a seat on the advisory board. Businesses that want to collaborate on applied work or workforce capability while contributing to the Centre’s community.
Strategic Partner Affiliate benefits plus opportunities for bespoke solutions, dedicated advisory support and greater involvement in the Centre’s direction. Organisations seeking sustained, high-level collaboration and a stronger role in shaping priorities.

The Centre says it works with start-ups, scale-ups and large corporations in sectors including finance, healthcare, manufacturing and technology. Its join page is the appropriate starting point for current participation details.

What happened at launch?

  1. 25 September 2025: The Centre was officially opened at Aston’s London campus on Aldersgate Street.
  2. 1 October 2025: Aston published its launch report, naming the opening leadership, aims and selected participants.
  3. 27 May 2026: Aston announced an MSc AI for Business Transformation delivered through the Aston–Capgemini Centre. This is a later education development, not the Centre’s founding date. Prospective students should check the official programme announcement and current course information for availability and terms.

What does the 74% figure mean?

Aston’s launch announcement says that 74% of business leaders ranked AI and generative AI among their top three technology investment priorities for 2025. The figure is attributed to the Capgemini Research Institute report Navigating uncertainty with confidence: Investment priorities for 2025.

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It is a reported survey finding about business leaders’ priorities. It is not a statistic about the Aston–Capgemini Centre, proof of successful AI adoption, or evidence of actual spending by Centre participants.

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What is established—and what remains unproven?

Established by Aston’s public material

  • The Aston University–Capgemini collaboration and the 25 September 2025 opening.
  • The Centre’s launch leadership, stated remit and named launch participants.
  • The “Explore, Experiment, Execute” service model.
  • Three described organisational engagement routes: Member, Corporate Affiliate and Strategic Partner.
  • The later MSc AI for Business Transformation announcement.

Not established by the published pages

  • Measured productivity, revenue or cost improvements caused by the Centre.
  • Specific client case-study outcomes or a complete list of current partners.
  • Prices, eligibility requirements or guaranteed benefits for the three tiers.
  • An external affiliate, referral or commission programme.

Companies considering participation should ask the Centre which tier, project scope, data protections, intellectual-property arrangements, delivery responsibilities and current benefits apply to their situation.

Why the partnership matters

The Centre addresses a common enterprise-AI gap: organisations may have promising use cases but need help moving from investigation to a defensible pilot and, eventually, operational delivery. Aston contributes academic research and education; Capgemini contributes experience working with industry and large-scale technology programmes. The partnership’s value will ultimately depend on the quality of individual projects, governance and implementation—not on the existence of the launch announcement alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Aston University and Capgemini launch the AI centre?

The Centre of Excellence for Enterprise AI was officially opened on 25 September 2025 at Aston University’s London campus. Aston published its announcement on 1 October 2025.

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Can a small business join the Aston–Capgemini Centre?

Aston says it works with start-ups, scale-ups and large corporations. The public join page lists Member, Corporate Affiliate and Strategic Partner routes, but current eligibility and terms should be confirmed with the Centre.

Does the Centre guarantee an AI deployment or business result?

No. Aston presents exploration, experimentation and execution as its service pathway, but the published material does not guarantee deployment or report measured results for a particular client.

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