As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible, a persistent challenge remains: bridging the gap between theoretical advances and their effective implementation.
Addressing this gap, two mathematicians from the University of Luxembourg, Christophe Ley and Ivan Nourdin, founded GrewAI—a pioneering initiative offering training, mentoring, consulting, and research services in AI, data science, and mathematics.
Bringing academic expertise into industry practice
GrewAI was born from a shared vision: to bridge the gap between academic excellence and real-world applications. For years, Professors Ley and Nourdin were approached by companies and public institutions seeking specialised expertise. At the time, their only option was to invite them to audit university courses—a solution ill-suited to professionals.
This recurring challenge sparked a new idea. What if they could respond to these needs in a more flexible and structured way? That’s how GrewAI was born: as a way to offer tailored, high-level training for the industry.
However, as more clients turned to them for help, it became clear that training alone couldn’t solve the complex challenges organisations were facing. In response, GrewAI expanded its scope to include advanced consulting and problem-solving services tailored to real-world needs. Today, the company operates through two main branches:
- GrewAcademy offers tailored educational programmes ranging from beginner to advanced levels. These programmes place a strong emphasis on hands-on learning and real-world case studies.
- GrewLab translates theoretical breakthroughs into deployable, business-ready AI solutions, ensuring both innovation and reliability.
‟ At GrewAI, we turn scientific depth into practical impact. Our goal is to make advanced AI and statistics accessible and meaningful for every organisation.”
Full professor in Mathematics
Succesful first results
Since its launch, GrewAI has collaborated with a variety of public institutions and private companies, delivering customised training, conducting statistical studies, and developing tailored AI solutions.
“A significant step forward came with a strategic partnership with the German firm ivaneo.ai, known for its expertise in AI implementation.”, explains co-founder Ivan Nourdin. “This collaboration combines GrewAI’s academic foundation with ivaneo.ai’s operational agility. This enables us to deliver more comprehensive and effective solutions across various sectors.”
This expanded capacity is already bearing fruit. One of GrewAI’s first major projects involved supporting a national healthcare institution. The organisation was facing a critical challenge: how to forecast demand for its cardiac care services in the long term. Existing models were unreliable, putting strategic planning at risk. Drawing on historical data and demographic trends, GrewAI designed a robust predictive system that offered the clarity and precision the institution needed to plan effectively.
In another case, teams from an employment agency spent countless hours manually cleaning data of job listings cluttered with redundant content. As a response, the team developed and trained large language models to automatically detect and filter out duplicates and non-relevant content.
“GrewAI and our job at the university are a win-win situation”, adds Christophe Ley. The startup grew out of our academic background, making it a unique consulting-training company. “Our university work also benefits, as our research gains real-world perspective, and our teaching is enriched by hands-on experience.”
Looking ahead
As the company enters a new phase of growth, the team has set several strategic priorities:
- Developing online training modules to generate passive income and reach a broader audience.
- Structuring their service offerings to make them easier for clients to understand and access. Services include training sessions and the development of end-to-end AI solutions.
- Expanding their expert network to support growing demand while maintaining their commitment to quality and flexibility.
In September, GrewAI will also launch a podcast in collaboration with the University of Luxembourg’s mathematics department and the Media Centre. The podcast will explore artificial intelligence in Luxembourg, aiming to build a vibrant ecosystem and foster meaningful dialogue across disciplines.
Above all, Christophe Ley and Ivan Nourdin are committed to preserving GrewAI’s core values: a rigorous, human-centered, and academically grounded approach to AI and data science.