Eindhoven Engine receives 50K grant for sustainable upscaling of Mijke the Matchbot
What is Mijke the Matchbot?
Mijke the Matchbot is an AI-driven digital assistant developed at Eindhoven Engine that helps individuals find the right public or social services quickly and easily. The feasibility of the concept has already been validated: Mijke can guide users through complex information, streamline referrals, and reduce barriers to essential support. The next step is ensuring that this innovation can scale responsibly, securely, and effectively within the European context.
Focus of the new project: two core developments
1. Exploring locally hosted LLMs for European‑aligned privacy and autonomy
A key part of this project is assessing the feasibility of running large language models (LLMs) locally, rather than relying on external cloud services. This approach enables:
- Privacy-by-design, with sensitive data fully protected
- Greater autonomy and resilience for public organizations
- Predictable, controllable operational costs
- Alignment with European data governance requirements and regulations
This exploration is essential for ensuring that Mijke can be deployed widely and responsibly within public and social sectors.
2. Creating a continuous user feedback loop
To ensure long-term quality and trustworthiness, the project will design and test a structured user feedback system. This mechanism enables real-time improvement of:
- Referral accuracy
- Reliability of information
- Overall accessibility of the digital assistant
By embedding user experience directly into ongoing development, Mijke will evolve in step with the needs of residents, professionals, and service organizations.
The next step is ensuring that this innovation can scale responsibly, securely, and effectively within the European context.
In collaboration with Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) feasibility studies and pilots will be conducted within the Eindhoven Metropolitan Region (MRE). The project aims to deliver a scalable, privacy-friendly, and inclusive digital solution that strengthens accessible public and social service delivery and supports long-term regional impact.”