ELISE aims to make Europe competitive in AI through a network of excellence. The best European researchers in machine learning and AI have worked together to attract talent, to foster research through collaboration, and to inspire and be inspired by industry and society. While ELISE starts from machine learning as the current most prominent method of AI, the network invites in all ways of reasoning, considering all types of data, applicable for almost all sectors of science and industry. While being aware of data safety and security, and while striving to explainable and trustworthy outcomes we aim to create a force to Europe. ELISE will run a PhD student and a postdoc programme to attract and to educate world-class talents to Europe. It will operate a Fellows programme for groundbreaking research and high-profile workshops to develop AI methods applications further. Industry involvement is guaranteed by the many connections members of ELISE have with industry, on average one for every member and one start-up for every second member of ELISE. ELISE will demonstrate a fraction of their research in use cases to be implemented in AI4EU and the SME’s of Europe. Additional impact will be created to SME’s through open calls. The current practice of ELISE members of spin-off research in SME’s once a break-through is achieved will be stimulated through incubators. The current practice of participating in dissemination and debate that many members of ELISE are used to will be continued to develop a mature acceptance of AI throughout Europe for the benefit of all and in cooperation with all. ELISE is built on 105 organizations in total, in which the 202 core contributors have actively indicated they will help build and profit from the networks of PhD-students and scholars. ELISE includes 60 ERC grants of their active supporters. By their citation and other accepted scores of scientific quality, ELISE is the network that combines in Europe excellence in AI.