Detailed description of the service 

Kadi4Mat is a generic and open source virtual research environment, which can be hosted as a web-based service. The instances hosted at KIT can be leveraged to enhance (meta)data management and integration in the engineering community working in academia, research institutions, or industry. The core capabilities include data management, which organizes and standardizes research data for easier search, retrieval, and sharing. By adhering to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles, Kadi4Mat ensures that research data is accessible and reusable, promoting collaboration and innovation across disciplines such as chemistry, physics, and engineering. Additionally, the platform integrates with other services and interfaces like Zenodo (publication), S3 (storage), OpenID Connect (authentication) and computational tools for further data analysis in the research process. Kadi4Mat also supports open data initiatives by enabling institutions to publish and share research data for the broader scientific community. Its primary users are those focused on data-driven research and collaborative research projects.

Kadi4Mat’s strengths lie in its compliance with FAIR principles, cross-disciplinary collaboration support, and integration with computational tools, which make it a powerful resource for accelerating research. Its framework ensures consistent and clear data representation by employing domain specific ontologies and improving the ability to compare data across projects. However, the service can potentially present a steep learning curve, particularly for users unfamiliar with research data management. Additionally, its utility depends on active community involvement, as more data contributions enhance the platform’s overall effectiveness.