The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) is reinforcing Europe’s position at the forefront of artificial intelligence with the launch of six new AI Factories and an upgrade to an existing facility across the continent. Set to go live in 2026, these state-of-the-art hubs will strengthen Europe’s AI ecosystem, enhancing its computing capabilities and fostering the next generation of AI-driven solutions. The selected sites in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Poland, and Slovenia are strategically positioned to integrate AI innovation across diverse sectors—from manufacturing to health, energy, and beyond.
Germany: Pushing Boundaries With JUPITER’s AI Factory
Germany’s AI Factory, housed at the Jülich Supercomputing Centre, is one of the most ambitious developments in the new wave of AI hubs. Built around Europe’s first exascale supercomputer, JUPITER, the facility will serve as a high-performance research powerhouse, accelerating AI model development with cutting-edge infrastructure. A particularly exciting aspect of the German factory is the addition of an experimental platform, JARVIS—a testbed designed to push the limits of AI inference. This experimental environment will allow startups, SMEs, and research institutions across Europe to explore and fine-tune innovative AI applications.
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Austria: Empowering Industry With AI
Austria’s AI Factory (AI:AT) will focus on bridging the gap between AI research and practical industry application, particularly in the country’s strong manufacturing sector. By offering access to powerful AI models and high-performance computing infrastructure, the facility will help businesses integrate AI into their production processes—optimising everything from supply chain management to quality control. With the support of TU Wien and the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria’s AI Factory is poised to become a critical enabler of industrial AI transformation.
Bulgaria: BRAIN++ Leading AI Innovation In The Region
Bulgaria’s BRAIN++ Factory, located at Sofia Tech Park, is designed to foster AI research and development, particularly around AI for the Bulgarian language, robotics, and space observation. By integrating the advanced Discoverer++ supercomputer, the facility aims to boost AI deployment across a range of industries, including consumer goods manufacturing, agriculture, and even AI-driven legal compliance tools. As a part of the broader EuroHPC ecosystem, BRAIN++ will support Bulgaria’s ambition to become a regional leader in responsible AI innovation, positioning the country as a hub for cutting-edge AI solutions.
France: Building The AI Future With AI2F
France’s AI2F Factory is a critical component of the nation’s AI strategy, leveraging Europe’s second exascale supercomputer, Alice Recoque, to fuel AI research and applications across sectors like defense, energy, and healthcare. The factory will collaborate with major universities, research labs, and businesses, including large players like CEA, CNRS, and Inria, to create a collaborative environment where innovation thrives. By providing access to the most advanced AI tools, AI2F will support not just French but also European efforts to position AI as a core element of public services, innovation, and industry.
Poland: PIAST To Accelerate AI And Quantum Research
Poland’s PIAST AI Factory, based at the Poznan Supercomputing and Networking Center, aims to accelerate AI research, particularly in fields like health, cybersecurity, and space. The factory will also integrate quantum computing, combining the country’s growing expertise in both AI and quantum technologies. As part of the larger EuroHPC network, PIAST will serve as a hub for collaboration between Polish academia, industry, and government, accelerating AI adoption and helping to solve some of Europe’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to healthcare.
Slovenia: SLAIF To Drive Regional AI Growth
Slovenia’s SLAIF Factory, housed at the IZUM in Maribor, will focus on using AI to boost the country’s competitiveness, particularly in industrial applications. By integrating supercomputing with AI, SLAIF will provide training, development, and AI-powered solutions to both public and private sector players. The factory’s goal is to facilitate cross-border collaboration and ensure the responsible, sustainable adoption of AI technologies. This aligns with Slovenia’s national AI strategy, positioning the country as a key player in the European AI landscape.
Connecting The Dots: Europe’s AI Ecosystem
The launch of six new AI Factories, joining the seven already established across Europe, will create an interconnected network of AI hubs spanning the continent. These facilities will share resources, knowledge, and cutting-edge infrastructure, enhancing the global competitiveness of European startups, SMEs, and researchers. By focusing on sectors like healthcare, climate change, education, and finance, they will support the development of AI solutions to address both societal and industrial needs.
The EuroHPC AI Factories are set to become the backbone of Europe’s AI strategy by 2026. These hubs will accelerate AI development, foster collaboration, and create a highly competitive AI ecosystem. With advanced supercomputing capabilities and expert support, they will position Europe as a global leader in AI, driving economic growth and innovation.
This initiative is part of the EuroHPC JU’s broader vision to equip Europe with world-leading computational infrastructure. The AI Factories represent a significant step towards this goal, enabling Europe to tackle future challenges and maintain its leadership in AI. In 2024, the first seven AI Factories were selected, with locations in Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, and Sweden, launching in 2025. Five will feature new AI-optimised supercomputers, while Spain will upgrade its existing MareNostrum 5 system, and Greece will deploy the DAEDALUS supercomputer.
By fostering collaboration among 17 European countries, these AI hubs will provide comprehensive support to startups, SMEs, and researchers, further solidifying Europe’s leadership in the global AI landscape.
