The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) wants to procure supercomputers for industrial use cases.
The EU-body is also launching a new support service and help-desk for organizations hosting its supercomputers.
EuroHPC JU launches call to host new industrial supercomputers
The EuroHPC JU put out an expression of interest call to find hosts for new 'industrial-grade' supercomputers. It will procure at least one industrial supercomputer in 2024 with a total EU contribution of €12.2 million ($13.1m).
An industrial-grade supercomputer is described as a 'mid-range system' designed to meet the security, confidentiality, and data integrity requirements of industrial users.
These requirements are said to be more demanding than those for systems designed for scientific use.
The new industrial supercomputers will be co-funded by the EuroHPC JU budget – allocated by the European Commission’s Digital Europe Program – and contributions from relevant EuroHPC JU participating states. The EuroHPC JU will cover up to 35 percent of the acquisition costs of the industrial-grade supercomputers.
"By adding to its fleet of European world-class supercomputers industrial-grade supercomputers specifically tailored to the needs of industrial users, the EuroHPC JU will address the growing demand from industries for computing resources," the EuroHPC JU said. "This EuroHPC industrial-grade infrastructure will be instrumental in boosting the innovation potential of enterprises in Europe."
Interested parties must submit their applications by April 30, 2024.
EuroHPC JU to offer new support services
EuroHPC JU has also launched a new project called Epicure that aims to improve the support services offered to successful applicants of the organization’s system access calls.
Currently, support services for awarded projects, which include help-desk support for daily operational issues and problems, are handled by the facilities that host and operate the EuroHPC JU supercomputers.
Through its new Epicure project, the EuroHPC JU will establish Application Support Teams (ASTs) in current and future EuroHPC in current and future hosting entities. ASTs will help successful applicants with application porting, optimization, and scalability in addition to organizing specialized training, events, and workshops at high-profile European HPC events.
A European HPC Application Support portal will also be developed, providing information about EuroHPC systems, their architectures, access mechanisms, and support services. The portal will also act as a single point of contact for users across both the public and private sectors.
The project has been allocated a budget of €10 million ($10.8m), with 50 percent of the financial contribution coming from the EuroHPC JU. The project is expected to take 48 months.
EuroHPC JU is a joint initiative between the EU, 34 European countries, and private partners to develop a supercomputing ecosystem in Europe.
Launched in 2018 and headquartered in Luxembourg, its mission is to develop, deploy, extend, and maintain a secure and connected supercomputing and quantum computing ecosystem, while supporting the development of key HPC skills for European science and industry.
