Anders Jensen, Executive Director of EuroHPC JU, explains how the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking is helping accelerate innovation high performance computing across Europe.
High performance computing (HPC) is at the heart of Europe’s digital transformation, driving innovation, scientific discovery, and industrial competitiveness. Using supercomputers and computer clusters to solve advanced computational problems, HPC applications include research, science, design, simulation, and business intelligence.
Europe’s HPC landscape is driven by the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) – a joint initiative between the EU, European countries, and private partners to develop a world-class supercomputing ecosystem in Europe. Established in 2018, EuroHPC JU aims to improve the quality of life of European citizens, advance science, boost industrial competitiveness, and ensure Europe’s technological autonomy.
The Innovation Platform spoke with Anders Jensen, Executive Director of EuroHPC JU, to learn more about the key focuses of EuroHPC JU at present and the major milestones it has seen since its launch.
How would you describe the current state of Europe’s high-performance computing landscape and what are the hopes for its future?
Very positively. A little over a decade ago, Europe was barely on the global HPC map. Today, Europe is at the very top. European supercomputers consistently secure multiple spots among the world’s ten most powerful systems in the Top500 ranking. A shift that seemed unthinkable not long ago.
This September, Europe also reached a major milestone as JUPITER, Europe’s first exascale supercomputer, was officially inaugurated in Jülich, Germany. Europe is not stopping there. A second exascale system, Alice Recoque, is already being deployed in France and several new mid-range supercomputers will also be coming online in Greece, Sweden, Hungary, and Ireland.
In parallel, 19 AI Factories are being deployed to give European SMEs and startups access to cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. On top of that, Europe is also pioneering something unique: integrating quantum computing technologies directly with supercomputers, creating hybrid systems that could unlock entirely new possibilities.
All of these trends have been made possible through efficient collaboration and the pooling of EuroHPC Joint Undertaking resources with national ones. It is a model that works, and one that continues to grow, with more countries and organisations joining every year, strengthening the EuroHPC JU collective commitment to staying at the forefront of supercomputing innovation.
So, in a nutshell: Europe’s HPC future is bright as it continues to build much needed compute infrastructure and services across Europe.
What are the main barriers facing the HPC sector? How can these be overcome?
The HPC sector in Europe faces two fundamental barriers: fragmentation and accessibility.
Until recently, European countries operated at vastly different levels of HPC capability and expertise. This fragmentation prevented Europe from competing effectively on the global stage.
Through the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, Europe is now progressively building a cohesive ecosystem, with a network of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and National Competency Centres (NCCs) that pool expertise and resources, fostering a more consistent skills base and genuine cross-border collaboration.
HPC holds enormous potential for innovation across countless sectors, from automotive design to pharmaceuticals to climate research. Yet, accessing this resource has traditionally required specialised expertise and significant funding, putting it out of reach for many who could benefit most: researchers at smaller institutions, startups, SMEs, and public sector organisations.
The network of Competency Centres (EuroCC) and CoEs, funded by EuroHPC JU, is actively reaching out to these non-traditional users, helping them understand how HPC can solve their specific challenges. Another EuroHPC JU-funded initiative, FF+, facilitates SMEs access to HPC and AI supercomputing resources by providing financial support, expert technical guidance, and business development assistance.
Building on the HPC experience, the JU is also responding to the demand for additional compute linked to the artificial intelligence revolution. 19 AI Factories are now being deployed, along with 13 newly selected AI Factory Antennas to respond to this new challenge. European AI startups, SMEs, and researchers will be given infrastructure access, but also comprehensive support: training, technical expertise, and help preparing data for AI applications.
Making access seamless is crucial. That is why EuroHPC JU is about to launch its Federation platform: a single access point to all European HPC, AI, and quantum computing resources. Instead of navigating different systems and application processes, users will soon have one unified gateway. In parallel, training and support services are being consolidated through the recently launched HPC in Europe Portal, making it easier than ever to find guidance and assistance.
By combining infrastructure investment with active outreach, training, and simplified access, we are transforming HPC from an exclusive resource into a practical tool for innovation across Europe.
Can you explain more about the EuroHPC JU and its main objectives?
Established in 2018, the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking is a legal and funding entity that pools resources from the European Union and participating countries with the mission to make Europe a world leader in supercomputing. But it is not just about building machines, it is about joining forces to build an entire sovereign ecosystem that strengthens Europe’s digital autonomy.
To date, the EuroHPC JU has already procured 11 supercomputers, distributed across Europe, equipping the continent with a cutting-edge supercomputing infrastructure. No matter where they are in Europe, scientists, public sector users, and industry can access these supercomputers free of charge through the EuroHPC Access Calls. This access supports scientific advancement and the development of a wide range of applications with industrial, scientific, and societal relevance.
The EuroHPC JU is also deploying a European Quantum Computing infrastructure, integrating diverse European quantum computing technologies with supercomputers. Up to now, the EuroHPC JU has procured six quantum computers and co-funded two more through the HPCQS project – all of them located in Europe and from European companies with two additional systems on the way. The deployment of these quantum computers across Europe aims to offer the widest possible variety of European quantum computing platforms and hybrid classical-quantum architectures, including analogue quantum simulators based on neutral atoms, trapped ions, superconducting circuits, and photonics to adiabatic systems, enabling the execution of annealing routines. This approach positions Europe at the forefront of this emerging field while providing European end-users with access to diverse and complementary quantum technologies.
Currently, the EuroHPC JU is also overseeing the implementation of 19 AI factories (AIF) complemented by 13 AI Factory Antennas to offer free, customised support to SMEs and startups.
Finally, the EuroHPC JU also funds research and innovation projects to develop a full European supercomputing supply chain, from processors and software to applications to be run on these supercomputers and know-how to develop strong European HPC expertise.
What are the key ways in which EuroHPC JU is helping to accelerate Europe’s HPC offering?
EuroHPC JU is accelerating Europe’s HPC capabilities on multiple fronts, from access and technology development to sustainability and skills.
By offering free access to leading-edge HPC, AI, and quantum computing systems to European scientists, public sector users, and industry, regardless of their location, the EuroHPC JU is widening the use of HPC. In just five years, the EuroHPC JU has supported over 2,300 projects, allocating more than 145 million computing hours to research spanning climate science, drug discovery, engineering to name a few.
A key EuroHPC JU mission is to strengthen Europe’s technological independence. To date, 58 research projects have received EuroHPC grants to develop Europe’s own supercomputing technologies. Notable examples include the European Processor Initiative (EPI), which is producing SiPearl’s Rhea, the world’s first energy-efficient HPC microprocessor designed in Europe, and the DARE project, which is developing processors and accelerators based on RISC-V technologies for AI workloads. Other initiatives, such as Net4EXA, focus on next-generation interconnect technologies – a critical component for both HPC and AI systems.
Through its research and innovation strategy, EuroHPC JU is also investing heavily in skills development, ensuring that Europe has the expertise to harness its computing power. The flagship EUMaster4HPC programme brings together top European universities, supercomputing centres, and industry partners to train the next generation of HPC professionals. It combines academic excellence with hands-on experience at HPC sites, preparing students to tackle complex scientific and industrial challenges.
Sustainability is another pillar of EuroHPC JU strategy. From energy-efficient data centre design to optimised software and responsible user practices, environmental considerations are integrated at every level. All EuroHPC hosting entities must, for instance, meet strict energy-efficiency standards, including transparent reporting of their power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratio. Every EuroHPC supercomputer uses liquid-cooling systems, which are far more efficient than air-cooling, and in several cases the waste heat is repurposed for heating in adjacent local communities.
Moreover, sustainable energy sources are used to power EuroHPC systems, for example: LUMI (Finland) runs entirely on carbon-free hydroelectric power; MareNostrum 5 (Spain) operates on 100% renewable energy; and MeluXina (Luxembourg) is powered by a cogeneration plant using waste wood.
Beyond hardware, EuroHPC JU also promotes energy awareness among users, who receive feedback on their energy consumption to encourage more efficient simulation practices. On the software side, dedicated calls support low-power component design and energy-optimised applications to ensure efficiency across the entire HPC ecosystem.
What have been your key achievements in this field over the last 12 months?
The past year has been transformative for the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking. Our most significant accomplishment has been the rapid expansion of Europe’s AI infrastructure through the AI Factories initiative.
Following the programme’s official launch via a regulatory amendment in summer 2024, we have built remarkable momentum. In December 2024, we selected seven countries to host Europe’s first AI Factories: Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, and Sweden. This was followed in March 2025 by six additional facilities in Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Poland, and Slovenia. Most recently, in October 2025, we selected six more AI Factories and 13 complementary AI Factory Antennas, creating an interconnected network of 32 state-of-the-art hubs across Europe.
These AI Factories serve as one-stop shops, democratising access to AI-optimised supercomputing for startups, SMEs, and researchers. They empower users to develop, test, and scale advanced AI models and applications, including general-purpose AI models and emerging solutions, that require significant computing power.
Beyond AI, we have made decisive advances in quantum computing. Over the past year, we inaugurated our first two quantum computers: PIAST-Q in Poznań, Poland and VLQ in Ostrava, Czechia. While final calibration continues, early access has already been made available to researchers, industry professionals, and public sector innovators starting to explore hybrid quantum-classical computing applications in quantum chemistry, optimisation and machine learning. This represents a major leap towards quantum-powered research and innovation in Europe.
Finally, we have secured the future connectivity of our infrastructure by signing a contract with GÉANT to deliver ultra-high bandwidth, secure, pan-European interconnect services with terabit-per-second transmission capabilities for our entire supercomputing ecosystem.
All of this has been achieved while continuing our ‘traditional’ activities, deploying new supercomputers across Europe, allocating access time to researchers, overseeing grants allocation to research and innovation projects, ensuring that EuroHPC JU remains at the forefront of Europe’s technological sovereignty and scientific excellence.
Please note, this article will also appear in the 24th edition of our quarterly publication.
