Europe’s drive to strengthen its artificial intelligence infrastructure has taken a decisive step forward with the signing of a major procurement contract to upgrade the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer.
The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) has confirmed the agreement with a consortium led by FSAS Technologies and Telefónica, setting the stage for a significant transformation of one of Europe’s flagship supercomputers.
Hosted and operated by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), MareNostrum 5 is a core pillar of the BSC AI Factory initiative.
With the contract now in place, the project enters a new phase that will reshape the system into a dedicated platform for advanced AI research and innovation.
From supercomputing powerhouse to AI specialist
Since April 2025, the BSC AI Factory has been supporting European startups and small and medium-sized enterprises by helping them access AI-ready data, high-performance computing resources, and expert technical guidance.
The upgrade of MareNostrum 5 is designed to support this mission directly, evolving the system from a general-purpose supercomputer into an AI-optimised environment capable of handling the most demanding workloads.
The enhanced MareNostrum 5 will feature next-generation graphics processing units engineered for large-scale machine learning, alongside specialised acceleration hardware suited to deep learning, natural language processing, and advanced simulations.
High-speed interconnect technologies will enable rapid data movement across the system, while expanded storage capacity will allow researchers to work with massive datasets efficiently.
Energy-efficient cooling solutions will also be introduced to ensure sustainability as computational intensity increases.
Supporting innovation across key sectors
While the upgraded MareNostrum 5 is primarily intended to serve startups and SMEs engaged in research and innovation, it will remain accessible to the wider scientific community.
Resource allocation will be jointly managed by EuroHPC JU and the BSC AI Factory consortium, reflecting their respective financial contributions and strategic priorities.
The system is expected to benefit a broad range of sectors, including health, climate science, agriculture, finance, energy, communications, legal services, and the public sector.
By providing tailored AI infrastructure, the project aims to reduce barriers to entry for smaller organisations that lack access to large-scale computing resources.
Installation timeline and funding framework
Installation of the upgraded MareNostrum 5 is scheduled to begin in early 2026. The broader BSC AI Factory project carries a total budget of approximately €129m, covering acquisition, delivery, installation, and ongoing maintenance.
Funding is shared equally between EuroHPC JU and participating national partners. Half of the investment comes from the Digital Europe Programme, while the remaining 50% is jointly financed by Spain, Portugal, and Türkiye as part of the BSC AI Factory consortium.
Part of a growing European AI network
The BSC AI Factory is one node within a rapidly expanding European network. EuroHPC JU is currently overseeing the rollout of 19 AI factories across the continent, all offering free, customised support to startups and SMEs.
This network is further reinforced by 13 AI Factory Antennas selected in October 2025, extending reach and impact.
With the MareNostrum 5 upgrade now underway, Europe signals its intent to remain competitive in the global AI landscape, combining world-class supercomputing with accessible innovation infrastructure.
