FFplus is a European initiative highlighting and promoting the adoption of high-performance computing (HPC) by SMEs and start-ups across Europe. The strategic objective of using HPC and supercomputers is to support and empower European SMEs and start-ups towards innovation. The Digital Europe Programme funds the project, with a total budget of EUR 30 million. Estonian SMEs and start-ups have a unique opportunity to participate in this process.
The computational methods encompass extensive possibilities: modelling and simulation, data analytics, machine learning, and AI – all options empowering SMEs through enhanced innovation and competitiveness.
The benefits of using HPC include:
- saving time for product/service development and decreasing time to market;
- saving costs by optimising data processing tasks;
- increased efficiency and higher levels of innovation;
- more specialised, tailor-made products and services;
- greater competitiveness;
- gaining new knowledge and know-how from R&D experts.
During the project’s lifetime (2024-2028), SMEs and start-ups will be supported through six open calls to fund business experiments and innovation studies.
Business experiments will address the uptake of HPC by SMEs to solve specific business challenges of SMEs that have yet to have prior use of, or experience with, HPC services.
Innovation studies, in contrast, will support European SMEs and start-ups already active in generative AI technology, which need more computational resources to scale up.
Successful applicants will receive funding and support from FFplus to conduct these sub-projects. As computing resources, Estonian SMEs and start-ups can use the Estonian national e-infrastructure or LUMI, the fastest supercomputer in Europe.
The First Open Call will remain open for submissions until September 4th, 2024, at 17:00 Brussels local time.
Please visit the FFPlus homepage for more information and apply for an open call. In case of questions, please contact info@hpc.ut.ee.