Leveraging High-Performance Computing: Arctur's Decade of Empowering Innovation in SMEs Through Fortissimo (FF) Projects
The new FFplus initiative of the EU project Fortissimo is now open to startups and small and medium-sized enterprises. It offers 24 million euros in funding to support the development of innovative ideas using high-performance computing and generative artificial intelligence. The expert consortium besides HLRS, CINECA, CESGA, TERATEC, Cyfronet and scapos includes Arctur, the only Slovene company that has been involved in the Fortissimo projects since its inception in 2013. To date, ARCTUR has provided expert support to 15 companies to enable them to achieve success.
Success stories from the industry: 130 development experiments, 330 partners, 22 European countries
The Fortissimo projects (Fortissimo, Fortissimo 2, and FF4EuroHPC) are among the most recognised co-funded research and development European projects. They have gained recognition not only in Europe but also as a model of best practices beyond its borders, particularly in North America. The Fortissimo projects have been in operation for over a decade, with a total budget exceeding 42 million euros. The Fortissimo project is not only technology and development-oriented but also focuses on addressing the specific business challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises across various industrial sectors. This is achieved through the utilisation of high-performance computing (HPC) solutions. To date, over 130 development experiments have been successfully conducted, in collaboration with 330 partners from 22 European countries.
A Project with Tradition
With expert support and supercomputing infrastructure, Arctur has helped numerous companies achieve success, including Slovenian companies such as AformX, Pipistrel, and Magneti Ljubljana. "We take great pride in enabling companies to grow, become leaders in their field, or successfully compete globally through the application of our knowledge and technology," states Tomi Ilijaš, founder and director of Arctur.
He adds that it has been a lengthy process. "When we purchased our first supercomputer 15 years ago, we were under the impression that there would be a high demand for its capabilities. It became evident that not only Slovenian companies, but businesses worldwide, lacked the expertise to fully grasp the potential of this sophisticated technology. Such companies first require encouragement to consider this option and then assistance to implement it in their own cases," explained Ilijaš. He added that Arctur invested a great deal of time and money into potential users of their supercomputer. "And at a meeting in Brussels, I proposed the idea of co-funding this project, which led to the creation of the Fortissimo initiative. It became evident to the European Union that supporting promising companies would yield a significant return on investment, with these companies ultimately contributing more in taxes than they received in funding.« Furthermore, numerous success stories serve to confirm this.
Despite his extensive experience, he is still surprised at the range of applications for supercomputing simulations today. "From aircraft design to flood protection and surgical operations. The use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and supercomputing is no longer a matter of prestige but is becoming a crucial factor for survival in today's competitive market. In Slovenia, we have the necessary expertise and resources to promote the adoption of these new technologies in businesses. It is regrettable that our system does not adequately encourage collaboration between academia and industry. Even state-owned supercomputers are largely reserved for the basic research of a select few scientists. "The Fortissimo Plus project is an excellent case study in how to tackle this challenge," Ilijaš adds.
First Open Call for Business: On the Path to Innovation and New Breakthroughs
Arctur encourages companies with development potential to leverage the new series of FFplus projects. The latest series of the FFplus project, with a total budget of 30 million euros (of which 24.5 million euros are allocated for new experiments), will continue to provide support and empowerment for companies with development potential. Over the next three years, three open calls will be made, addressing the application of HPC for the development of business experiments (Type 1) or the use of generative artificial intelligence for the development of large language models (Type 2). Each consortium will receive funding of up to €200,000 for Type 1 applications and up to €300,000 for Type 2 applications. The call is open from 21 June to 4 September this year. Implementation of selected projects will begin in early 2025.
In collaboration with other partners of the National Competence Centre SLING, Arctur will assist companies in the development of their ideas, the formation of consortia, and access to supercomputing infrastructure. Companies interested in learning more are invited to contact Arctur experts.
Are you interested in determining whether your company is prepared to utilize supercomputing and artificial intelligence?
Arctur encourages you to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of your company's current and future utilisation of supercomputing through the HPC4SME AAT tool, developed by Arctur to address the specific needs of businesses. Upon submission of the questionnaire, you will receive a detailed report containing valuable recommendations on how to enhance your knowledge and utilisation of such technologies, thereby increasing your innovation and competitiveness.
