The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) published an invitation to bids, under a funding program worth up to EUR 10 billion, for projects for AI Gigafactories. The initiative is aimed at unlocking at least EUR 20 billion more in investments. Consortia bringing together companies, public entities, investors and other partners can apply.
The European Union launched a call for tenders to establish up to seven AI Gigafactories, to accelerate Europe’s technological sovereignty and ambition of becoming “the AI continent.”
Led by industry and supported by up to UR 10 billion in EU and national funding, the initiative is expected to unlock at least EUR 20 billion in private investments, the update reads. It would expand Europe’s artificial intelligence – AI – computing capacity and give startups, scaleups, small and medium-sized enterprises, industry, academia and public authorities access to infrastructure for training, inference and fine-tuning advanced frontier AI models.
An AI gigafactory includes advanced processors, software and cloud technology stacks, high-speed connectivity and energy-efficient data centres
The AI Gigafactories concept combines advanced AI processors, software and cloud technology stacks, high-speed connectivity and energy-efficient data centres, the documents show. Together with Europe’s network of 19 AI Factories, they will strengthen Europe’s technological leadership, resilience and strategic autonomy, the European Commission said.
Initiative involves 18 EU member states
The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) is conducting the procedure. It gathers the EU and 18 countries that participate in the compute access time joint procurement deal. They are Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden.
The initiative will ensure that Europe can develop advanced AI on its own infrastructure, in line with EU rules and values, the call reads. Consortia or special purpose vehicles bringing together companies, public entities, investors and other partners can apply by November 12.
The procurement process can support up to seven AI Gigafactories, with participating member states matching EU funding.
The first lot is for up to four projects, each eligible for a maximum EUR 100 million in EU funding in phase one and up to an additional EUR 400 million per project in phase two. Each must deploy at least as many of the most advanced AI processors as are currently installed in Europe’s most powerful AI factory. In phase two, the number must triple.
The second lot would support up to three projects, each eligible for up to EUR 200 million, and an additional EUR 800 million in phase two. Each gigafactory must deploy up to twice as many of the most advanced AI processors as in the most powerful AI factory. In phase two, four times more.
Hardware for AI continent
Access to large-scale sovereign AI infrastructure is becoming increasingly important for Europe’s industrial competitiveness and technological sovereignty, the EU’s executive body added.
The consortia can procure hardware from “any hardware providers in Europe or likeminded countries.” As a follow-up to the EU’s trade deal with the United States, the commission has signed letters of intent with US hardware providers AMD, Nvidia and Qualcomm.
Award decisions are expected by early 2027, with the start of construction envisaged within the same year. Operations should begin no later than 18 months from the signature.
Interest-free loans available for manufacturers of battery cells suitable for electric vehicles
Notably, the EU has just launched a call for proposals via its Battery Booster Facility. It covers battery cell manufacturing in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Projects must focus on battery cell manufacturing suitable for electric-vehicle applications, be in the rampup phase at the opening of the call, represent the applicant’s first full commercial-scale production project for electric vehicle battery cells globally and have a planned annual production capacity of at least 10 GWh.
Beneficiaries would be entitled to as much as EUR 500 million in interest-free loans from the Innovation Fund, covering up to 60% of eligible costs. The budget amounts to EUR 1.5 billion.
The deadline for proposals is September 30.
