Today HPC Wales and Bangor University announced joint funding to lead Europe’s Network of HPC Competency Centers for SME’s. As part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program, the unique Network will promote access to computational facilities, pool expertise and resources across Europe and share best practice in HPC industrial use, raising awareness of the benefits of HPC and contributing to the implementation of the European HPC Strategy.
The availability of HPC resources, good relationships with academic research and the support of large companies is fundamental for SME competitiveness and responsiveness to market demands,” said Augusto Burgueño Arjona, head of European Commission’s e-infrastructure unit.
As the UK’s largest distributed supercomputing network, HPC Wales and has a strong track record of providing SME’s with access to HPC services. The initiative will start on 1st June and brings together an established network of HPC centres across Europe to promote access to the technology for industry, economic development and regeneration.
Commencing on 1st June 2015, the initiative will bring together a diverse mix of established national centers of excellence and regional HPC centers across Europe, set up specifically to promote access to HPC for industry for economic development and regeneration purposes.
Horizon 2020 is the EU’s largest research and innovation program, worth nearly €80 billion across EU regions to produce world-class science, industrial leadership and commercially successful partnerships,” said Jane Hutt, Welsh Government Minister for Finance and Government Business. “This effort offers excellent opportunities for Wales to enhance its reputation in the world.”