The first Fortissimo Plus (FFplus) Open Calls to fund business experiments and innovation studies were a great success. A total of 37 sub-projects were selected to promote the use of high-performance computing (HPC) and generative artificial intelligence (AI) by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups in Europe.
Business Experiments (Call-1, Type-1)
The aim of the business experiments is to support SMEs with no prior experience in HPC in solving specific business problems. Of the 126 submitted proposals, 19 subprojects from 15 European countries were funded with a total budget of €3.7 million. Italy and Greece were particularly well represented. The projects cover various sectors, including energy (6 projects), manufacturing (5 projects), as well as agriculture and maritime applications. Technologies such as generative AI, digital twins, and simulations are the focus. You can find the full press release here.
Innovation Studies (Call-1, Type-2)
The innovation studies are aimed at SMEs and start-ups already active in the field of generative AI but requiring additional computing resources to scale their innovations. From 62 proposals, 18 subprojects were selected, utilizing a total budget of €4 million. The funded projects focus on sectors such as healthcare, ICT, public administration, and media. All projects rely on Large Language Models (LLMs) and technologies such as computer vision or speech processing. You can find the full press release here.
Importance for SMEs
A total of 79 organisations are participating in the selected projects, almost two thirds of which are SMEs. FFplus thus emphasises its mission of demonstrating the economic benefits of HPC and AI for SMEs and driving innovation in Europe.
The funded projects have a duration of up to 15 months and, upon successful completion, are intended to serve as best practice examples. scapos is responsible for the conception and implementation of the Open Calls.
