UK Seeks Host for EuroHPC AI Antenna with Up to £2.5 Million in Government Funding

UK Government Calls for Hosts of EuroHPC AI Antenna

The UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has opened an expression of interest for public research organizations to host an “AI factory antenna.” This antenna will connect to an established European AI supercomputer, extending its capabilities and providing remote access to AI-optimized high-performance computing resources.

The successful applicant will gain UK government endorsement to submit a proposal to the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking’s (EuroHPC JU) call for antenna hosts. This initiative supports the broader European effort to build a connected supercomputing infrastructure.

What is the EuroHPC AI Factory Antenna?

EuroHPC JU is a partnership involving the European Union, 35 countries, and private sector partners. It aims to develop a pan-European supercomputing ecosystem. Announced in April 2024, the AI factory antennas are designed to work alongside national AI supercomputers.

• Each antenna supports an existing AI supercomputer in its country.
• It extends and complements the supercomputer’s services.
• It provides remote computing access to AI-optimized resources.
• Where needed, it offers small-scale AI compute for fine-tuning, testing, and validating AI applications.

Funding and Deadlines

The EuroHPC JU will offer up to €5 million (~$5.6 million) in matched funding over three years for successful antenna projects. Additionally, the UK government has pledged up to £2.5 million (~$3.4 million) in grant funding, contingent on the applicant’s success in the EuroHPC call.

The deadline for submitting proposals is July 9, 2025.

UK’s Role and Recent Investments

The UK officially joined the EuroHPC JU in May 2024. This membership allows British researchers to participate in Horizon Europe-funded supercomputing projects and access EuroHPC JU supercomputers.

Earlier in 2025, the UK government committed £7.8 million (~$8.7 million) to support UK participation in EuroHPC research initiatives. In addition, the government announced plans for a new supercomputer with AI capabilities powerful enough to play chess at half a million moves per second. This follows the cancellation of a previous exascale supercomputer project at the University of Edinburgh.

Public research bodies interested in applying should prepare their proposals carefully to meet the requirements set out by both DSIT and EuroHPC JU.

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