HLRS Interview with Steve Conway: Strength Through Cooperation

Key Takeaways

• European HPC growth now tied to economic competitiveness, not just science
• EuroHPC Joint Undertaking enables shared funding, allowing multi‑nation exascale projects
• HLRS-led EuroCC and CASTIEL programs harmonize competency across EU HPC centers
• Sovereignty push stresses need for multiple European HPC vendors
• Europe must secure processor supply chain beyond Taiwan and Netherlands dependencies

Pulse Analysis

Europe’s high‑performance computing landscape has undergone a strategic transformation over the past decade, moving from a purely scientific instrument to a cornerstone of economic policy. The European Commission’s shift toward funding models that speak the language of competitiveness—exemplified by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking—has unlocked the ability for multiple member states to pool resources and jointly acquire exascale machines. This collaborative approach not only levels the playing field with the United States, China, and Japan but also creates a pan‑European market that can attract private investment and foster innovation across sectors.

At the operational level, HLRS has become a catalyst for harmonizing capabilities across the continent. Projects such as EuroCC and CASTIEL have built a network of national competency centers, standardizing best practices in both HPC and artificial intelligence. By translating expertise across linguistic and cultural boundaries, these initiatives reduce capability gaps between northern and southern Europe, enabling smaller economies to tap into cutting‑edge resources. The resulting synergy between academia and industry accelerates product development cycles, improves staff retention at research centers, and fuels the emerging AI Factories ecosystem that blends frontier AI with traditional HPC workloads.

Looking ahead, the pursuit of digital sovereignty presents both opportunities and challenges. Europe still relies on a single domestic HPC system vendor and on critical components manufactured abroad, such as processors from Taiwan and lithography equipment from the Netherlands. Diversifying the supply chain and nurturing multiple home‑grown vendors are essential to mitigate geopolitical risks. Moreover, the United States’ recent funding cuts to scientific research could shift talent flows toward Europe, provided the region implements attractive programs for international scholars. Balancing protectionist policies with the need for a global market will determine whether Europe can sustain its growing HPC leadership.