Funding Initiative National AI Factory

The funding initiative National AI Factory in Vienna aims to establish a state-of-the-art, trustworthy AI factory, providing an AI-optimized supercomputer for research institutions, SMEs, and start-ups. Participating organizations from the fields of research, science, digitalization, as well as education and training benefit from tailored computing capacities and a complementary service portfolio. A co-working space fosters exchange among AI stakeholders and supports the development of joint projects. The initiative contributes to increasing the quality and quantity of AI research, promotes the training of specialists, and enables the path to innovative company foundations and projects through targeted consulting and business financing offers.

Eligible for funding are educational institutions, companies including small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups, as well as public institutions. A prerequisite for national co-financing is a funding commitment from the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking under the EU Call, evidenced by a signed EU Grant Agreement. The application period begins on March 31, 2026, and runs until the budget volume of 80 million euros is exhausted. Applications must include, among other documents, the EU Grant Agreement, proof of the EuroHPC commitment, and the relevant tender documents of the EuroHPC JU. The grant supports research and innovation projects that make a sustainable contribution to strengthening the AI ecosystem in Austria and promote cooperation within the European area.