Romania is taking a major step toward strengthening its digital and research capabilities with the launch of RO AI Factory, the country’s first national artificial intelligence infrastructure, developed by the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics – ICI Bucharest (hosting entity) and the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, alongside a consortium of academic, research, and industry partners.
Romania is among six European countries selected in the latest evaluation round of the EuroHPC – AI Factories programme, a European initiative dedicated to developing AI and supercomputing centres.
RO AI Factory will involve the acquisition and operation of a next-generation supercomputer optimised for artificial intelligence, as well as the creation of advanced services and infrastructures dedicated to research, business, and the public sector. Priority application areas include manufacturing and industry, cybersecurity, life sciences, digital public services, and autonomous systems.
The initiative aims to support not only researchers and universities but also startups, SMEs, and public institutions by providing access to high-performance computing resources, datasets, software tools, and training programmes.
“This result confirms that Romania can play an important role in Europe’s digital transformation. RO AI Factory will become the cornerstone of future European AI infrastructure projects, paving the way for new investments, collaborations, and international partnerships,” said Dr. Eng. Adrian-Victor Vevera, Director General of ICI Bucharest.
The project represents a significant milestone for Romanian research and innovation. Under ICI Bucharest’s coordination, it seeks to transform small and medium-sized enterprises from simple technology users into active innovation players, through services, training, and access to modern AI infrastructures.
“With this strategic investment, Romania joins the major European players in the field of artificial intelligence. POLITEHNICA Bucharest has the tradition, expertise, and human capital needed to turn this project into a driver of scientific and economic progress. It is a unique opportunity to build cutting-edge technologies here in Romania that can shape society as a whole,” said Prof. Dr. Eng. Mihnea Costoiu, Rector of POLITEHNICA Bucharest.
RO AI Factory will be hosted and co-coordinated by ICI Bucharest and POLITEHNICA Bucharest, bringing together a strong national consortium of partners from research, education, and industry: Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (UTCN), National Institute for Research and Development in Biological Sciences (INCDSB), Transilvania IT Cluster (ATIT), Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence (ICIA), National Council of Private Small and Medium Enterprises (CNIPMMR), and the Romanian Association of Digital Innovation Hubs (RoDIH).
By joining the EuroHPC – AI Factories network, Romania becomes an active contributor to building a unified, competitive, and ethical European AI ecosystem. The other selected projects come from Czechia, Spain, Poland, Lithuania, and the Netherlands — countries with strong traditions in supercomputing and advanced technologies. Together with RO AI Factory, they will form a strategic European network of AI Factories, designed to enhance collaboration among research centres, universities, and industry, strengthening Europe’s position as a global leader in the responsible development and use of artificial intelligence.
