GRNET – National Infrastructures for Research and Technology, participated in EuroHPC User Days 2026, that took place on 22–24 September 2026 in Dublin, Ireland, joining Europe’s High Performance Computing (HPC), Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) communities and contributing to discussions and activities across the European supercomputing ecosystem.
Organised by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, together with the Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC) and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science of Ireland, the fourth edition of EuroHPC User Days brought together users and stakeholders from across Europe to exchange experiences, present results and explore the opportunities offered by EuroHPC infrastructures and services.
On Thursday, 24 September, Stefanos Kollias, Chairman of GRNET and Professor Emeritus at NTUA, participated in the plenary session “AI Factories, AIF Antennas: Cooperation and Innovation in Action”. The session brought together Evangelos Floros, Head of Unit, Infrastructure at EuroHPC JU; Stefanos Kollias, Chairman of GRNET and Professor Emeritus at NTUA; Stephane Requena, Director of Technology and Innovation at GENCI; James Harkin, Interim Director of the Ireland AI Factory Antenna at ICHEC; and Juan Pelegrin, Deputy Head of Unit, High Performance Computing and Applications at the European Commission.
The session focused on AI Factories and AI Factories Antennas, exploring cooperation across the European ecosystem and their role in supporting innovation and the development of Europe’s AI infrastructure. The speakers at the panel emphasised the importance of a connected European AI ecosystem, combining computing infrastructure, expertise, services, and cross-border cooperation to accelerate real-world AI adoption and strengthen Europe’s technological sovereign.
Prof. Kollias highlighted:
- PHAROS AI Factory Project’s role as Greece’s AI hub, supported by the DAEDALUS supercomputer and its high-performance computing capacity.
- The objective of making advanced AI and HPC resources accessible to researchers, start-ups, SMEs, and public-sector organisations.
- PHAROS’ cooperation with four AI Factory Antennas in Cyprus, Malta, North Macedonia, and Serbia, positioning Greece as a regional AI hub in South-Eastern Europe.
- The sharing of computing resources, data, tools, expertise, and services across PHAROS and its connected Antennas.
- PHAROS’ main application areas: Health, Language & Culture, and Sustainability, with a focus on developing practical AI solutions.
GRNET was also represented at EuroHPC User Days 2026 by Dimitris Katsianis, Deputy Chairman of GRNET and Assistant Professor at NKUA and Panos Louridas, Director of Research & Development at GRNET and Professor at the Department of Management Science and Technology, AUEB.
Also, PHAROS AI Factory Project was present at the dedicated AI Factories Corner, which showcased the network of AI Factories across Europe and gave participants the opportunity to discover their activities, services and role within the European AI ecosystem. A PHAROS AI Factory Project representative was available at the Corner offering participants the opportunity to learn more about PHAROS and its contribution to the European AI Factories initiative.
DAEDALUS, Greece’s new EuroHPC supercomputer, was featured at the event through dedicated audiovisual material, giving participants the opportunity to learn more about the system and its role in Greece’s growing supercomputing infrastructure.
- Watch event recordings of the EuroHPC User Days 2026 here.
- Watch the presentation of S. Kollias here
