Supercomputers are designed to efficiently process massive datasets, build sophisticated models, and run complex simulations, among other benefits. However, with approximately 500 supercomputers worldwide, access to these powerful machines can sometimes be limited.
MeluXina HPC, Luxembourg’s business-oriented supercomputer hosted by LuxProvide, stands out for its large data processing speeds but also for its accessibility to startups and SMEs. In September 2023, LuxProvide launched the “Initiate” and “Cashback 80%” programmes for smaller entities that traditionally find it harder to afford or access high-performance computing (HPC) resources for their projects.
Our goal is to democratise access to supercomputing through these programmes.
“These companies often have less maturity and expertise, and financially, they may not have the same capacity to invest as some bigger companies. However, our goal is to democratise access to supercomputing through these programmes,” explains Filipe Pais, Chief Customer Success Officer at LuxProvide.
At its core, the organisation helps both companies and researchers to leverage the full value of data through supercomputing. “Typically, organisations have a lot of data, and when dealing with such vast amounts, complex models are needed to analyse the data and obtain specific outputs. This requires substantial computing power, which is provided by MeluXina,” he asserts.
Empowering startups to “Initiate” HPC projects
The “Initiate” programme is designed specifically for startups across the world. It offers these young companies the opportunity to experiment with MeluXina’s computing power and storage, and benefit from Luxprovide’s expertise.
It is specifically tailored to enable them validate their ideas and reach the prototype phase without any financial burden or other operational constraints that come with managing smaller teams for HPC projects. “It is a short to medium term contract with free access to these resources—compute power, storage, and expert guidance— and the idea is to help the company to go for a proof of concept.”
Advancing HPC projects by startups and SMEs
Over 20 startups have already benefitted from “Initiate” with many poised to transition into the “Cashback 80%” phase. This second initiative for companies located in Luxembourg offers a significant financial incentive: a rebate of 80% on HPC usage and related services. “This means that for every euro spent, they will receive 80 cents back,” underlines Mr Pais. Luxinnovation, the national innovation agency, assists interested companies in preparing the applications to access this state aid.
Organisations have a lot of data, and when dealing with such vast amounts, complex models are needed to analyse the data and obtain specific outputs.
The programme is open to both startups and SMEs and builds on the success of “Initiate”. “Imagine a startup completes the “Initiate” programme and, in the end, validates their idea and decides to dive deep into the project using the supercomputing platform. This is where the Cashback 80%” programme could come in,” he points out. However, companies can also opt for this programme directly as a standalone initiative.
Access to a sovereign and secure platform
The benefits of these initiatives for companies are substantial. “They gain access to a secure, state-of-the-art computing platform based in Luxembourg, which addresses any data security concerns they may have,” underscores Mr Pais. In addition, he reiterates the immense computational power of MeluXina, with 18 petaflops, complemented by 20 petabytes of storage. “We are talking about an infrastructure for very complex projects that many will probably not have access to if they did not apply for these programmes.”
We have a team of data engineers, data scientists, HPC experts and system engineers who are involved in these projects.
LuxProvide’s team of experts also provide critical support to help companies navigate challenges and ensure project success. “We have a team of data engineers, data scientists, HPC experts and system engineers who are involved in these projects. They provide their knowledge and expertise and help to avoid any obstacles or blockers, which is a huge plus.”
Two advanced supercomputing systems will further enrich Luxembourg’s HPC capabilities: the quantum computer MeluXina-Q and the artificial intelligence supercomputer MeluXina-AI. “We are committed to adapting and developing our startup and SME programmes to the evolution of our services,” Mr Pais concludes.