High Performance Computing as an opportunity for SMEs in Ireland

High Performance Computing (HPC) is the application of supercomputers to solve problems that cannot be solved by ordinary computers. The use of HPC has been driving innovation in enterprises from a wide range of segments. Not only businesses seeking large or fast data processing can benefit and profit from HPC, but also many more, such as those involved with product designing, agricultural production, mapping, engineering and decision making. The list is vast and keeps expanding as new applications are developed. Consequently, the possibilities for business innovation by using this technology increase significantly.

Enterprises located in Ireland are already using HPC. In fact, the 2019 global top 500 supercomputer list contains 14 Irish supercomputers, all of which are privately owned. There are also publicly accessible supercomputers in Ireland. The Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC), for example, is involved with state-supported and industry partnerships and has the potential to support innovation in many types of enterprises, including SMEs.

Promoting HPC usage in SMEs, however, has been proven as challenging. The SME/HPC Project (https://www.smehpc.eu), an EU-funded initiative aiming at improving the HPC landscape in a number of European countries, including Ireland, identified that SMEs are not taking advantage of HPC as a strategic resource for innovation. As a result, the SME/HPC Project is sharing online self-learning material for all levels of knowledge covering information to support SMEs to effectively implement HPC solutions in their business operations.

The link to access the self-learning material on HPC for SMEs can be found in the SME/HPC Project website (https://www.smehpc.eu/repository). Happy learning!