As part of the ongoing industry engagement efforts under the EUROCC2 project, the National Competence Center for High-Performance Computing (NCC Montenegro) visited the Center for Finance in Podgorica.
Ivana, Dejan, Ivan, Tomo, and Ilija at the meeting
We were welcomed by Mr. Ilija Mugoša, Executive Director, and Prof. Dr. Ivana Katnić, Head of Research and Education. The NCC Montenegro team—represented by prof. Tomo Popović, Mr. Ivan Jovović, and Mr. Dejan Babić—presented the objectives and services of the EUROCC2 project, highlighting the role of NCC in supporting the uptake of HPC technologies across sectors. The team shared insights on available HPC infrastructure, training opportunities, technical support, and assistance with applications for access to national and EuroHPC resources. The discussion focused on potential collaborations in applying HPC to the finance domain, including areas such as data-driven risk modeling, algorithmic trading simulations, and AI-enhanced financial forecasting.
Both parties recognized the importance of identifying the right use cases and relevant datasets that could benefit from the power of HPC. NCC Montenegro expressed readiness to support the Center for Finance in exploring these opportunities further—through technical guidance, co-development of pilot simulations, and assistance in transitioning from local development environments to HPC platforms. The possibility of applications for HPC resources and joint research and development project was emphasized as a key next step.
As part of a broader effort to analyze operational patterns in Montenegro’s healthcare sector, a predictive model was developed to estimate indicators related to the quality of healthcare services provided to citizens at the secondary and tertiary levels. The model was initially trained on a sample of 10,000 records and later expanded to over 40,000 records using the HPC cluster at UDG, which enabled the training process to complete in under one minute. All records were fully anonymized in accordance with ethical standards, and the dataset incorporated a wide range of temporal, demographic, and institutional variables relevant to healthcare access and service delivery patterns.
Using AI and HPC to analyze operational patterns in Montenegro’s healthcare sector
The model was implemented using the Random Forest Regressor algorithm, and additional experiments were conducted with alternative modeling techniques and target transformations. The baseline configuration achieved strong predictive performance (MAE ≈ 95 hours, R² = 0.87). While log-transformation and alternative algorithms such as XGBoost were evaluated, they did not yield improvements over the initial approach. Feature importance analysis revealed that factors such as month, weekday, and clinical unit had the highest impact on model outputs. Access to dedicated computing resources has been granted for further development, enabling continued model training and experimentation with advanced algorithms and optimization methods.
Click on image to learn more about Exploring – an innovative software development SME from Montenegro
As part of the ongoing efforts to enhance collaboration within the EuroCC4SEE network, representatives of the NCC Bosnia and Herzegovina conducted a productive visit NCC Montenegro on May 13, 2025. The meeting served as a mentoring and twinning platform to exchange lessons learned and best practices in industry onboarding, academic alignment, and public sector engagement. It also contributed to the planning of joint initiatives and regional efforts to promote/accelerate the adoption of HPC technologies.
From the meeting related to planning the next cooperation steps
Key outcomes of the meeting:
Exchange of experience and practices – NCC Montenegro and NCC BiH shared their respective approaches to HPC promotion and user engagement, including: Examples of collaborative projects across academia, industry, and the public sector; Use cases and success stories in sectors such as healthcare, energy, agri-tech, fintech, and weather forecasting; Practical strategies for onboarding companies through direct communication and proactive engagement, including HPC4SME push The promotion and use of national sandbox infrastructures and advanced EuroHPC resources to support research institutions and innovative enterprises in developing and testing advanced computational solutions and business ideas.
Support for the CMBEBIH 2025 Conference (September 11–13, Sarajevo) NCC Montenegro confirmed its support for the upcoming CMBEBIH 2025 conference related to several activities, including: contribution to the Call for paper submissions, (HPC applications in medicine), Hackathon activities (HPC-supported use cases) and HPC panel discussion/expert session featuring both regional and international experts.
Joint training events and regional outreach – plans were discussed for organizing joint HPC training sessions for industry. These events may be held: in conjunction with the CMBEBIH 2025 conference in Sarajevo (September 2025); as part of the IEEE IT conference in Žabljak (February 2026), or in planned HPC roadshow to be held across five cities in BiH.
The discussion concluded with a detailed action plan for the upcoming period
The visit concluded on a highly positive note, reaffirming the mutual commitment to deepen the regional cooperation, accelerate knowledge transfer, promote HPC as a strategic enabler for innovations in Southeast Europe and amplify NCCs visibility across EuroCC2 network.
Presentation by prof. dr Lejla Gurbeta-Pokvic
Representatives from both NCC teams also participated in the POLICY ANSWERS Workshop on Technology-Oriented Research Infrastructures: Opportunities for the Western Balkans where NCC Bosnia and Herzegovina gave a presentation that featured EuroCC2 & EuroCC4SEE projects and NCC activities.
As part of the EuroCC4SEE project, five countries – Türkiye, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina – have joined forces to present an engaging online seminar series titled: “5 Beats of Intelligence: AI Meets Diverse Domains”.
Tjis is a joint effort from NCCs from the EuroCC4SEE
In this series, each country will host a dedicated session exploring how Artificial Intelligence (AI) intersects with a different scientific or industrial domain. The seminars are designed to share knowledge, inspire collaboration, and engage both academic and applied research communities in the EuroHPC ecosystem.
📅 The series runs from 20 May to 22 July 2025, with a new seminar approximately every two weeks. All seminars will be hosted online via Zoom. More details on schedule and registrations can be accessed at NCC Turkiye website at the foillowing link.
Mr Dejan Babic will give the first presentation proviedd by NCC Montenegro Mr Ivan Jovovic will give the second presentation from NCC Montenegro
HPC Serbia is organizing a face-to-face regional EuroCC4SEE Workshop in Belgrade from 20 to 22 May 2025. The workshop will commence around noon on 20 May and conclude by noon on May 22. During the first half-day, we will hold sessions tailored for researchers. The second half-day will focus on SMEs, while the afternoon of the second day will feature presentations on the use of HPC in public administration. On the third day, we will showcase examples of HPC applications in the region. NCC Montenegro team members will participate in the event and give presentation on 22 May. You can learn more about the event at the following link: https://indico.ipb.ac.rs/event/590/
On May 2025, NCC Montenegro and the University of Donja Gorica welcomed Igor Mitrić, founder and CEO of the Montenegrin startup HRUPTY, for an initial consultation on potential collaborations in the field of high-performance computing (HPC). HRUPTY is recognized as an innovation-driven company registered under the Ministry of Science and Innovation and is focused on developing cutting-edge AR/VR tools for a wide range of industries including real estate, tourism, art, education, and industrial training.
Innovative Startup Hrupty visited NCC Montenegro for initial consultations
During the meeting, Mr. Mitrić presented the company’s suite of digital 3D products—such as VirtuSale, VirtuTrainPro, and VirtuEdu—that are already being deployed in global projects with partners from Europe, North America, and Asia. These platforms combine immersive virtual experiences with artificial intelligence to revolutionize how users interact with real-world scenarios in virtual environments.
We went over the Hrupty roadmap and also provided support for the HPC4SME self assessment process
The discussion with NCC Montenegro representatives—Dejan Babić, Ivan Jovović, and Tomo Popović—focused on identifying where HPC resources could support HRUPTY’s innovation roadmap, especially in areas requiring large-scale rendering, simulation, and AI model training. As part of the session, HRUPTY also completed the HPC4SME self-assessment to better understand its HPC readiness and potential for adopting advanced computing technologies. This visit marks the beginning of what we hope will become a fruitful collaboration between the startup and the national HPC competence center.
During the panel “AI and HPC: drivers of your career” held at the University of Donja Gorica as part of the EuroCC project, our alumni sent clear messages that changes do not come by themselves, but are driven by people ready to learn, take responsibility and act. At a time when the borders between the real and digital world are being erased faster than ever before, Montenegro is increasingly positioning itself as a place where ideas with global potential are born.
Panel je uključio 4 eksperta i osnivača uspješnih firmi u Crnoj Gori
In the opening address, it was pointed out that AI and HPC are not just abstract technological terms, but concrete tools that change the way we live, work, educate and communicate. Today, more than ever, the question is not whether AI will change our daily lives, but how we, as individuals and as a community, will respond to those changes. In that spirit, the panelists shared their experiences, dilemmas and visions, but also sent strong messages to students who will be the bearers of that transformation.
Veliko interesovanje kod studenata
Anton Jurovicki, CEO of Coinis, spoke about the necessity for the education system in Montenegro to make a step towards a more practical and flexible approach to learning. As he says, technologies change almost on a daily basis, and that is why it is crucial that young people do not wait for the system to prepare them, but actively search for knowledge themselves, through projects, practices and direct cooperation with industry. He especially emphasized that today’s students are the ones who already have the opportunity to shape the local technological ecosystem and make Montenegro the digital center of the region. He encouraged male and female students not to hesitate to step into these fields, because their very presence can bring a key change in the way technology shapes our society.
Preko 100 posjetilaca je ispratilo diskusiju
Milutin Pavićević, commercial director of Alicorn, with extensive experience in the video game industry, spoke about the role of artificial intelligence in creative processes. He pointed out that AI is not the enemy of creativity, but a tool that can expand the boundaries of imagination and accelerate the development of games, narratives and digital worlds. However, as he says, it is crucial that people remain at the center of that process, because AI does not understand context, emotion and purpose, and that these are values that only human consciousness can bring. Milutin pointed out the challenges faced by male and female students when entering the industry, from lack of practical experience to lack of understanding of business processes. He emphasized that employers are not only looking for technical knowledge, but the ability to learn quickly, communicate clearly and think critically. In this sense, he called on young people to develop soft skills, but also to take responsibility for personal improvement, because the industry is no longer waiting but looking for those who are ready today.
Svi učesnici panela su već ostvarili saradnju sa NCC Montenegro i UDG
Miodrag Vujković, founder of Inovative, spoke about how to overcome the fear of technology. He said resistance often comes from a lack of understanding rather than an actual inability to apply the technologies. His message was clear: “Technology should be an ally, not a threat.” Through specific examples, he explained how AI and HPC can help in market analysis, resource optimization and making better business decisions. He particularly referred to the future of business in which, as he believes, AI will play a key role, but with the active participation of people who understand the wider context. The entrepreneurs of the future, according to him, will be those who know how to combine analytics, intuition and ethics.
Stevan Šandi, the founder of BixBit, shared his experience on the development of AI products from the perspective of a domestic company. A successful AI product, in his opinion, depends not only on code but on clear purpose, understanding of users and continuous optimization. He also warned that technologies like AI and HPC require responsible behavior, especially when it comes to data security and privacy. Stevan underlined that individuals, not systems, bear the greatest responsibility for the protection of their data, as well as the data of other people. In a world where everything is connected, the boundaries of privacy are getting thinner, and trust is becoming the most valuable currency.
In the end, all the speakers agreed that the key is in education, critical thinking, openness to collaboration and willingness to constantly learn. AI and HPC are not replacing humans but opening the door to completely new ways of working and thinking. But only those who are ready to recognize these changes, adapt and take responsibility will be the leaders of the future.
