On 13–14 December, NCC Montenegro hosted the EuroCC4SEE Forum dedicated to business innovation supported by High-Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The event brought together representatives from academia, industry, the public sector, and the startup ecosystem, with the aim of strengthening national capacities and supporting Montenegro’s digital transformation.
Welcome note from NCC Montenegro – prof. Bozo KrstajicWe organized networking activities during the breaks
During the two-day program, participants explored practical applications of HPC and AI through Proof-of-Concept demonstrations in the fields of energy, agriculture, health, and mobility, alongside discussions on innovation policies, MLOps approaches, skills development, and business–academia collaboration.
Discussions were focused on AI/HPC driven innovation in business and PoC demonstratorsPoC presentations were based on acamia-industry collaboration
The forum also highlighted the importance of regional and European cooperation, EU funding opportunities, and future activities within the EuroCC4SEE network, contributing to the strengthening of Montenegro’s position within the regional HPC/AI ecosystem. A proceedings booklet with brief elaborations of all covered topics will be made available on the project website.
The Second National AI Conference “AI DIREKTNO: Montenegro in the Time of AI Challenges” was held on 3 December 2025 at the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro, gathering leading representatives from government, academia, health institutions, industry, and the innovation ecosystem. The event was organized by the Association of Managers of Montenegro (AMM), the AMM Academy for Leadership, Management and Corporate Governance, and the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro.
NCC Montenegro took an active role throughout the conference, contributing to discussions on strengthening Montenegro’s AI ecosystem, responsible adoption of advanced technologies, and the importance of high-performance computing (HPC) for research, innovation, and industry. NCC-affiliated representatives participated in panel discussions focused on the practical impact of AI, digital transformation, and new opportunities emerging across sectors.
One of the key contributions came during the panel “A New Era of Business – How AI Is Changing the Rules of the Game”, where Prof. Dr. Tomo Popović (University of Donja Gorica & NCC Montenegro) highlighted real-world AI adoption, the growing need for scalable HPC resources, and the importance of building multidisciplinary teams capable of delivering trustworthy AI solutions. The discussion also featured insights from industry leaders, some of which are already using EuroHPC Ju access, on emerging business models and AI-driven innovation. Agenda avaliable at [link].
The panel included NCC team members and representatives from companies already using EuroHPC resources
Another important contribution from the NCC community was made earlier in the day by Mr. Milutin Pavićević, assistant at UDG and founder of the startup Zuno, who participated in the panel “Application of AI in Education, Healthcare, and Other Sectors.” He emphasized practical challenges startups face in implementing AI-driven products, and the value of national digital infrastructure and research institutions in supporting early innovation.
The other panel focused on AI and Healthcare sector
The conference also included an open talk with the Prime Minister, sector-specific panels on banking, healthcare, and education, and strategic reflections from Montenegro’s growing AI and tech community. NCC Montenegro’s participation reinforces its mission to support the adoption of AI and HPC technologies, strengthen skills development, and build an innovation ecosystem aligned with European standards and capabilities.
The conference also included an open talk with the Prime Minister
At the CheckIn Conference, held in Bar, Montenegro on November 28th 2025, the activities, and results of the EUROCC / NCC Montenegro project were presented. The CheckIn conference brought together experts from the digital economy, technology and creative industries, with a mission to drive long-term impact on the environment – from artificial intelligence and fintech to art, wellness and innovation.
The aim of this conference is to initiate a conversation on how smaller cities can become centers of innovation and how local potentials can be utilized in a modern, sustainable, and competitive manner. The large number of expert participants and visitors not only confirms that Bar is recognized as a city that brings together the scientific and professional community, but also as an environment that actively considers and adopts the latest practices and knowledge of the future.
The Check In 2025 conference is designed and took place on two stages, featuring a total of eight panels covering the fields of information technology, investments and innovation, tourism, education and training, startup ecosystems, banking, the entertainment industry, and the FMCG sector.
During the panel “Intelligence applied”, the EUROCC / NCC Montenegro project was introduced by NCC Member, Ms. Sandra Tinaj as an initiative that actively supports digital transformation and the development of innovation and education capacities in Montenegro through a network of services and expertise in High-Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Data Analytics.
The panel opened an important discussion on Montenegro’s current position on the path of digital development and the key steps in education needed to build a modern, connected, and technologically advanced society. Special emphasis was placed on the role of NCC Montenegro in strengthening cooperation between between the academic sector and the economy, tourism, and the investment environment as a foundation for sustainable economic growth.
Furthermore, within the EXPO zone of the conference, the Municipality of Bar has also ensured the presentation of businesses supported by the local government through programs aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and women’s entrepreneurship. This is intended for additional promotion, networking, and sharing experiences with other participants and connecting with NCC Montenegro.
The participation of NCC Montenegro at the conference reaffirmed its strategic role in connecting research, education, and industry, and in fostering digital and innovation competitiveness in Montenegro
The Training Programme on Digital Innovation of Cultural Heritage, launched by Arctur (NCC Slovenia), aims to bring advanced digital heritage and Tourism 4.0 capabilities to Montenegro. Under this initiative (part of a project coordinated by UNIDO and the Montenegrin Ministry of Tourism), NCC Montenegro joined as a participant, seeking to build capacity in digital storytelling, 3D technologies, and modern approaches to cultural heritage digitisation and preservation.
The training aligns with the broader mission of Tourism 4.0: leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies (e.g., 3D modelling, photogrammetry, AR/VR, digital storytelling) to create enriched tourist experiences, boost competitiveness, and support sustainable cultural-heritage-based tourism.
Through participation, NCC Montenegro and other attendees have gained both conceptual and practical knowledge of digital tools, workflows, and methodologies—from 3D capture to storytelling and asset management—enabling them to support digital heritage preservation, immersive storytelling, and innovative tourism products. For NCC Montenegro, this engagement offers an opportunity to strengthen its role in regional Tourism 4.0 initiatives, cultural heritage digitisation, and digital innovation services, which complements its existing HPC/AI and digital acceleration expertise.
The National Competence Centre for HPC and AI held an initial meeting with the Director of the Business Center Bar, Ivana Tomašević to explore opportunities for supporting local digital entrepreneurship, in line with the growing importance of advanced data analytics and HPC/AI services for competitiveness, innovation, and sustainable business growth.
Business Center Bar is a key regional institution fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and the growth of start-ups and SMEs by providing business incubator facilities, advisory and mentoring services, training and education, as well as facilitating access to institutional support and financial capital, coordinating local development initiatives, and supporting project development with national and international partners.
NCC Montenegro presented its portfolio of services, including tailored training programs, industry workshops, technical expertise, and access to supercomputing resources through the EuroCC2/EuroCC4SEE project. The discussion also highlighted HPC and AI success stories of Montenegrin companies, alongside inspirational use cases such as AI-powered tourism prediction models, data analytics for smart destinations, data-driven optimisation in agriculture, and asset-light simulations for SME products.
Both sides discussed local industry needs—including tourism, agriculture, maritime logistics, and creative industries—and opportunities for collaboration. They agreed to pursue joint activities such as sector-focused industry workshops, training support for SMEs, and project cooperation aimed at strengthening regional innovation capacities and R&D initiatives.
As part of the Digital Transformation course, representatives of the National Competence Centre for High-Performance Computing – NCC Montenegro, Ms. Sanja Nikolić and Dr Luka Filipović, delivered a guest lecture to final-year BSc students of the Faculty for Information Systems and Technologies (FIST) and the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the University of Donja Gorica. The session highlighted the growing strategic importance of High-Performance Computing (HPC) in research, innovation and business competitiveness.
HPC and Bussiness Opportunities for Digitial Transformation
Students were introduced to how HPC powers today’s AI systems, large-scale simulations, and data-intensive applications, and how this technological convergence opens new career and entrepreneurial opportunities. The lecture also showcased how HPC and AI are becoming critical enablers for SMEs and start-ups, transforming traditional industries and supporting advanced digital solutions in agriculture, energy, finance, and healthcare.
Ms Sanja Nikolic and Dr Luka Filipovic gave a lecture to final year students
The presenters also provided an overview of NCC Montenegro’s activities under the EuroCC/EuroCC4SEE initiative – including training opportunities, access to European supercomputers, SME onboarding support, and student involvement through research, master’s projects, and innovation-oriented proof-of-concepts. The lecture concluded with an open invitation for students to engage in upcoming NCC HPC/AI programs, internships, and applied research initiatives.
NCC Montenegro, in collaboration with the NCC Slovenia, organized a collaborative workshop and training AI Solutions from Innovative SMEs: Practical Examples and Lessons Learned on October 7, 2025 in Podgorica at University of Donja Gorica. The workshop focused on the opportunities and advantages of HPC and AI technologies in the business sector and best practices in the industry. Approximately 25 participants attended the workshop, including industry experts who deal daily with research and practical examples in the field of artificial intelligence based on HPC.
Tomi Ilijas, NCC Slovenia, Arctur
Tomi Ilijaš, representing Arctur and the NCC SLING initiative in Slovenia, discussed the emerging opportunities for SMEs within the HPC ecosystem. He introduced support structures aimed at making advanced computing more accessible to smaller businesses and highlighted case studies of SME innovation enabled by HPC services.
Presentation on lessons learned and new opportunities for the industry
Ilijaš highlighted two of Arctur’s valuable use cases, CLASSICA and LLMs4EU. These projects are powered by supercomputers and AI, enabling faster workflows and precise analysis. Use case in tourism LLMs4EU aims to reduce entry barriers for smaller, lesser-known tourist destinations and to break down language barriers, build personalized itineraries and incorporate gamification elements. Based on vertical LLM, designed for integration into existing or newly developed software. The main goal of the CLASSICA project – the use of AI technology for cancer classification in the operating theatre. Ilijaš presented the project activities and highlighted the importance of AI technology for image recognition and tissue classification.
NCC Monteengro moderated the discussion
The second part of the workshop focused on the FFplus call Innovative studies for SMEs. FFplus is a successor to previous Fortissimo projects (Fortissimo, Fortissimo-2, FF4EuroHPC; 2013-2023). Both, NCC Montenegro and NCC Slovenia representatives, explaines and announce to the Montenegrin SMEs the Innovative studies call which will be open in December 2025. This call will support European SMEs and Start-ups already active in the field of generative AI technology, which lack the necessary computational resources to scale up.
Representatives from NCC Montenegro
After the presentation, there were questions and answers sesion. During Q&A sesion representatives from SMEs shared their experiences and highlighted importance of cooperation with NCC Montenegro.
We had a good presence of SMEs interested in new EuroHPC and FFPlus callsGroup photo from the workshop
