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HPC Training AI Solutions from Innovative SMEs: Practical Examples and Lessons Learned

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 calls
Group photo from the workshop
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NCC Montenegro at Infofest 2025

Infofest (Festival of IT Achievements) is a traditional international event in the field of information and communication technologies, organized in Montenegro since 1994.

The aim of Infofest is to bring together experts from academia, industry, and the public sector, as well as technology companies, IT enthusiasts, and the media — to exchange knowledge, present innovative solutions, and initiate discussions on current challenges and perspectives of digital transformation.

NCC Montenegro presenting activities and services offered

Over the years, Infofest has established a strong reputation as a festival that promotes the latest topics in the ICT sector, such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, digital transformation, regulation and ethics in technology, e-governance, and more.
Infofest 2025 was held in Budva, from September 28 to October 1, 2025.

Dr Sandra Tinaj, NCC Montenegro, UDG

The National Competence Center for High Performance Computing – NCC Montenegro actively participated in Infofest 2025, presenting projects and services in the fields of supercomputing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI).

Dr Tomo Popovic, NCC Montenegro, UDG

Representatives of the University of Donja Gorica, Sandra Tinaj and Tomo Popović, together with Božo Krstajić from the University of Montenegro, delivered a presentation on the activities of NCC Montenegro, with a special focus on the services offered by the Center, as listed and described on the official platform.

Dr Bozo Krstajic, NCC Montenegro, ETF/UCG

During the event, bilateral meetings were held with representatives of IT companies and public sector institutions interested in collaboration and the implementation of HPC and AI solutions in their organizations.

Infofest was attended by the representatives from industry and academia (Montenegro and the region)

By participating in Infofest, NCC Montenegro further strengthens its role in the development of Montenegro’s digital economy and innovation ecosystem, connecting academia, researchers, and industry in a shared mission to advance knowledge and technological progress.

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DIGITAL FABRIC Explores Future Collaboration with NCC Montenegro

On October 1, NCC Montenegro had the pleasure of welcoming Konstantin Kolotov, CTO of DIGITAL FABRIC, a company active in the field of AI and advanced digital solutions and product strategies. The visit followed an initial introduction at the KOMPact event, where both sides identified shared interests and complementary strengths in leveraging AI solutions and HPC resources, particularly in the area of smart tourism.

During discussions at the NCC Montenegro offices, Mr Kolotov as a founder and a co-founder introduced portfolio of projects and start-ups, shaping innovative use for testing and scaling AI-enabled solutions:

  • HiGem.ai – a platform designed for travel destinations, to enhance destination management and visitor experience.
  • Trendcore.ai – a solution for the fashion industry focused on AI-driven visual content generation.

Both initiatives demonstrate how AI-powered platforms can foster business innovation. The conversation also addressed advanced computing requirements, EuroHPC system access opportunities, and the role of NCC Montenegro in providing support and guidance for future developments.

In addition, the visit opened dialogue on potential academic collaboration, with a focus on digital innovation and AI applications in tourism. Joint interest was expressed in co-developing research initiatives, pilot projects, and knowledge exchange activities.

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NCC Montenegro offering through Waldur HPC Service Hub

Waldur serves as a digital platform in the EuroCC project, enabling seamless management of High-Performance Computing (HPC) and related services across various European nations. As an open-source multi-cloud marketplace, Waldur provides automation, billing, and a self-service environment—making it easier for users to access compute resources, deploy solutions, and manage projects. Its modular integration with industry-standard tools, allows national competence centers to offer tailored services that meet the rapidly evolving needs of research, academia, and industry.

NCC Montenegro, leveraging Waldur, has implemented public offerings of services through HPC Service Hub: Consultation services, an HPC-for-SME Assessment Tool, EuroHPC infrastructure access support and specialized training modules. These offerings empower local innovators, SMEs, and researchers by facilitating direct access to computational resources, expert guidance, and skill-building opportunities that foster the country’s digital transformation and integration into the broader European HPC ecosystem.

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NCC Montenegro Featured in Glasnik of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro

The NCC Montenegro has been presented in the September 2025 edition of Glasnik, the official publication of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro.

The article highlights the NCC’s role in strengthening national capacities in HPC/HPDA/AI technologies, providing training, support and access to supercomputing resources for companies, academic institutions and public institutions. Glasnik emphasises why HPC and AI matter for Montenegro: faster data processing, running complex simulations, development of AI models, and accelerated innovation and product development. It describes how NCC supports SMEs and startups by enabling them to test ideas, train models, and develop new digital products without investing in costly infrastructure.  Glasnik also notes practical examples of HPC use in Montenegro—financial modelling, weather prediction, smart agriculture, precise medicine and tourism 4.0. The article encourages companies to explore HPC/AI opportunities, NCC support and European supercomputing resources to enhance innovative capacities and international competitiveness.

Source: https://komora.me/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Glasnik-sept-2025_web1.pdf

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NCC Montenegro Joins European HPC Leaders at All Hands Meeting in Tallinn

NCC Montenegro successfully concluded its participation at the CASTIEL 2, EuroCC 2, and EuroCC4SEE conference (All Hands Meeting – AHM) held September 23–25, 2025, in Tallinn, Estonia, under the motto: “HPC in Europe – toward a resilient future”

As the final gathering for the current phases of these European HPC, HPDA, and AI projects, the conference endorsed collaborative efforts of Project Management Team (PMT), National Competence Centres (NCCs), and Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to showcase research achievements, industry results, exchange national experiences, and plan further joint initiatives to strengthen the European HPC ecosystem alongside EuroHPC JU partners.

The three-day agenda combined project updates, focused breakout sessions, and strategic discussions. Following a welcoming address, the first day focused on reviewing the status and key activities of the CASTIEL 2 and EuroCC2/4SEE projects. A core session was dedicated to Increasing Visibility, which included presentations on the fully consolidated HPC in Europe portal and the HPC Service Hub expansion – a marketplace tool connecting local users with EuroHPC expertise and resources.

The second day started with an Sustainability working session, focusing on key propositions, main drivers, and challenges of NCC business models beyond JU funding. Both days, afternoon hours were reserved for poster networking sessions, where 33 NCCs and 14 CoEs showcased local/domain HPC outreach, discussed national HPC maturity, and explored opportunities to share knowledge, practices, and activities to address local HPC needs and strengthen the European HPC network.

 

The third day focused on forward-looking planning, featuring discussions on EuroCC 3 / CASTIEL 3 project activities and cooperation with AI Factories, shaping the strategic direction for the next phase of European HPC collaboration. Furthermore, in parallel, breakout sessions were conducted for NCC/CoE representatives related to Industry Interaction (NCC industry contributions, challenges, and PoC analyses), Training & Skills Development (EVITA – EuroHPC Virtual Training Academy), and Communication Strategies (enhancing team communication).

NCC Montenegro’s participation in Tallinn marks a successful culmination of the current project phases, showcasing its effective industry practices, successful HPC onboarding for SMEs and start-ups, and strong commitment to providing critical HPC and AI support to innovators across Montenegro, while actively contributing to the advancement of the European supercomputing landscape.

https://hpc-portal.eu/news/blog/highlights-the-castiel-2-all-hands-meeting-2025-in-tallinn

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NCC Montenegro at the 13th Science Festival – Supercomputers and Artificial Intelligence

On Friday, September 26, at the Bemax Arena in Podgorica, the 13th Science Festival – “European Researchers’ Night” will take place, organized by the Foundation for the Promotion of Science PRONA (https://festival-nauke.me/).

NCC Montenegro at the 13th Science Festival

The National Competence Center for High Performance Computing – NCC Montenegro (EuroCC2 and EuroCC4SEE), represented through the University of Donja Gorica, will participate in this largest event in Montenegro dedicated to the popularization of science and innovation.

Interaction with the youngest attendees

Through several projects and demonstrations, visitors will see how supercomputers and artificial intelligence (HPC/AI) are shaping the future:

  • Agriculture – the AIMHiGH project applies AI for real-time poultry disease and behavior analysis.
  • Human resources – AI tools for improving business processes and enhancing objectivity in decision-making.
  • Medicine – the AI-AGE project develops AI models for detecting biomarkers of aging from medical imaging.

This event is an opportunity to demonstrate how HPC and AI contribute to sustainable development and the digital transformation of society, while highlighting Montenegro’s active role in the European Research Area.

Through EuroCC2 and EuroCC4SEE, NCC Montenegro continues to build bridges between science and industry, supporting researchers and companies in developing new digital solutions, and positioning Montenegro as part of the European supercomputing and AI community.

Connecting science, innovation and society

The Science Festival once again confirms the importance of NCC Montenegro in connecting science, innovation, and society.

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