Region
national
Partners
8 partners
Phase
OngoingStart
Sep 01, 2026
End
Oct 31, 2029
Project Journey & Timeline
Today is Oct 21, 2026
Project Kickoff
Official launch of project research activities.
Kick-off Meeting
Active project execution — 4% of timeline completed. 1106 days remaining until target completion.
Target Completion
Scheduled delivery of final milestones and objectives.
Abstract
The RO AI Factory aims to establish a comprehensive national ecosystem for artificial intelligence innovation and adoption in Romania, serving as a catalyst for research excellence, industrial transformation, and societal impact. Beyond building infrastructure, the initiative focuses on delivering advanced, user-orientated AI services that empower researchers, SMEs, start-ups, and public institutions to experiment, collaborate, and innovate using state-of-the-art digital resources. The Factory will offer an integrated portfolio of services, including AI model development and training support, federated data space management, algorithm libraries, and repositories for reusable software assets. Dedicated user assistance, consulting, and mentoring programs will guide organisations in applying AI solutions effectively and responsibly. Complementary capacity-building measures will enhance Romania’s human capital in AI through a National AI Training and Skills Development Programme targeting students, professionals, and policymakers. The RO AI Factory will also run an AI Start-up Accelerator and Incubation Network, providing mentorship, access to expertise, and co-working facilities to foster entrepreneurship and technology transfer. Engagement with SMEs will be a strategic priority, enabling them to integrate AI into products and processes, thus driving competitiveness and sustainability. By working together with Digital Innovation Hubs and European AI networks, the RO AI Factory will promote sharing of knowledge, follow EU guidelines for reliable AI, and spread results widely. Acting as a service-driven platform, it will bridge the gap between research and market deployment, strengthen Romania’s role in the European AI ecosystem, and contribute to a more inclusive and innovation-driven digital Europe.
Funding & Project Information
RO AI Factory is funded under the Horizon Europe framework through the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU).
The project has EUR 8 million in total eligible costs, of which up to EUR 4 million is supported through the EuroHPC JU grant. The remaining co-financing is provided by the Government of Romania.
Project number: 101314645
Duration: 1 September 2026 – 31 August 2029
Coordinator: National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics – ICI Bucharest
Main objectives
RO AI Factory is built around four main objectives:
- To establish Romania’s first national AI Factory, supported by AI-optimised computing infrastructure integrated into the EuroHPC ecosystem.
- To provide user-oriented AI services that support the full AI workflow, from data access and experimentation to model training, fine-tuning and deployment.
- To lower barriers to AI adoption for SMEs, start-ups, research organisations and public institutions through expert support, training and accessible service models.
- To connect Romania to the European AI ecosystem through collaboration with other AI Factories, Digital Innovation Hubs and related European initiatives.
What the project will do
RO AI Factory brings together several complementary strands of activity:
AI tools, workflows and user support
RO AI Factory will provide structured AI development environments and workflows covering experimentation, model development, training, fine-tuning and deployment. A one-stop-shop support service will help users access the infrastructure, configure workflows and solve technical issues. The services will also be designed for interoperability with the wider EuroHPC AI infrastructure.
Data access and data services
The Factory will provide a framework for working with curated and interoperable datasets, including controlled access to protected or sensitive data. The work covers FAIR data practices, secure data environments, data-access policies, interoperability and mechanisms supporting data quality and traceability.
Trustworthy and responsible AI
RO AI Factory will support users in developing AI systems that meet European requirements for trustworthy and responsible AI. Activities include model evaluation and validation, assessment of robustness and bias, compliance guidance and support for traceability and accountability.
AI Factory hubs and talent programmes
Physical and virtual collaboration environments will bring together researchers, students, start-ups, SMEs, industry and public-sector organisations. Talent-hosting and residency programmes will allow participants to work directly with AI Factory technologies and expertise.
Training and skills development
The project will offer structured training for different levels of AI experience, from foundational knowledge to advanced technical skills. Activities will include courses, workshops, bootcamps, practical learning and dedicated upskilling for SMEs and public institutions.
European and national networking
Through cooperation with other EuroHPC AI Factories, European Digital Innovation Hubs and related European AI, data and high-performance computing initiatives, RO AI Factory will connect Romania more closely to the emerging European AI infrastructure ecosystem.
Innovation, uptake and sustainability
The project will engage research organisations, companies, SMEs, start-ups and public institutions to encourage the practical use of AI Factory services. It will also develop pathways for long-term use and sustainability beyond the initial project period.
AIRi@UTCN in RO AI Factory
The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, through AIRi@UTCN, is a beneficiary of RO AI Factory and plays a significant role in the project’s technical and capacity-building activities. AIRi@UTCN leads the work on Data Facilities and Secure Data Access and Trustworthy AI Framework and Compliance, and co-leads activities in Training, Skills Development and Human Capital.
Through AIRi@UTCN, these activities connect the project with a wider AI research environment, interdisciplinary expertise, advanced infrastructure and collaboration opportunities for researchers, students, companies and public institutions.
Capacity Building and SMEs
A strong focus of RO AI Factory is capacity building. Through a National AI Training and Skills Development Programme, the project will support students, professionals and policymakers in developing practical AI knowledge and skills. An AI Start-up Accelerator and Incubation Network will further support entrepreneurship and technology transfer through mentorship, expertise and collaborative environments.
SME engagement is a strategic priority. RO AI Factory will help companies integrate AI into products, services and processes, while strengthening competitiveness and sustainability.
Expected impact
RO AI Factory is expected to:
- strengthen Romania’s capacity for AI research, innovation and adoption;
- expand access to AI-optimised computing, data and specialist expertise;
- accelerate AI uptake by SMEs, start-ups and public institutions;
- strengthen AI skills, talent development and responsible AI practices;
- connect Romanian organisations more closely with the European AI ecosystem.
Selected project targets
By the end of the project, RO AI Factory targets:
- 100 private entities served
- 35 public entities served
- 20 services available in the catalogue
- 20 AI training sessions
- 300 participants in training activities
- 400 students involved in AI Factory activities
- 26 AI-ready datasets available
- 350 members of the collaborative network
- 10 applications developed and deployed
- 5 AI solutions delivered
- 5 AI use cases progressing from prototype to deployment
- 8 strategic collaborations supported
- 4 partnerships with EDIHs, Competence Centres or other AI Factories
- 4 start-up/SME projects incubated or accelerated annually
- 5 innovation events organised annually
WP1. Project Coordination and Management
- set up and manage successful project coordination and management processes to ensure that all RO AI Factory work packages are implemented in a timely, cohesive and high-quality manner.
- manage project activity through technical coordination and oversight to include the tracking of progress,service quality, risk and dependencies between the various work packages of the project.
- support and administer the project’s financial and administrative needs by providing structured support for planning, monitoring and reporting on the project
WP2. AI Tools, Workflows and User Support Services
- design, deploy, and manage an organized suite of AI-related applications, processes, and user-level solutions that allow for the effective usage of the RO AI Factory by research, industry, start-up/SME and public sector users.
- ensure the workflows for delivering AI Factory Services are structured, reliable, scalable and support the complete AI lifecycle (from experiment/development to train/fine-tune/deployment).
- offer a one stop shop support solution for users which will provide support for on boarding, guidance, troubleshooting and ongoing support to improve services, with high service standards and user satisfaction at all levels of AI maturity.
- ensure that RO AIFactoryServices are compatible with European AI/HPC infrastructure via integration of technology, common interfaces and coordinated federation initiatives.
WP3. Data Facilities and Secure Data Access
- establish legal and technical framework to ensure safe and transparent use of data;
- provide datasets that are curated, documented and interoperable for ai workflows in line with fair principles;
- enable secure and controlled access to public and protected data while ensuring confidentiality, integrity and compliance with data protection requirements;
- define clear policies on data access and mechanisms for interoperability that support data sharing and collaboration with other european data initiatives;
- ensure quality, integrity, traceability and auditability through systematic validation and monitoring processes for all data used
WP4 – Trustworthy AI Framework and Compliance
- develop and implement an organised framework enabling the development, testing and implementation of AI systems in the RO AI Factory environment in accordance with European Union regulations, as well as being trustworthy and transparent.
- translate regulatory (legislative), ethics and risk based guidelines and requirements into practical procedures, tools and guidelines which users of RO AI Factory can apply when using our services.
- provide mechanisms for the evaluation, testing and validation of AI models on aspects such as, but not limited to; robustness, bias, transparency and risk classification.
- offer advisory services to assist users in their obligations of compliance, ethics and accountability for AI development and deployment.
WP5 – AI Factory Hub and Talent Hosting Facilities
- establish an operational environment at the AI Factory hub locations for collaboration, co-creation and information sharing between start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), research institutions, student communities and public sector users of the RO AI Factory.
- create a structured physical and/or digital space for multidisciplinary work and service use by supporting interaction, experimentations and service take-up and to further develop the AI Factory as a place for socialization and a center for the community.
- develop and implement hosting /residency schemes which allow individuals to have hands on experience with AI Factory services and to assist in developing skills and practical experience in AI.
- organize community focused events and activities to encourage intersectoral collaboration and maintain ongoing usage of the RO AI Factory services.
WP6 – Training, Skills Development and Human Capital
- develop a structured portfolio of AI training and skill-building experiences that will allow research, industry, start-up, SMEs, and public sector users to effectively utilize the RO AI Factory service.
- increase national and regional AI human capital through learning pathways designed to meet various levels of AI maturity (from foundational knowledge to higher level technical competences).
- promote "hands on" or "practice-based" learning approaches which allow learners to utilize AI methods and tools in a real-world environment within the RO AI Factory Service.
- facilitate the creation of capacity in theSME and public sectorsthrough targeted "up-skilling" programs, enabling them to implement and responsibly use AI technologies.
WP7 – Networking with European and National AI Initiatives
- be part of the European and national ecosystems for Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing and to be a functioning, interoperable contributor in the EU and national AI and HPC ecosystem by participating in cooperation projects and using appropriate infrastructure.
- ensure alignment and coordination of the RO AI Factory's actions and contributions to the European AI Factories and to all other AI Factory and similar initiatives, that allow for cross-border exchanges of know-how and for mutual learning
- contribute to the inclusion of RO AI Factory services into European-wide frameworks, by allowing the RO AI Factory to interact in a coordinated way with TEFs, DIHs and other relevant networks.
- provide strategic advice and future orientation, to support the long-term development and sustainability of the RO AI Factory
WP8 – Dissemination, Exploitation, and Communication
- develop a communication and dissemination strategy for promoting the activities, services, and results of the RO AI Factory.
- stimulate the use and appropriate application of RO AI Factory's services by research organizations, industrial organizations, start-ups, SMEs and public institutions via communication and engagement actions.
- identify and support the development of exploitation paths which allow for the continued and integrated use of the RO AI Factory services, tools and methods.
- follow up on and evaluate the dissemination, communication and engagement actions for the purpose of assessing their outreach and effectiveness.
