In Slovenia, the foundation stone was laid for the infrastructure for the artificial intelligence factory

Maribor – In the area of the Drava Power Plants Maribor (DEM) in northeastern Slovenia, the foundation stone was laid for a data center, which will in the future serve as infrastructure for open science, supercomputing, and artificial intelligence. The center will be a key infrastructural pillar for Slovenia’s artificial intelligence factory, for which Slovenia has received European funding of 67.5 million euros.

The event was attended by Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob along with several ministers, who emphasized that the project goes beyond mere computing. It will combine three important elements: data collection, supercomputing capability, and an artificial intelligence factory.

He also highlighted the sustainability component. This is a project that, on one hand, allows for power supply from clean hydro energy, while on the other hand, it will enable the use of excess heat for heating Maribor, he said.

The Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Igor Papič stated that the planned establishment of a new supercomputer at the location in Maribor will represent significant infrastructure for enhancing the competitiveness of Slovenian scientists. According to the minister, the first supercomputer Vega has significantly increased interest in Slovenian researchers in various European projects, and with new capabilities, competitiveness will increase even more.

“We must not forget the great importance for the economy, especially for high-tech companies,” Papič added. He is convinced that the placement of the center in the DEM area has greatly contributed to the high rating of the supercomputer project application at the European level.

The construction of the data center, in accordance with the signed contract with the selected provider, is worth 14.8 million euros excluding tax. Of this, 11.8 million euros will be received from recovery and resilience funds. The deadline for completion is July 31, 2026.

The center will represent a key infrastructural pillar for establishing Slovenia’s artificial intelligence factory, which has been selected for co-financing along with artificial intelligence factories from 12 other EU member states by the Joint Undertaking for European High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC). Slovenia will receive 67.5 million euros from the EU budget for the project in Maribor, estimated at 150 million euros. (May 6)