JAIF on Tour: Encounters and Collaborations in the First Half of 2026
The JUPITER AI Factory (JAIF) looks back on an eventful first half of the year. Between March and June 2026, the consortium presented its services and application opportunities at numerous events across Germany and Europe. Key themes included collaboration between research and industry and the importance of European cooperation.
Showcasing JAIF’s Service Portfolio at Events in Cologne and Aachen
The tour began in March with the 2nd German Robotics Conference in Cologne. Julia Mann, Sebastian Trimpe and Lucas Manassés from RWTH Aachen, together with Milad Morad from Fraunhofer FIT, presented JAIF’s service portfolio along with several AI application examples.
Shortly afterwards, JAIF took part in the RWTH Tech Impact Festival 2026 in Aachen. Members of the JAIF consortium co-organised the track “Next Generation Computing & AI” and delivered the interactive workshop “AI Factories: Europe’s Gateway to Real-World AI Applications”. Discussions focused on how collaboration can strengthen Europe’s technological sovereignty and enhance the European Union’s global competitiveness in AI.
Strengthening Connections with Industry Partners and European AI Factories
Another highlight was the Industry Challenge, held from 21 to 22 May at TU Darmstadt. Organised by hessian.AI and the Developer Student Club Darmstadt in cooperation with industry partner Wasteer, the event marked the launch of the JAIF Challenge Series, a series of events dedicated to training students and young talents to solve real-world challenges. Ten student teams took part in an intensive 24+ hour hackathon, developing AI solutions for waste-to-energy operations. Working on an industrial challenge provided valuable hands-on experience and demonstrated the potential of AI to address complex sustainability issues.
At the Be-AIFA Soft Launch Event in Belgium in June, Mathis Bode had the opportunity to present JAIF’s service portfolio and connect with sister AI Factory LUMI, which is likewise part of the Antenna network. These connections were deepened at VivaTech, held in Paris from 17 to 20 June. Together with representatives of the AI Factories AI2F, BSC, LUMI and Antenna Ireland, Mathis Bode took part in a panel discussion on the role of AI Factories in strengthening Europe’s AI ecosystem. Also on 17 June, JAIF participated in the Industry Day of the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing at Forschungszentrum Jülich. The event focused on how expertise and innovation in high-performance computing and AI can be successfully transferred from research to industry. During a guided tour of the Jülich Supercomputing Centre, participants also experienced the capabilities and potential of JUPITER, Europe’s first exascale supercomputer.
Discussing the Potential of Europe’s AI Ecosystem
JAIF was also strongly represented at this year’s ISC High Performance Conference in Hamburg, held from 22 to 26 June. In addition to showcasing JAIF at the Forschungszentrum Jülich and EuroHPC Joint Undertaking booths and during a dedicated poster session, Mathis Bode and Benedikt von St. Vieth took part in a panel discussion, where they highlighted JAIF’s role in advancing European exascale computing and AI infrastructure. At the RAISE Summit in Paris, members of the JAIF consortium had the opportunity to engage with colleagues from AI Factory France. Their discussions focused on shared challenges, practical insights and experiences in building and operating AI Factories across Europe, as well as opportunities for further collaboration.
In the upcoming months, JAIF will continue to connect Europe’s AI communities and help shape a strong, collaborative and competitive European AI ecosystem.
Photo Gallery
Swipe to see all pictures
