Notice

Apply to become an AI Factory Antenna: expression of interest

Published 27 May 2025

There are 2 stages in this process. 

Stage 1: Submit an expression of interest (EOI)

This EOI call provides the opportunity for:

• a UK public sector entity or
• a consortium of UK public sector entities

to apply to host an AI Factory Antenna linked to an established AI Factory in Europe.

This EOI will close at 23.59 BST on Wednesday 11 June 2025. 

Stage 2: Apply to EuroHPC’s call (successful applicant only)

If selected through the EOI process, the successful applicant will be endorsed by the UK government to put themselves forward to EuroHPC’s call for proposals for AI Factory Antennas. The EuroHPC call closes at 17.00 CEST on Wednesday 9 July 2025.

There is no guarantee of endorsement or funding. The UK government reserves the right to not select any applicant through this EOI process, and any UK government funding is conditional on the success of the subsequent application to EuroHPC’s call.

Who can apply

Applicants must be:

• a public research organisation (entity) or
• a consortium of public research organisations (entities)

Eligibility criteria

The organisation (or all organisations in the consortium) must:

• be based in the UK and eligible for UKRI funding 
• have legal personality in the UK on the date of the deadline for submission of applications and must be able to demonstrate their existence as a legal person 
• have an agreement in principle to link with an established European AI Factory 
• meet the criteria in EuroHPC’s call for AI Factory Antennas

If applying as a consortium, one organisation and one contact person should be appointed as the coordinator, and only the coordinator should submit an application.

Scope

AI Factory Antennas are a new mechanism to allow EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (JU) members that do not host an AI Factory to increase their involvement within the AI Factory Network.

AI Factory Antennas will strengthen the network of EuroHPC AI Factories. The AI Factory Antennae will provide algorithmic support, training activities, access to talent and other user support to e national AI ecosystem(s), while also ensuring remote computing access to AI-optimised supercomputing capacity of the linked AI Factory.

This support will also contribute to the mission and objectives of an ‘established Factory’ to which the AI Factory Antenna is associated.

The EuroHPC JU launched a call for proposals for AI Factory Antennas that closes on Wednesday 9 July 2025. EuroHPC’s call participating states are only able put forward one proposal, led by a hosting entity or consortium of entities, which must be supported by the national government. 

This EOI process therefore aims to identify an entity or consortium to be endorsed by the UK government to apply to apply to ⁠EuroHPC’s call, which if successful, will become the UK’s AI Factory Antenna.

Background

AI Factory Antennas will strengthen the network of EuroHPC AI Factories. An ‘established AI Factory’ is an AI Factory which has been selected via calls EUROHPC-2024-CEI-AI-01 and EUROHPC-2024-CEI-AI-02.

The aim of AI Factories is to provide startups, as well as the industrial and the scientific community, with enhanced access to AI optimised computing capabilities. These capabilities and services support the training and development of general-purpose, large-scale AI models, as well as the development, testing, and validation of emerging AI applications.

Each AI Factory Antenna will support an established AI Factory, extending and complementing its services to strengthen the national AI ecosystem where the Antenna is located. The Antennas will also ensure remote computing access to AI-optimised supercomputing resources from the linked AI Factory.

AI Factory Antennas will be in a position to provide AI-optimised computing capabilities and support for the large-scale training and development of general-purpose AI models, and other AI applications/solutions to their national stakeholders and users of their countries. Where relevant, an AI Factory Antenna may also acquire and provide (small scale) AI compute resources for the fine tuning, testing and validation of AI applications, complementing the AI-optimised computing resources provided by its linked AI Factory.

The selected AI Factory Antennas and the respective AI Factories will be expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding setting out the terms of their collaboration and will contribute to the mission and objectives of the associated AI Factories.

Funding

• The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking granting authority will fund up to €5 million matched funding over 3 years to successful AI Factory Antenna applications 
• The UK government will provide up to £2.5  million of grant funding to the applicant 
• The research organisation or consortia of organisations may also contribute up to approximately. £1.8 million of their own resource, to be match funded by the EuroHPC granting authority

There is no guarantee of funding from the EuroHPC granting authority following submission of the UK application to EuroHPC’s call for AI Factory Antennas. Applications will be evaluated against set criteria, and subject to a ranking list approved by the EuroHPC Governing Board.

As such, there is no guarantee of UK government funding through this EOI. Any funding is conditional on the success of the subsequent application to EuroHPC.

Before you submit an EOI

We recommend you read the guidance, eligibility criteria and documentation required for EuroHPC’s call before submitting an application to this EOI process.

After the EOI process

The present call for proposals is launched for the selection of a UK entity to apply to become an AI Factory Antenna. The selected entity will receive an endorsement from the UK government to apply to EuroHPC’s call for AI Factory Antennas.

This EOI process does not guarantee that any organisation will be selected for endorsement or funding support. The UK government reserves the right to not select any applicant through this process.

Application structure

Applicants need to apply by completing the application form, found on the main page.

We recommend reviewing the guidance in EuroHPC’s call to support drafting of your application.

What applicants need to provide:

a) Key details

• The name of the organisation (or organisations if applying in a consortium)
• The name, role and email address of the lead contact person (if applying in a consortium, please appoint one named lead)

b) A brief letter of intent / agreement in principle between the UK entity and the AI Factory

The letter needs to be co-signed with the consortium leader of an established AI Factory agreeing to their association, which sets out how the Antenna will be linked with this established AI Factory.

The letter of intent should briefly describe how the AI Factory Antenna will cooperate and synergise with the established AI Factory it will be linked with. This may include:

• plans for bilateral research collaboration
• how it will support UK involvement in EuroHPC research consortia, and
• how it will extend, enhance and complement the support and activities the AI Factory provides currently or in the future.

Please note that if the proposal is selected and endorsed to apply to EuroHPC’s call, the AI Factory Antenna host entity should further develop the terms of the association with the established AI Factory.

c) A description of the concept and the needs for an AI Factory Antenna

This includes the benefits of the proposal to the UK’s national AI and computing ecosystem(s), and how it will support increased UK use of the AI Factory/EuroHPC supercomputers. (1000 words)

We recommend using the following structure:

(1) Concept of the AI Factory Antenna:

• Vision, rationale and objectives of the proposed AI Factory Antenna. 

• Plans for developing the UK’s national AI and wider computing ecosystem(s), justifying the need for setting up the AI Factory Antenna.

(2) Targeted key industrial sectors/applications and targeted stakeholders and their needs:

• Description of the key industrial/application sectors as well as the key obstacles to overcome to further develop the AI innovation ecosystem in these sectors. 
• Description of how to attract key AI stakeholders from these sectors. 
• Description of any plans to include internal or external cloud solutions to bridge the needs towards an end-to-end computing continuum.
  

(3) Links to a national AI strategy, and national data and access policies to computing and data:

• Description of how the AI Factory Antenna proposal is linked to the national AI Strategy. In the UK context, this should reference the AI Opportunities Action Plan.
  
• Brief description of how the AI Factory Antenna is linked to a current National Data Policy of the hosting entity or the hosting consortium, enabling access to large datasets. If this does not exist, a brief description of a plan to make available large data sets to the AI Factory Antenna ecosystem.
  
• Where relevant, description of an AI user-friendly access policy of the AI Factory Antenna to the national share of computing time of the associated EuroHPC supercomputer and how it will contribute to the development of the national AI Ecosystem.
  

(4) Brief plan for networking the AI Factory Antenna with the AI Factory and other EuroHPC AI Factories and Antennas.

(5) Brief plan linking the AI Factory Antenna to a national strategy for the wider UK community including startups/SMEs.

(6) Brief description of the expected impacts of the AI Factory Antenna, including the pathways/measures to achieving and maximising these expected outcomes and impacts.

d) An overview of the proposed AI Factory Antenna data facilities and support offering. (300 words)

• This may include a description of the:

  • data facilities
  • user support
  • computing, software and application development environments
  • plans for skills development for the targeted AI stakeholders

e) The resources that the hosting entity can contribute to the establishment of the AI Factory Antenna. (250 words)

• This may include financial and in-kind resources.

Do not exceed the word limit: Any information beyond the word limit for each section will not be assessed.

Please note: If selected through this Expression of Interest call, further details will be required for applications to the EuroHPC call, as outlined in their guidance.

How your application will be assessed

It is intended that your application will be assessed in June 2025 by a panel of subject matter experts.

Applications which do not meet the eligibility criteria will be sifted out before assessment.

Applications will be scored and ranked by the panel, who will make a recommendation to DSIT Ministers, who will make the final decision on selection and endorsement to EuroHPC’s call.

You should receive notification of the outcome in June 2025. Full feedback will not be provided.

Assessment criteria

Proposals will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Vision and clarity of the proposal to link the AI Factory Antenna to the established AI Factory, including strategy objectives, targeted key industry sectors and stakeholders, internal or external cloud solutions, and access to data.

• Understanding of the UK’s AI and Research and Innovation ecosystems and alignment with the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, including vision and clarity of the proposal to address challenges, support the AI user community, contribute to the development of the talent pool, and, invest in physical/virtual infrastructure.
• Delivery and feasibility of the proposal, including demonstrated experience and know-how of the applicant entity to provide an AI-oriented supercomputing service environment, including user support, software and application development environments.

Scoring

The panel will be asked to reach a collective decision on the merits of the proposal based on the grading system described below.

Excellent

A highly compelling, coherent proposal that instils high confidence that it would result in the UK’s first AI Factory Antenna, with minimal delivery risk. Demonstrates excellent understanding of the issues, and exceeds expectations in meeting the criteria across multiple areas.

Very good

A strong proposal that will could result in the UK’s first AI Factory Antenna, with low delivery risk. Demonstrates a very good understanding of the issues, offering evidence of meeting the criteria across the required areas.

Good

A good proposal that has potential to result in the UK’s first AI Factory Antenna. Demonstrates a good understanding of the issues and addresses key areas, but lacks strength in one or more aspects of integration, infrastructure, strategic alignment or delivery capability.

Adequate

A proposal with some promising elements and some areas of weakness. Demonstrates some understanding of the issues, but lacks detail, clarity, integration or credibility in key areas, resulting in some concerns regarding delivery risk.

Poor

A weak proposal that demonstrates little to no understanding of the issues. Fails to address key criteria, and lacks the necessary detail, clarity, strategic alignment and technical depth, raising serious concerns regarding delivery risk.

How to apply

Download the application form and send your completed application to compute@dsit.gov.uk.

We must receive your application by 23.59 on Wednesday 11 June 2025.

Following submission, your application:

• cannot be changed
• will not be returned for amendment.

Your application may be rejected if it does not follow the guidance.

The successful applicant will be informed that they are the UK’s designated entity and should apply to EuroHPC’s call by 17.00 CEST Wednesday 9 July 2025.

Clarification questions

You can email your question to: compute@dsit.gov.uk.

Include ‘AI Factory Antenna EOI’ in the subject line.

There are 2 deadlines for applicants to submit a clarification question.

Deadline to submit a clarification question	Date answers are published
Friday 30 May	Wednesday 4 June
Wednesday 4 June	Monday 9 June

Responses will not be provided to any questions submitted after these deadlines.