Netherlands to install €201 million AI supercomputer in Groningen

The supercomputer for the Netherlands’ first AI factors will be installed at Eurofiber’s data center on the University of Groningen’s Zernike Campus. The factory will include an expertise center and a supercomputer. It is set to be placed in 2027 and is expected to be fully operational by 2028.

The European Union is putting up about 71 million euros, while the Dutch government had already pledged another 70 million. Nij Begun, the state recovery program for earthquake-hit Groningen and northern Drenthe, is to fund another 60 million.

The University of Groningen and the UMCG have continuously supported the supercomputer being placed in Groningen. Both institutions will contribute their own expertise.

The creation of the first-ever Dutch AI factory was announced in 2025. Such a factory is used for researchers, companies, and governments to work on artificial-intelligence tools. They also, among other things, look into safe data storage. The three most powerful supercomputers are in China and the U.S. Additionally, since last year, Europe’s strongest has been working in Germany. However, most striking advances still come from China and the U.S., which had previously led the Schoof Cabinet to conclude that this leaves the Netherlands too dependent on other countries. The government, therefore, has decided to invest in its own expertise center and the supercomputer. The expertise center will be located at the former Niemeyer tobacco factory on Paterswoldseweg.

A supercomputer handles complex calculations too large for a standard machine. It is built using many powerful processors. Such systems are often used for weather forecasts, scientific research, and the monitoring of nuclear reacters. They can also be used to train heavy AI algorithms.

Jouke de Vries, president of the University of Groningen’s Board, said that “The AI factory will give a huge boost to the economy of Groningen and the northern Netherlands. As part of the Economic Agenda of Nij begun, we are building a digital ecosystem around the AI Factory so the region can benefit as much as possible.”

“With AI, we can use this data to understand why someone develops a disease and whether—or how—we could prevent it,” said UMCG dean Wiro Niessen. “Based on hospital data analysis, the AI factory will help us better predict which treatment is optimal for each patient.”