Europe takes a major step towards digital autonomy in supercomputing and AI with the launch of DARE project

Coordinated by BSC and supported by EuroHPC and the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, DARE brings together 38 leading European partners to reduce Europe’s dependence on foreign computing technologies

March 6, 2025 -- The Digital Autonomy with RISC-V in Europe, Special Agreement 1 (DARE SGA1) project has officially launched, marking a significant milestone in Europe’s journey toward technological autonomy in high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI). Coordinated by Barcelona Supercomputing Center-Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS) and supported by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking and the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, DARE brings together 38 leading partners across Europe to develop cutting-edge European-designed supercomputing technology for research and industry.

With a budget of €240 million, this three-year project is the first phase of a broader six-year plan aimed at reducing Europe’s reliance on foreign computing technologies. By leveraging open-source technologies like RISC-V, DARE will lay the groundwork for Europe’s next generation of high-performance, energy-efficient supercomputers.

Anders Jensen, EuroHPC JU Executive Director, stated: "I am proud to announce the launch of the DARE project which marks a significant milestone for European digital sovereignty. This ambitious initiative will drive innovation in both hardware and software technologies and leverage the full power of HPC and AI to develop secure, efficient and European-led solutions for the future."

Why Does DARE Matter?

Supercomputers power everything from weather forecasting and medical research to AI applications and climate modeling. However, Europe has historically relied on foreign-built processors and software to drive these systems, leaving key industries vulnerable to supply chain disruptions and external dependencies.

DARE seeks to change that by developing fully European-designed processors, the essential building blocks of future supercomputers. This will ensure Europe can control its own technological future, benefiting industries, researchers, and citizens alike.

What Will DARE Achieve?

DARE is set to create three new European designed and owned computing chips:

• Vector accelerator (VEC) to enhance scientific and engineering simulations.
• AI Processing Unit (AIPU) designed for AI-powered applications like language processing and data analysis.
• General-purpose processors (GPP) optimized for high-performance supercomputing tasks.

These chips will power next-generation European supercomputers, helping researchers tackle critical challenges such as drug discovery, climate change modeling, and renewable energy solutions.

Osman Unsal, DARE Principal Investigator at BSC, stated: “DARE is daring to start from the top of the technological complexity pile and produce European-designed processor chips for supercomputers, paving the way for Europe's digital sovereignty.”

To ensure rapid progress, DARE will adopt a hardware (HW)/software(SW) design approach, using real-world applications to fine-tune performance and capabilities. This approach will accelerate innovation and support the growing demand for energy-efficient high performance computing.

BSC: Leading Europe’s Supercomputing Future

Home to MareNostrum 5, one of Europe’s most powerful supercomputers, BSC has been a leader in HPC research for years. With DARE, it will help drive the development of Europe’s first fully homegrown supercomputing system.

A consortium of 38 European partners, led by BSC, is collaborating on the DARE project to advance digital autonomy in HPC and AI. Openchip, Axelera AI, Codasip, imec and JÜLICH SUPERCOMPUTING CENTRE (JSC) at FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JÜLICH will serve as technical leads, driving key innovations within the project.

As the project coordinator, BSC plays a key role in advancing Europe’s supercomputing capabilities. Besides being overall coordinator, BSC will also lead roadmapping as well as the VEC pathfinding efforts while participating in HW and SW development activities.

A Roadmap for a More Independent Europe

DARE is more than just a research project—it’s a strategic move towards technological sovereignty. By developing Europe’s own processors and computing stack, the project will pave the way for future generations of supercomputers that are designed, built, and optimized in Europe.

By the end of this phase, DARE will have laid the foundation for a truly European HPC ecosystem, ensuring that Europe remains at the forefront of scientific discovery, innovation, and digital autonomy.

About DARE

Digital Autonomy with RISC-V in Europe (DARE SGA1) is a large-scale European supercomputing project that has received funding from the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 101202459.

DARE aims to develop prototype HPC and AI systems based on EU-designed and developed industry-standard chiplets, using the latest silicon technology nodes to achieve the highest performance and energy efficiency. This three-year, 38 partners initiative, with a budget of €240 million and coordinated by BSC Barcelona Supercomputing Center – Centro Nacional de Supercomputación (BSC-CNS), will develop a comprehensive supercomputing compute stack, featuring high-performance and energy-efficient processors designed and developed in Europe, enabled by an optimized software stack.

For more information about DARE and its progress, visit DARE website or contact dare_dissemination@bsc.es