We followed the case closely, and it is now a reality. The newly signed contractual Public-Private Partnership Agreement (cPPP) between ETP4HPC and the European Commission has given rise to calls for proposals under the Horizon 2020 program. HPC plays a significant part in it, with explicit recognition through the FETHPC call for projects of the 2014-2015 Work Programme (“Excellent Science” pillar). With close to 100 M€ to finance HPC technologies R&D (hardware and software) and the development of the ecosystem, the call is heavily influenced by the recommendations of the ETP4HPC technology platform, published in early 2013 in its now famous Strategic Research Agenda.

In greater detail, the cPPP defines the contribution of EC for HPC across the H2020 cycle – a contribution of 700 M€, including the 142 M€ for the initial 2014-2015 period that includes FETHPC. It also establishes the conditions for a structured dialogue between the governing bodies (EC) and the private sector (ETP4HPC representing industrial technology providers and other players in the ecosystem) for the coordinated construction and evaluation of R&D and its impact.

The private sector, in particular, will aim to complete the initial investment in R&D in order to bring products and services to the market. The Commission also supports the establishment of Centers of Excellence for HPC applications which have been provisioned in the cPPP starting in 2015 (the PRACE infrastructure will also participate).

The ultimate goal of this approach is the overall competitiveness of the HPC value chain in Europe, to the benefit of all applications of numerical simulation – scientific, industrial, societal – for which HPC is both a tool, an essential approach and a potential source of direct or indirect jobs and innovations.