“PHAROS” Emerges as an Artificial Intelligence Hub in Southeastern Europe

PHAROS, the Greek AI Factory is emerging as a regional AI hub in South-Eastern Europe, following the approval of proposals to establish four AI Factory Antennas in Cyprus, Malta, North Macedonia, and Serbia. These Antennas will be connected to PHAROS, creating a growing AI ecosystem in the region. Centered in Greece, this network of interconnected hubs will share computing resources, data, and tools. Notably, out of thirteen (13) AI Factory Antennas across Europe, four (4) will be directly linked to the Greek AI Factory, PHAROS.

Through its collaboration with the four AI Factory Antennas, PHAROS AI Factory will gain direct access to four new AI communities, further strengthening its role as a transnational AI hub in Southeastern Europe and supporting the ongoing development of national AI ecosystems. The AI Antennas in Cyprus, Malta, North Macedonia, and Serbia will work closely with PHAROS, offering access to ultra-high-performance computing resources specifically optimized for AI applications—driving research, innovation, and industrial advancement across multiple sectors.

Each AI Factory Antenna contributes with unique thematic and geographical expertise, strengthening both collaboration and the long-term sustainability of the broader ecosystem. Through education, joint model development, and knowledge exchange, the Antennas actively promote the adoption of AI solutions across both the public and private sectors.

The four Antennas connected to the PHAROS AI Factory

Cyprus: PHAROS-CY

Cyprus is developing a strong hub for digital innovation and research excellence through PHAROS-CY, coordinated by the Cyprus Institute. This Antenna focuses on three key pillars: Health, Culture and Language, and Sustainability. Its activities include biomedical AI applications for rare diseases, language models tailored to the Cypriot dialect, digital tools for cultural heritage preservation, and AI systems for monitoring climate and air pollution.

Malta: MDIA Antenna

The Malta Antenna, coordinated by the Malta Digital Innovation Authority, will focus on supporting SMEs and start-ups in adopting AI technologies, particularly in the areas of public services and shipping—two key sectors for the island nation. Through PHAROS, local stakeholders will gain access to computing resources, consulting services, and AI development tools, enhancing Malta’s digital resilience and strengthening its competitiveness at the European level.

North Macedonia: Vezilka AIFA

The “Vezilka” Antenna will be hosted at the Faculty of Informatics and Engineering at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje. It will collaborate closely with PHAROS on initiatives in Health, Sustainability, and Green Energy, contributing to the local ecosystem through training programs, consulting services, and access to advanced computing resources.

Serbia – IPB AIFA

The Institute of Physics at the University of Belgrade (IPB) is leading the Serbian Antenna, with a focus on Health, Sustainability, and Language and Culture. It will offer training, support services, and access to computing resources, serving as a bridge between the local academic and business communities and the broader European AI ecosystem.

Funding and the Greek “PHAROS” Consortium

Pharos is one of the first thirteen Artificial Intelligence "Factories" in Europe and represents a strategically important initiative, as it strengthens competitiveness, the development of trustworthy AI applications, and the promotion of innovation with a focus on sustainability. The Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence played a key role in the successful submission of the proposals under the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC-JU). This initiative will provide European funding covering up to 50% of eligible project costs, with the remaining 50% financed by the participating states. The launch of these projects is anticipated in early 2026, aligned with the first phase of the PHAROS AI Factory’s operational rollout.

Pharos is being implemented by a national consortium led by the National Infrastructures for Research and Technology (GRNET S.A.), with partners including the National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos” (NCSR-D), the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), the Athena Research Center, and the Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations (HCAP/Growthfund), the National Investment Fund, in close collaboration with the Government's Special Secretariat for Strategic Foresight.

The Role of the National Documentation Centre (EKT) in "PHAROS"

The National Documentation Centre (EKT), with its rich datasets in science, culture, scientific terminology, and language resources—and in its role as the National Aggregator of Cultural Content via its SearchCulture.gr infrastructure—will participate in initiatives related to the Greek Language and Culture domain. These actions include, among others:

•     the establishment of Greek Data Spaces for Language and Cultural Heritage in alignment with their European counterparts,
•     the collection of training data for the creation of a large-scale Greek language model,
•     the further aggregation of cultural data from Greek cultural institutions,
•     and the creation of a toolkit comprising datasets, services, and AI models for use and reuse by SMEs and organizations active in the fields of culture and the humanities.

Additionally, EKT will play an active role in the communication and dissemination of the project's actions and outcomes.

More information on PHAROS: https://www.pharos-aifactory.eu/