Project SAIFA – Serbian Artificial Intelligence Factory Antenna launched

This month marked the official launch of SAIFA – Serbian Artificial Intelligence Factory Antenna, a project coordinated by the School of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade (ETF) and funded by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU).

SAIFA is part of the broader European effort to build the next generation of AI Factories - interconnected environments combining high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence infrastructure, advanced applications, expertise, and user support capacities across Europe.

As Serbia’s AI Factory Antenna, SAIFA aims to strengthen access to AI and HPC capacities for academia, research, public administration, startups, and industry, while contributing to the integration of national resources and expertise into the wider European AI ecosystem. The project will support the development of AI applications, collaboration frameworks, user support mechanisms, and knowledge exchange aligned with emerging European technological priorities.

Opening and institutional remarks were delivered by Prof. Dr. Zoran Čiča, Dean of the School of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade, Bojan Jakovljević, National EuroHPC Representative, and Maja Zarić, Digital Europe in Serbia Representative.

The project overview and strategic positioning of SAIFA were presented by Prof. Dr. Boško Nikolić, SAIFA Project Coordinator.

For ETF, coordination of SAIFA represents a continuation of long-term work in advanced computing, AI, digital infrastructure, and international research collaboration, but also a responsibility to contribute to the development of a stronger regional connection with the evolving European AI ecosystem.

The SAIFA consortium brings together partners from academia, research, innovation, and public administration: the School of Electrical Engineering, University of Belgrade as project coordinator, the Institute of Physics Belgrade, Mihajlo Pupin Institute, Institute for Artificial Intelligence Research and Development of Serbia, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, and the Office for Information Technologies and eGovernment of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. Together, the consortium combines expertise in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, engineering, data infrastructures, digital governance, and sector-specific AI applications, creating a multidisciplinary framework for the development of Serbia’s AI Factory Antenna within the broader European AI ecosystem.

We thank all consortium partners, institutions, and contributors involved in launching this initiative and look forward to the next phases of collaboration.

📍 Kick-off meeting held on 14 May 2026 in the Palace of Science, Belgrade, Serbia.

Funded by the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) under Grant Agreement No. 101263280.