Bull wins €30m contract for Sweden’s Mimer AI factory

Bull has won a €30 million, five-year contract to supply AI infrastructure for the Mimer AI Factory in Sweden.

Procured by EuroHPC JU and co-funded by the Digital Europe Programme and the Swedish Research Council, the system will be deployed at the National Academic Infrastructure for Supercomputing in Sweden, or NAISS, which hosts Mimer.

Launched in 2025, Mimer provides advanced computing access for industry and research in fields including life sciences, materials science, autonomous systems and gaming. The facility already supports more than 200 companies, according to Bull, and rising demand has created a need for additional AI-focused capacity.

The contract covers infrastructure, an AI platform and support for use cases. Bull will also provide maintenance, support and training for NAISS teams and end users.

The company plans to install a system based on its BullSequana XH3500 architecture, delivered through an as-a-service model with cloud-style access.

This is intended to make the system accessible to a wider range of users, particularly smaller businesses and start-ups that may lack the resources to run large computing systems directly. NAISS and its backers are presenting Mimer as part of a broader European effort to expand access to AI development tools and computing resources.

European push

The project is part of a wider European drive to build more domestic computing and AI infrastructure. EuroHPC JU, the public-private initiative for supercomputing, has been expanding support for systems designed for AI workloads as governments and research bodies seek to reduce dependence on non-European platforms.

According to Bull, the Mimer deployment will include software developed in Europe for the development, governance and operation of AI systems. The platform will also provide sector-specific environments for researchers, start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Energy use remains a central issue for large-scale AI and supercomputing installations. Bull said the infrastructure for Mimer will use its direct liquid cooling technology, which it says improves energy efficiency and supports longer-term expansion.

For Sweden, the contract adds to efforts to strengthen national and regional computing resources for research and industry. Mimer is aimed at users in both the public and private sectors, with an emphasis on helping organisations move from access to computing infrastructure to operational AI work.

Erik Lindahl, Professor at Linköping University and NAISS Director, described the project as an early AI-focused system under the EuroHPC framework.

“As one of the first AI-only systems deployed by EuroHPC JU, this is an important milestone for NAISS and the AI Factory infrastructure. It will enable SMEs, public sector actors, and researchers to rapidly deploy AI workloads. It is also a key enabler to develop sovereign language models and deliver impact in areas such as life sciences, materials science, and autonomous systems. We are excited to work with Bull on a platform that combines performance with a strong commitment to open source to strengthen Sweden’s capacity for secure AI,” said Lindahl.

Company position

The deal is also an early contract announcement for Bull as a standalone business. The company reports about €720 million in revenue, 3,000 staff and operations in 32 countries, spanning supercomputing, artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.

Chief executive Emmanuel Le Roux said the Mimer contract reflects Bull’s direction as it builds its position in advanced computing and AI.

“AI Factories are critical building blocks in scaling Europe’s AI infrastructure. With Mimer AI Factory, Bull is delivering not only high‐performance AI infrastructure, but a comprehensive portfolio of AI-dedicated assets, spanning systems, software, use cases and skills. As Bull enters a new chapter as an independent company, this contract illustrates our strategy to accelerate across the full spectrum of advanced computing and AI technologies – delivering sustainable solutions with tangible real-world impact. By supporting the expansion of Mimer AI Factory, Bull reinforces its role as a trusted partner in Europe’s HPC and AI landscape and contributes to the growth of a broad ecosystem of European innovators,” said Le Roux.