The government proposes allocating NOK 380 million over the next two years in the 2026 national budget to fund the national supercomputing services.
This marks the first time the national research infrastructure is given a permanent place in the state budget, signaling a strong commitment to research and technology in Norway, particularly in the field of AI.
The allocation comes in addition to the annual baseline funding of NOK 50 million and NOK 20.7 million annually for collaboration with the National Library on the development of Norwegian and Sami language models.
This could serve as a strong foundation for future government initiatives
Gunnar Bøe, Managing Director of Sigma2
– This is an important milestone for Norwegian research. With this funding, we can ensure predictable access to supercomputing services for researchers and other user groups over the next two years. The government’s prioritisation demonstrates a clear understanding of how critical computing power is to addressing societal challenges and fostering innovation, says Gunnar Bøe, Managing Director of Sigma2 AS. – The continued focus on Norwegian and Sami language models is also of great importance, including the funding for computing power necessary for further development.
The national supercomputing services play a crucial role in Norway’s research and development efforts, with applications ranging from climate modelling and medical research to the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI). Norway’s most powerful supercomputer, Olivia, which became available to Norwegian researchers earlier this year, is one of several supercomputers included in the national research infrastructure. Minister of Research and Higher Education Sigrun Aasland inaugurated Olivia this summer, and the supercomputer is already operating at full capacity.
A report prepared by the Research Council of Norway, followed by a concept evaluation in 2025, forms the basis for the proposed allocation in next year’s budget. The report recommended that the government invest NOK 3.4 billion over five years to meet the growing demand for computing power in research and AI across academia, the public sector, and industry. The same report also identified Sigma2 as a natural actor to further develop the national infrastructure beyond academia.
– This could serve as a strong foundation for future government initiatives, summarises Bøe.
Ensuring Continuity and Strengthening Competitiveness
With new, predictable funding, Norway can:
- ensure the continuity and expansion of the supercomputing infrastructure that supports research environments across the country.
- strengthen the nation's competitiveness and attract more international collaboration partners.
- prepare for the use of research-centric supercomputing services in new sectors such as public administration and industry, generating socio-economic benefits.