Northern Data has teamed up with NVIDIA to launch an AI Accelerator Program for emerging startups. The initiative offers free access to powerful H100 GPUs, technical support, and mentorship to selected companies until July 28, 2024. All resources run on renewable energy with high efficiency ratings. Northern Data, now an NVIDIA Elite Partner, plans to introduce H200 GPUs later this year as they expand Europe’s AI ecosystem. More benefits await program participants.
A groundbreaking partnership between Northern Data and NVIDIA is set to transform the AI landscape for startups across Europe. The collaboration, announced in June 2024, introduces the Northern Data AI Accelerator Program, offering emerging AI companies free access to powerful NVIDIA H100 GPUs and expert mentorship.
The program provides selected startups with complimentary use of ultra-fast NVIDIA HGX H100 GPUs, technical support from Northern Data engineers, and leadership mentoring sessions. Participants will also benefit from ESG in AI sessions delivered by Deloitte and workshops on traversing the investor landscape.
NVIDIA’s contribution to the partnership includes their H100 Tensor Core GPUs, access to the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute, and support with NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand networking. The tech giant has certified Northern Data as an Elite Partner and designated them as an official Cloud Service Provider.
Northern Data stands as Europe’s largest GenAI Cloud Service Provider, delivering 32 petaFLOPS of performance through its infrastructure. The company uses NVIDIA H100 GPUs, BlueField-3 DPUs, and Mellanox CX7 NICs, all housed in carbon-free European data centers. The partnership includes other notable collaborators like HPE and Supermicro to enhance the ecosystem’s capabilities.
Sustainability forms a key pillar of the initiative. All data centers run on renewable energy with a Power Usage Effectiveness ratio below 1.2. The partners aim to reduce AI energy use and total cost of ownership by 50%, supporting customers’ ESG requirements. This focus on efficiency aligns with industry projections that show cloud-based systems are driving AI expansion across various sectors.
The partnership democratizes access to AI-capable high-performance computing solutions, accelerating innovation across multiple sectors and enhancing Europe’s AI ecosystem. The program aligns with the UK’s position as the third-largest AI market globally, contributing to its growing influence in artificial intelligence. Applications for the program remain open until July 28, 2024.
Looking ahead, Northern Data plans to offer NVIDIA H200 GPUs in Q4 2024, becoming the first European Cloud Service Provider to provide access to these advanced processors. The company intends to repeat the Accelerator program annually while expanding its cloud solutions and continuing investment in its data center footprint.