Fraunhofer IGD launches powerful GPU cluster

New AI infrastructure for data-sovereign research in Germany

11.08.2026 | 

This news is based on a press release by Fraunhofer IGD

With a new high-performance computing infrastructure, Fraunhofer IGD and GSI/FAIR are strengthening their collaboration in the fields of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. The new GPU cluster combines Fraunhofer IGD’s AI expertise with the energy-efficient data center infrastructure of GSI/FAIR’s Green IT Cube and creates the technical foundation for training modern AI models for data-sovereign research and the secure handling of sensitive information.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD is expanding its research infrastructure with a powerful GPU cluster for artificial intelligence applications. The new computing platform enables the training of complex AI models on in-house hardware and lays the foundation for data-sovereign AI applications in research, industry and public administration.

By expanding its computing capacities, Fraunhofer IGD is responding to the growing demand for powerful infrastructure for modern AI methods. The cluster comprises 24 NVIDIA B200 GPUs and is operated in the energy-efficient Green IT Cube at GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt. The research data center is one of the most energy-efficient scientific data centers in Europe.

A particular focus is on data sovereignty. Many current AI applications are based on services provided by international providers. With the new cluster, Fraunhofer IGD is creating the capability to train and operate AI models on its own infrastructure. This allows sensitive data to be processed within controlled research environments.

“Artificial intelligence is the key technology for increasing efficiency in industry, science and public administration. At the same time, the need for trustworthy and sovereign solutions in which data and models remain under one’s own control is growing. With our new AI infrastructure, we are creating the conditions for developing and operating powerful AI models in Germany. In doing so, we are strengthening both technological sovereignty and the innovative capacity of our location”, says Dr. Matthias Unbescheiden, Director of Fraunhofer IGD.

Initial pilot applications are currently being developed in the fields of bioeconomy, geodata analysis and maritime research. The new computing infrastructure provides the basis for specialized AI applications and can be used, for example, for the automated analysis of aerial images, environmental data or underwater recordings.

In the field of bioeconomy and smart farming, powerful AI models will in future efficiently analyze data for applications in agriculture, biomapping and environmental monitoring.

At the same time, Fraunhofer IGD is developing foundation models for geodata that are specifically tailored to German and European datasets and will support public authorities and companies in analysis and planning tasks.

“In the maritime sector, the infrastructure is used, among other things, to develop AI-supported detection methods, for example for the automated recognition of marine objects and organisms. Particularly in safety-critical applications, the sovereign processing of sensitive data plays a decisive role”, explains Professor Uwe von Lukas, Head of the Rostock branch of Fraunhofer IGD.

The GPU cluster is operated in the Green IT Cube at GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt. The collaboration combines Fraunhofer IGD’s scientific expertise in artificial intelligence with GSI/FAIR’s many years of experience in operating energy-efficient high-performance data centers. In addition to providing the infrastructure, GSI/FAIR supports the collaboration with its expertise in data center operations, thereby creating optimal conditions for joint research and development projects in the field of AI and high-performance computing.

“With the Green IT Cube, we provide research partners with a powerful yet energy-efficient data center infrastructure. We are pleased to be working with Fraunhofer IGD to jointly advance data-sovereign AI applications and innovative research projects. The cooperation demonstrates how powerful AI infrastructures and innovative data center technologies can be combined to mutual benefit,” says Dr. Tobias Engert, Head of Technology Transfer at GSI/FAIR.

The new infrastructure forms the basis for joint research and development projects by Fraunhofer IGD and GSI/FAIR in the fields of artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and data-sovereign data processing. Partners from industry, science and the public sector also benefit: they gain access to a powerful research infrastructure on which AI applications can be developed and trained together with Fraunhofer IGD in a data-sovereign manner and prepared for subsequent practical use. (IGD/CP)

Further information on Fraunhofer IGD’s new GPU cluster

The GPU cluster, developed under the project name “Baltic Brain”, consists of an NVIDIA DGX POD with three NVIDIA DGX B200 systems and a total of 24 NVIDIA B200 GPUs. The systems are connected to an all-flash storage system via a high-speed network. NVIDIA and Run solutions are used to manage and orchestrate the AI workloads. The cluster is operated in the energy-efficient Green IT Cube at GSI/FAIR in Darmstadt.

The AI infrastructure is being established as part of the BWSF – Biogenic Value Creation and Smart Farming research initiative. The initiative is jointly funded by the German federal government and the states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Bavaria and strengthens research expertise at the interface of bioeconomy, digitalization and artificial intelligence.

Further information on the Green IT Cube and Digital Open Lab at GSI/FAIR

The GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt operates a large accelerator facility for ions that is unique worldwide. Researchers from around the world use the facility for experiments to gain new insights into the structure of matter and the evolution of the universe. The new international accelerator center FAIR, one of the largest research projects worldwide, is currently under construction. Beyond research, GSI/FAIR uses the »Digital Open Lab to specifically promote the transfer of technologies and innovations to industry and the digital economy. External cooperation partners gain access to capacities in the high-performance computing center, infrastructure and IT expertise for joint development projects and collaborations relating to data centers, high-performance computing and AI.

About Fraunhofer IGD

The Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD has been setting standards in visual computing — image- and model-based informatics — for more than 30 years. Its roughly 260-strong staff support companies and institutions across manufacturing and mobility, healthcare, bioeconomy, infrastructure and public services, and maritime economy sectors. Fraunhofer IGD provides specific technological solutions and support for strategic development. Its researchers carry out problem analyses, design hardware and software, develop protypes, and implement interactive visual systems. The focuses are human-machine interactions, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, interactive simulation, modeling, and 3D printing and scanning. Fraunhofer IGD has been engaged in high-level research since 1987, supporting change in society and the economy with application-oriented solutions developed at its facilities in Darmstadt and Rostock. Its products acquire international relevance via ongoing collaboration with its Austrian sister institute, which operates facilities in Graz and Klagenfurt, and participation in a wide range of EU projects.

Further information

 


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