Six months of LUMI AI Factory Hubs: progress and insights
LUMI AI Factory Hub in Otaniemi, Finland, has been open for six months and has already become a special meeting place for experts and people interested in AI development. The variety of events and ideas, combined with a high level of expertise, has been incredible, and the atmosphere has been truly inspiring and dynamic. From hackathons to workshops, the Otaniemi Hub has created a space for students, researchers and companies to connect and collaborate. LUMI AI Factory Hub Otaniemi serves as the main hub within the LUMI AI Factory network.
The LUMI AI Factory Hubs bring knowledge about LUMI AI Factory closer to potential users and lower the barrier to accessing LUMI supercomputer’s AI capabilities, which makes advanced technology more approachable. The impact of AI and applying it to existing ideas is remarkable, and AI hubs are part of that momentum. The Hubs combine physical spaces, experts, and customers, enabling real collaboration by bringing people from diverse backgrounds together. The LUMI AI Factory Hubs aim to bring together the core factors of innovation: scientific communities and companies.
Over the past six months, sister hubs have also opened. In Finland, the second LUMI AI Factory Hub was launched in February. The Hub is on the Kumpula Campus in Helsinki and primarily focuses on health and AI for science. Kumpula Hub runs four Research Software Engineering services: interactive help sessions and scientific computing training for doctoral students and postdocs, and grant consultation and project work support for group leaders and professors. The Ostrava Hub in Czechia opened in May 2026, and it is located near the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center.
The Kumpula Hub has a strong focus on training and capacity building. For example, it has organised an Introduction to Engineering Machine Learning Systems course delivered in a hybrid format. In addition, the Hub has hosted events such as the LUMI AI Factory Open Data Hackathon, engaging students in hands-on learning.
“The interest in the Otaniemi Hub has been a pleasant surprise. We receive visit requests weekly, and the strong reputation of LUMI AI Factory and its services has reached a wide audience. We have been thrilled to see the excitement and curiosity of participants so far and are eager to see what the future looks like,” says Eeva Harjula, Project Manager of LUMI AI Factory Hub Otaniemi at CSC.
Successful events throughout spring
The Otaniemi Hub has acted as a vibrant physical community space, bringing together enthusiasts from diverse fields in collaboration with multiple organisations. It has hosted a wide range of events, from startup-focused workshops, such as those organised by Aalto A Grid, to stakeholder gatherings like the AI Finland Health Focus Group.
In January 2026, the AI Finland Health Focus Group held an ideation session to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among health tech companies. Later on, Aalto A Grid, home to over 160 science-based startups, hosted the Winter Satellite Workshop in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), with the hub serving as one of the visiting spots during the event. The workshop was designed to introduce students and startups to the ecosystem and the actors supporting startup growth, especially on Aalto’s campus. It generated engaging discussions and meaningful interactions.
Fresh ideas: engaging students
Engaging students in the activities of the LUMI AI Factory Hubs is essential because it builds a pipeline of future experts who can design, run, and scale advanced AI and high-performance computing solutions. By involving students, the Hubs also benefit from fresh ideas, diverse viewpoints and practical collaborations that can turn into new research projects, and long-term partnerships between universities, industry and the LUMI research infrastructure.
We have seen strong interest from student organisations in engaging with the Hubs. In February, Aalto University School of Business’ students’ (KY) corporate relations representatives visited the Otaniemi Hub to explore potential collaboration opportunities. They were particularly interested in learning about the extensive capabilities of the LUMI supercomputer and its role in driving innovation, especially in the finance sector.
In addition, Aalto AI, a newer student organisation, visited the Otaniemi Hub and expressed interest in using the space for their own events. They have already hosted AI-themed gatherings such as reading clubs, vibecoding sessions, and mini hackathons at the Hub. Hackathons, in particular, have proven to be an effective way to engage students and have already attracted significant interest.
Harjula has been thrilled to see the development of the AI Factory Hubs and elaborates more about the upcoming events:
“Several exciting events are coming up, and we are currently booking for autumn 2026. Plans include mini hackathons and community events in collaboration with Wednesday Community, Helsinki Think Company, and other partners. Aalto Investors will host a multi-day programme in our spaces together with the LUMI AI Factory and the ELLIS Institute. The aim is to support doctoral researchers in productising their expertise and exploring entrepreneurship. We are also expanding opportunities for hybrid events to ensure that LUMI AI Factory’s expertise, services, and network remain accessible to a wider audience. During the European AI Month, we will host a dedicated programme at the Otaniemi Hub.”
Header image: LUMI AI Factory Hub launch event in Otaniemi, Finland. Image: Mikael Kanerva / CSC
