Welsh companies are being urged to take advantage of a venture set up to boost the Welsh economy by allowing businesses to access the most advanced computing technology in the world.
The call came from Shadow Business Minister Nick Ramsay AM during a visit to High Performance Computing (HPC) Wales, a company formed to manage a shared service collaboration of the Universities in Wales.
HPC Wales is host to the first national distributed supercomputing network in the UK, enabling Welsh businesses to access some of the most sophisticated computing technology available, along with the support and training needed to exploit it effectively.
High performance computing technology has the capacity to handle and analyse massive amounts of data at high speed, bringing new products and services to the market faster. The technology can help boost innovation and secure competitive advantage for companies of all sizes across a range of sectors.
Part-funded by 24 million through the Welsh Government, including support from the European Regional Development Fund, HPC Wales is providing the training and outreach to help companies exploit supercomputing technology effectively, powering innovation.
Nick Ramsay, Assembly Member for Monmouthshire, commented:
“HPC Wales is an important venture as it aims to turn Wales into a leading international centre for specialist supercomputing research, ensuring that we grow our knowledge economy and can compete on a global level.
“By giving businesses access to this world-leading technology, along with the training and support to help them evaluate how they can best use it, they are opening new doors for companies across Wales.
“There is a real opportunity here for firms to punch above their weight in the way they use technology to become more innovative in the way they operate, helping to secure that all-important competitive advantage.”