hpc-ch forum on Financial Aspects of HPC

Friday 10 Oct 2025, 09:30 → 16:00 Europe/Zurich

Aula Grüental, room number GA 203 (ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences)

Maria Grazia Giuffreda (CSCS), Pascal Häussler (ZHAW)

Overview:
The HPC-CH Forum is an annual event focused on the latest developments in High-Performance Computing (HPC) workflows and batch systems.

This year’s forum will bring together experts from academia, industry, and research institutions to explore the financial aspects of operating HPC infrastructures and delivering HPC/scientific computing services.

Participants will have the chance to engage with thought leaders and take part in interactive sessions designed to encourage collaboration and drive innovation within the HPC community.

Key Topics:

• Cost: Hardware and software licensing, data center facilities, service procurement and rentals, and more.

• Partners & Collaboration: Financial and vendor relationships, contract strategies, partnerships, and collaborations.

• Commodities: Energy efficiency, sustainable computing, and green HPC practices.

• Fundraising & Grants: Available funding sources, opportunities, requirements, and support for researchers.

• Cost Models: End-user pricing models, associated risks and opportunities, and competition from cloud providers.

• Value: Methods to assess the value of HPC services beyond just costs.

Who Should Attend?
The forum is designed for professionals engaged in HPC, including managers, finance officers, researchers, system administrators, software developers, and industry specialists.

It provides an ideal platform for those looking to deepen their understanding of the financial aspects of HPC and scientific computing services, while building a network with leading experts in the field.

09:30 → 10:00 Welcome Coffee & Registration

10:00 → 10:15 Welcome and Introduction

Speakers: Maria Grazia Giuffreda (CSCS), Pascal Häussler (ZHAW)

10:15 → 10:45 ZHAW School of Life Sciences and Facility Management: Overview, Computing and Challenges

The School of Life Sciences and Facility Management with its five institutes is briefly introduced. An Overview of the HPC services is presented and challenges regarding financial aspects are outlined as an introduction to the forum’s topic.

Speaker: Pascal Häussler (ZHAW)

10:45 → 11:15 CSCS Business Model for Partnerships

Speaker: Pablo Fernandez (CSCS)

11:15 → 11:45 Technical Talk

11:45 → 12:15 Technical Talk

12:15 → 13:15 Lunch and Networking

13:15 → 13:45 Technical Talk

13:45 → 14:15 Technical Talk

14:15 → 14:45 Community Development Session

14:45 → 15:45 Guided Tours

Guided Tour of Campus Grüental or Campus Reidbach

Please select your preferred tour during registration.

• Tour A (on campus Grüental where the conference takes place):
  Title: “Agricultural Photovoltaic (Agri PV) and Aquaponics”
  Origin: Institute for Environmental and Natural Resources Research (IUNR)
  More details: here and here

• Tour B (on campus Reidbach down the hill):
  Title: “The Future of Food”
  Origin: Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation (ILGI)
  More details: here and here

15:45 → 16:00 Farewell and End of the Meeting