Once spring has arrived, it looks like not only the flowers are set to blossom, but also Romania’s innovation. The government and organizations across the country are taking extra steps in boosting the country’s technological and research capabilities and announced, this month, the launch of three initiatives: Romanian Artificial Intelligence Hub (HRIA), FreeYa Mind Campus, and the EIT Community RIS Hub. 

These projects, distinct yet with the same objective, focus on advancing AI research, cultivating quantum and tech talent, and linking local innovators to European networks. Together, they signal Romania’s intent to support the development of technologies which will wear the mark “Made in Romania”. 

Here’s a closer look at each initiative, how they roll, and why they’re a big deal for the country’s future.

The Romanian Artificial Intelligence Hub

The Romanian Artificial Intelligence Hub (HRIA) is a €65.25 million, five-year endeavor coordinated by Politehnica University of Bucharest. The project unites six other of Romania’s top universities—Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, West University of Timi?oara, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Ia?i, Politehnica University of Timi?oara, University of Bucharest, and Babe?-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca—with seven innovative small and medium enterprises. Together, they aim to create a robust research ecosystem for artificial intelligence, delivering both fundamental and applied advancements. 

HRIA’s mission is clear: to foster a collaborative platform that bridges academia and industry, producing open-source AI models tailored to Romanian needs. 

Traian Rebedea, a professor at Politehnica University of Bucharest involved in the project, explains:

“This is a research project where we need to deliver results in both fundamental and applied research across various fields: Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, and fundamental Machine Learning.” 

He emphasizes the focus on developing competitive, Romanian-language models that can run on local GPUs, making them accessible to startups and businesses alike.

“The goal of the project is to ensure the necessary resources to advance research in both startups and large companies in Romania, “ he says.