The EU has launched a call for tenders for AI Gigafactories

The European Commission has launched a call for tenders to establish up to seven AI Gigafactories across the EU: four medium-scale sites with at least 75,000 advanced AI accelerators each and three large-scale sites with at least 100,000. According to the tender specifications, the AIGF initiative aims to strengthen the EU’s sovereignty and competitiveness and serve as a “catalyst for the evolution of a resilient European AI ecosystem.”

The headline figure for the investment is €30 billion. Currently, the only firm EU commitment is around €1 billion, and member states are expected to match this amount. Any additional EU funding will depend on the next MFF. Industry partners will cover the vast majority of the project. The public contribution will come in the form of a guarantee to purchase computing access time.

Applications close on 12 November 2026. Award decisions are expected in early 2027, with construction set to begin the same year. Of the EU’s public share, only around €1 billion is currently secured; the rest depends on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which member states have yet to agree on.