ANDORRA LA VELLA, 3 October 2026. Andorra has no supercomputer of its own, but it has now secured a way to use one of Europe’s most prominent. A government delegation visited the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) on Monday 28 September to sign a contract that turns last year’s cooperation agreement into concrete programs for local businesses.
What was signed
The Andorran delegation was led by Conxita Marsol, vice-president of Andorra Recerca + Innovació (AR+I) and Minister of the Presidency, Economy, Labour and Housing, together with AR+I manager Marta Domènech. BSC director Mateo Valero and Núria Monserrat, the Catalan government’s minister for research and universities, also took part.
The visit ratified an alliance that began a year ago, with a new contract setting out the first actions that will let Andorran society use the BSC’s supercomputing capacity. The actions are grouped under the name DeepTech Program and fall within Andorra’s National Plan for Innovation and Economic Diversification.
Three pillars over four years
According to the contract details, the program runs for four years and rests on three areas:
- Deep tech capacity building. This pillar plans a high-level fellowship model to bring in specialised talent and connect it with the BSC’s scientific capabilities and with real challenges in Andorra. It builds on existing AR+I programs such as Annexa’t.
- Training and support. Supercomputing, advanced data analysis, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies will be brought to Andorran companies, startups and entrepreneurs through training programs, masterclasses, workshops, specialised support and applied innovation activities.
- Technology transfer. The aim is to turn these capabilities into projects, pilots and new solutions for the country, with the Andorra Living Lab playing a central role in linking advanced technology with companies and institutions.
Mountain-focused innovation
The stated shared goal is to make Andorra a reference environment for developing, testing and validating highly complex technological solutions, especially those suited to mountain settings. That fits Andorra’s profile as a small Pyrenean state where climate, natural risks and mountain ecosystems are daily concerns.
Officials framed the deal in economic terms. Marsol said the collaboration supports a more competitive, diversified and knowledge-based economy. Domènech described the agreement as the start of a strategic alliance with one of Europe’s leading supercomputing centres and said AR+I’s role is to connect research, business, government and entrepreneurship.
Background: from memorandum to program
The partnership dates back to late October 2025. Then, Domènech and Valero signed a general action protocol to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation. Valero said it would foster technology transfer in areas such as artificial intelligence, language models and digital twins. That agreement set two priority lines, language and climate change, and was meant to let the University of Andorra offer master’s, postgraduate and doctoral-level programs.
The need for outside computing power was stated openly at the time. Reporting on the 2025 signing noted that mountain regions offer valuable empirical data for climate research but that this work requires large computational capacity, which Andorra lacks and the BSC has. The 2026 contract shifts the focus from academic research toward the business ecosystem.
Why it matters
Supercomputing, which is high-performance computing (HPC), is usually out of reach for small economies and small firms because of the hardware, energy and specialist staff it requires. Access through the BSC lets Andorran organisations work on AI, simulation and large-scale data analysis without building that infrastructure. The program’s success will depend on how many companies take part and how many pilots reach real applications. Public information so far does not specify budgets or launch dates for individual calls, and those details are worth watching in the coming months.
Frequently asked questions
What is a supercomputer?
A supercomputer is an extremely powerful computer made up of thousands of processors working in parallel, built to solve problems too large or complex for ordinary machines. It is used for tasks such as climate modelling, AI training, scientific simulation and large-scale data analysis, and its performance is measured in FLOPS (floating-point operations per second).
Does Andorra have its own supercomputer?
No. The agreement gives Andorran institutions and businesses access to the Barcelona Supercomputing Center’s expertise and computing capacity.
What is the DeepTech Program?
It is a four-year initiative between AR+I and the BSC covering talent attraction, business training and support, and technology transfer.
Who can benefit?
Andorran companies, startups, entrepreneurs, institutions and specialised talent, with the Andorra Living Lab as a bridge for pilots.
What is Annexa’t?
Yes. The Annexa’t program is an initiative of Andorra Recerca + Innovació (AR+I) created to connect young talent and advanced research with the country’s socioeconomic fabric.
Sources
- Govern d’Andorra, “Pas endavant per apropar la supercomputació i les tecnologies avançades al teixit empresarial andorrà” (28 Sept 2026): https://www.govern.ad/ca/w/pas-endavant-per-apropar-la-supercomputacio-i-les-tecnologies-avancades-al-teixit-empresarial-andorra
- La Ciutat, “Andorra y el Barcelona Supercomputing Center impulsan un programa para acercar la supercomputación al tejido empresarial” (29 Sept 2026): https://laciutat.cat/es/laciutatandorra/andorra-barcelona-supercomputing-center-impulsan-programa-acercar-supercomputacion-tejido-empresarial_901711_102.html
- Exterior.cat, “El BSC exportarà tecnologies avançades a Andorra”: https://exterior.cat/noticies/el-bsc-exportara-tecnologies-avancades-a-andorra/
- Alto.ad, “Andorra Delegation Visits BSC to Launch Supercomputing Programs for Businesses” (28 Sept 2026): https://www.alto.ad/business/2026/09/andorra-bsc-supercomputing-partnership-deeptech
- AR+I, “AR+I signa un protocol d’actuació amb el Barcelona Supercomputing Center…” (30 Oct 2025): https://ari.ad/noticies/ari-signa-protocol-dactuacio-barcelona-supercomputing
- Diari d’Andorra, “L’AR+I i el Barcelona Supercomputing Center impulsen la recerca científica al país” (31 Oct 2025): https://www.diariandorra.ad/nacional/251031/ar-i-i-barcelona-supercomputing-center-uneixen-forces-per-impulsar-recerca-cientifica-pais_183097.html
- Altaveu, “Aliança amb el Barcelona Supercomputing Center per impulsar la recerca en canvi climàtic i el català”: https://www.altaveu.com/actualitat/societat/alianca-barcelona-supercomputing-center-impulsar-recerca-canvi-climatic-catala_70766_102.html
- El Periòdic d’Andorra, “L’AR+I i el BSC impulsen la formació i la recerca a Andorra en llengua i canvi climàtic”: https://elperiodic.ad/societat/ari-i-el-barcelona-supercomputing-center-impulsen-la-formacio-i-la-recerca-a-andorra-en-llengua-i-canvi-climatic/
Article last updated: October 2026 · Country: Principality of Andorra · Region: Pyrenees, Europe · Language: English
