HASSO-PLATTNER-INSTITUT FUR DIGITAL ENGINEERING GGMBH

Their core work

HPI is a German research centre affiliated with the University of Potsdam, specializing in digital engineering — from cloud infrastructure and high-performance computing to large-scale health data platforms. In H2020, they contributed data management architectures, machine learning pipelines, and electronic health record systems to multi-partner consortia. Their work sits at the intersection of computer science and health informatics, building the software infrastructure that turns massive biomedical and environmental datasets into actionable insights.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

HPI's early H2020 work (2015–2018) focused on foundational digital infrastructure: cloud operations, big data analytics for healthcare industrialization, and EU-US digital cooperation around electronic health records. From 2019 onward, they shifted decisively toward applied AI and precision medicine — machine learning pipelines, high-performance computing for genomics, polygenic risk prediction, and biobank-scale data integration. The trajectory shows a research centre moving from building the plumbing (cloud, data platforms) to applying it at the frontier of personalised health and genomic medicine.

HPI is moving toward AI-driven genomic prediction and personalised treatment, making them a strong partner for future health data and precision medicine consortia.

How they like to work

HPI has participated exclusively as a consortium partner across all 7 projects, never as coordinator — they bring technical depth rather than project leadership. With 126 unique partners across 25 countries, they operate as a well-connected specialist that integrates into large, diverse consortia. Their role pattern suggests they are sought after for their data engineering and computing capabilities rather than domain leadership, making them a reliable technical contributor who adapts to different consortium structures.

HPI has built a broad European network of 126 unique partners spanning 25 countries, reflecting involvement in large consortia rather than repeated partnerships with a narrow group. Their reach extends beyond the EU through projects like Smart4Health, which included EU-US cooperation.

What sets them apart

HPI combines world-class computer science (backed by the SAP founder's endowment) with deep health informatics application — a rare combination among European research centres. Unlike typical medical informatics groups, they bring genuine high-performance computing and systems engineering capability, meaning they can handle both the software architecture and the data science. For consortium builders, HPI fills the gap between clinical partners who understand the health domain and pure CS labs that lack domain application experience.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Smart4Health
  Largest HPI project by funding (EUR 2.2M), building a citizen-centred EU-EHR exchange platform with EU-US cooperation scope — their flagship health data infrastructure effort.
• INTERVENE
  Represents HPI's most advanced health application: integrative genomics prediction using polygenic risk scores and biobank data for personalised treatment and disease prevention.
• DAPHNE
  Pure data engineering project combining HPC and ML pipeline development — showcases HPI's core technical capability independent of any single application domain.