INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Their core work

IICT is a research institute within the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences focused on scientific computing, high-performance computing (HPC), and e-infrastructure services. They build and operate computational platforms that support open science across Europe, contributing distributed computing capacity, data management expertise, and cloud federation services. Their work spans from running national HPC competence centres to applied modelling in areas like wildfire risk assessment and advanced materials. They serve as Bulgaria's key node in pan-European research computing networks such as EGI and EOSC.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015-2018), IICT focused on building foundational e-infrastructure: contributing to the European Open Science Cloud, supporting virtual research environments for Southeast Europe (VI-SEEM), and providing HPC access to SMEs. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted toward operational cybersecurity (ECHO), national HPC competence building (EUROCC), and applying their computing capabilities to domain-specific challenges like wildfire risk assessment. The trajectory shows a move from infrastructure building to infrastructure application — from "we run the cloud" to "here's what the cloud can solve."

IICT is transitioning from pure infrastructure provision toward domain-applied computing, particularly in security and environmental risk — making them increasingly relevant for interdisciplinary consortia that need serious computational muscle.

How they like to work

IICT overwhelmingly operates as a consortium partner (11 of 14 projects), joining large pan-European networks rather than leading them — they coordinated only twice, both smaller nationally-focused projects. With 358 unique partners across 58 countries, they are deeply embedded in the European research infrastructure ecosystem and well-connected far beyond their size. This makes them a reliable, low-friction partner who knows how large consortia work, though they are not typically the ones writing the proposal.

Exceptionally wide network for a Bulgarian institute: 358 unique partners across 58 countries, built through participation in major pan-European infrastructure projects like EGI, EOSC, and EUROCC. Their geographic reach extends well beyond the EU into Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean through projects like VI-SEEM.

What sets them apart

IICT is Bulgaria's primary gateway into European research computing infrastructure — if you need a Bulgarian partner with deep HPC and cloud computing expertise plus an existing seat at the table in EGI, EOSC, and EuroHPC networks, there is essentially no alternative. Their dual capability in both infrastructure operation and mathematical modelling means they can provide computing resources AND the scientific expertise to use them. For consortium builders targeting Widening countries, IICT offers genuine technical depth rather than token participation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ECHO
  Major cybersecurity project (EUR 388,500) building a European network of cybersecurity centres, marking their expansion from pure computing into security.
• EUROCC
  Their largest single grant (EUR 497,500), establishing Bulgaria's national HPC competence centre — signals they are the country's designated HPC hub.
• FirEUrisk
  Most recent and thematically distinct project — applying their computational expertise to wildfire risk modelling, showing their ability to serve domain science beyond traditional ICT.