eInfraCentral · Project

One-Stop Portal to Find and Compare European Computing and Data Services

digitalPilotedTRL 7Thin data (2/5)

Imagine you need cloud computing, data storage, or high-performance processing for your business — but Europe has dozens of providers scattered across different websites with no easy way to compare them. eInfraCentral built a single online catalogue where you can browse all European e-infrastructure services in one place, compare what they offer, and check their performance ratings. Think of it like a Booking.com for research computing services — one search, all options, real user reviews.

By the numbers

consortium partners contributing to the service catalogue

countries represented in the partnership

SMEs involved in co-designing the platform

project deliverables produced

development phases (prototype + full release with KPI dashboard)

The business problem

What needed solving

European businesses, especially SMEs, struggle to discover and compare the wide range of publicly funded computing, data, and networking services available across Europe. These e-infrastructure services are scattered across dozens of providers with no common way to describe, find, or evaluate them. Companies end up either overpaying for commercial alternatives or simply not knowing that suitable public services exist.

The solution

What was built

The project built a publicly launched online portal serving as a one-stop shop for browsing European e-infrastructure services, with a common service catalogue co-designed across 11 partners and a KPI dashboard tracking service availability, quality, and user satisfaction. A total of 17 deliverables were produced across two development phases.

Audience

Who needs this

IT procurement managers at mid-size companies seeking affordable computing infrastructureData science startups needing scalable high-performance computingResearch-intensive SMEs looking for publicly funded digital servicesCloud service brokers comparing European e-infrastructure optionsUniversity spin-offs transitioning from academic to commercial infrastructure

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Cloud & IT Services

SME

Target: IT service providers and cloud resellers looking to benchmark their offerings

If you are a cloud services provider trying to understand how your offering compares to publicly funded European e-infrastructures — this project built a common service catalogue with key performance indicators that lets you benchmark service availability and quality against 11 partner organizations across 6 countries. You can identify gaps in the market and position your commercial services accordingly.

Research-Intensive Manufacturing

enterprise

Target: R&D departments needing high-performance computing or large-scale data processing

If you are a manufacturing company with R&D teams that need computing power for simulations, product modeling, or data analytics — this project created a one-stop shop portal to discover European e-infrastructure services you may not know exist. Instead of searching across dozens of providers, your team can browse a single catalogue with quality metrics and find the right service faster.

Data Analytics & AI

SME

Target: Data science firms and AI startups needing scalable infrastructure

If you are a data analytics company struggling to find affordable, high-quality computing infrastructure for training models or processing large datasets — this project developed a searchable portal with a KPI dashboard tracking service availability and user satisfaction across European e-infrastructures. It helps you discover publicly funded services that could cut your infrastructure costs.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does it cost to access the eInfraCentral portal?

The eInfraCentral portal was built as a public gateway — it catalogues and links to European e-infrastructure services rather than selling them directly. Access to the catalogue itself is free. The individual e-infrastructure services listed may have their own pricing or access requirements.

Can this scale to cover all European e-infrastructure providers?

The project was explicitly designed to scale. Phase one launched a prototype with an initial set of services, and phase two delivered a full release. The objective included drawing policy lessons for expanding into a broader European e-infrastructure marketplace incorporating a larger number of providers.

Who owns the intellectual property — can I license or reuse the catalogue?

As a Coordination and Support Action (CSA), eInfraCentral focused on building consensus and a shared catalogue rather than proprietary technology. The service definitions and catalogue structure were co-designed with the e-infrastructure community. Based on available project data, the outputs appear intended as open community resources.

Is the portal still active after the project ended in 2019?

The project ran from January 2017 to June 2019. The eInfraCentral portal was publicly launched as documented in the deliverables. Based on available project data, sustainability beyond the project period would depend on continued community support and follow-on funding.

How does this integrate with our existing IT procurement process?

eInfraCentral serves as a discovery and comparison tool, not a procurement platform. Your team can use the catalogue to identify suitable e-infrastructure services, then follow your standard procurement process to engage with the chosen provider directly. The KPI dashboard helps you evaluate service quality before committing.

What kind of services are listed in the catalogue?

The catalogue covers European e-infrastructure services including computing, data storage, networking, and related digital services. The common service definitions were developed through structured consultations with the e-infrastructure community, funders, and a representative user group including SMEs.

Are there compliance or regulatory benefits to using catalogued services?

Based on available project data, the catalogue focuses on service quality and availability metrics rather than regulatory compliance. However, using well-documented European e-infrastructure services with transparent KPIs can support your due diligence when selecting IT service providers.

Consortium

Who built it

The consortium of 11 partners across 6 countries (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, UK) brings a balanced mix: 4 research organizations providing deep e-infrastructure knowledge, 3 universities contributing user perspective, and 2 industry partners plus 2 other organizations. With 5 SMEs (including the Belgian coordinator), the project had real small-business involvement — important since SMEs are a target user group. The 18% industry ratio is modest but appropriate for a coordination action focused on building community consensus rather than commercial products. The geographic spread across Western and Southern Europe ensures the catalogue reflects diverse national e-infrastructure landscapes.

EUROPEAN FUTURE INNOVATION SYSTEM CENTRECoordinator · BE
STICHTING EGIparticipant · NL
ETHNIKO KAI KAPODISTRIAKO PANEPISTIMIO ATHINONparticipant · EL
GEANT VERENIGINGthirdparty · NL
JNP STRATIGIKI KAI EPICHIRISIAKI SYMVOULEFTIKI IKEparticipant · EL
PARTNERSHIP FOR ADVANCED COMPUTING IN EUROPE AISBLparticipant · BE
CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHEparticipant · IT
GEANT LIMITEDparticipant · UK
THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGHparticipant · UK
GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ UNIVERSITAET HANNOVERparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

European Future Innovation System Centre (EFIS Centre), Belgium — a research-focused SME that coordinated the 11-partner consortium

Order a report on this consortium See EUROPEAN FUTURE INNOVATION SYSTEM CENTRE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to find European e-infrastructure services that match your computing needs? SciTransfer can help you navigate the landscape and connect with the right providers.

Order a report on this topic More in Digital & ICT