High-Performance Computing

The UK and Germany have forged a partnership to unite their quantum research ecosystems and accelerate commercial deployment of quantum supercomputers, sensors and precision timing. A £6 million UK‑German R&D call launching in 2026 will target prototype‑to‑production development, while £8 million will upgrade photonics infrastructure in Glasgow. Joint efforts include harmonising measurement standards, integrating high‑performance computing via EuroHPC, and supporting aerospace launches. Both governments project quantum technologies could add ~£11 billion to the UK’s GDP by 2045 and sustain over 100,000 skilled jobs.

TSMC reported a strong Q3, driven by the thriving AI chip market. Profit surged 39.1% year-over-year, with revenue exceeding expectations at NT$989.92 billion. Net income also surpassed estimates, reaching NT$452.3 billion. The company’s HPC division, fueled by AI and 5G infrastructure demands, was a key growth driver. Advanced chips using 7-nanometer or smaller technologies comprised 74% of wafer revenue, highlighting TSMC’s technological lead in miniaturization. TSMC’s performance underscores its critical role in the global semiconductor supply chain and the AI revolution.

At Huawei Connect 2025, Huawei revealed its Ascend chip roadmap, including the 950, 960, and 970 series for AI and HPC, challenging NVIDIA’s dominance. Despite semiconductor manufacturing challenges, Huawei focuses on domestic design, proprietary tech, and open-source strategies. New Ascend chips promise performance leaps with enhanced interconnects. Huawei’s SuperPoD and SuperCluster strategy, powered by UnifiedBus 2.0 (an open protocol), aims to provide scalable, high-performance computing, expanding into general-purpose computing with Kunpeng 950 processors and TaiShan SuperPod. Huawei claims significant performance advantages over competitors.

Boost Run, an AI cloud infrastructure provider, is going public via a $614 million SPAC deal with Willow Lane Acquisition Corp. (WLAC). The merger aims to capitalize on surging demand for AI computing solutions. Boost Run projects rapid revenue growth and high profitability, fueled by strategic GPU purchases and software development. Key advantages include partnerships with Lenovo and TierPoint, and a secure, bare-metal platform. The combined company, Boost Run, Inc. (BRUN), will trade on Nasdaq, pending customary closing conditions.