FIRST ADAPTIVE THERMAL SOLUTION FOR NEXT-GEN CHIPSbroad
SMART COOL FINS · Horizon Europe grant · 2026-06-01–2028-05-31
EC contribution
Total cost
Beneficiaries
About the data
Source: CORDIS (official EU open data), Horizon Europe. Framework HORIZON · call HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02 · scheme HORIZON-EIC-ACC · topic HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02-OPEN-01. CORDIS record →
Objective
The rise of AI, HPC, and cloud computing has pushed server GPU and CPU power consumption beyond 1 kW, making thermal management the critical bottleneck for data centers. In these installations, cooling already consumes 40% of electricity, equal to €19bn annually worldwide. By 2026, global data center consumption is expected to exceed 1,000 TWh, with up to 50% dedicated to cooling. Current methods — air, immersion, or direct-to-chip liquid — are static, inefficient, and costly. They fail to manage thermal spikes, cause overcooling, and waste energy. Without disruptive cooling solutions, overheating will jeopardize system reliability, inflate OPEX, and undermine Europe’s digital sovereignty and climate neutrality goals.UniSCool has developed Smart Cool Fins, the first “adaptive” cooling technology for high-density electronics. Our patented fins deform autonomously under temperature, increasing turbulence only where hotspots emerge. This ensures uniform chip temperatures, avoids overcooling, and reduces cooling energy by up to 80%. Unlike immersion or cold-plate systems, Smart Cool Fins require no sensors, actuators, or complex cooling distribution units. Pilots at Sanitas and Mediacloud have demonstrated 30% server power reduction, 50% lower flow rates, and stable dissipation of >2.5 kW per chip — a paradigm shift for thermal management in data centers.The global data center cooling market will reach €29B by 2030 (12.8% CAGR). UniSCool addresses the €7.25B TAM for advanced cooling modules, with a SAM of €2.9B in EU and US, driven by strict energy efficiency directives and hyperscale AI growth. Our total SOM targets €50M sales by 2031, equivalent to 33.000 units deployed. Customers include hyperscalers (AWS, Azure, Google), data centers (Equinix, Sanitas, Mediacloud), and system integrators/OEM (E4, Unicom), all facing urgent sustainability and cost pressures.
Beneficiaries (1)
| Organisation | Country | Role | EC contribution | SME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSAL SMART COOLING S.L. | ES | coordinator | €2,498,427 | Yes |
Get the EU Defence Funding Calendar — free
The full calendar of open EU defence and dual-use funding calls, sorted by deadline, updated nightly. Delivered with DFM Analysis, our weekly briefing on who is funding what in European defence.
Or browse all open defence & dual-use calls on the funding calendar →
Defence Finance Monitor is an analytical and informational product. Grant data is official CORDIS; the paid Annual Professional subscription is handled on DFM Analysis.