The French Atomic Energy Commission is a leading European research institution with deep expertise in High Performance Computing. As an operator of one of Europe’s first upcoming exascale supercomputers, CEA plays a central role in shaping the future of large scale scientific computing. Its involvement in the High Performance Software Foundation (HPSF) reflects a clear commitment to strengthening open source software for the global HPC community.
Supporting open source software is essential for sustaining innovation at the exascale level. Through HPSF, CEA contributes to a neutral and collaborative environment where critical HPC software can grow beyond individual institutions. This structure enables long term sustainability, shared governance, and broader adoption across research organizations and industry.
One example of this collaboration is the Kokkos project, developed in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories. As a core HPSF project, Kokkos benefits from shared stewardship and coordinated development, allowing contributors to align technical goals while maintaining institutional independence.
CEA’s participation in HPSF has also expanded how internally developed software engages with the wider community. Projects that began within small research teams can now grow in more open settings, supported by contributors from across the HPC ecosystem. This approach encourages stronger communities around critical software and promotes reuse well beyond a single organization.
“For us, having the project being part of this neutral hub where we have some commitment in terms of sustainability and neutrality was really critical and helped us contribute together with our partners to the project.”
– Julien Bigot, HPSF Board Member and Research Scientist at CEA
Beyond individual projects, CEA values the foundation’s growing international network. HPSF brings together long standing collaborators alongside new partners, creating space for shared learning and clearer alignment on community needs. This collective perspective helps ensure that software developed within HPSF is practical, reusable, and relevant at scale.
Looking ahead, CEA plans to continue contributing software and leadership as additional projects join the foundation. With exascale systems coming online and global collaboration increasing, HPSF provides a stable framework for advancing open HPC software in a coordinated and sustainable way.