Today, Foundation PS has announced the donation of 13 professorships to Europe’s second ELLIS Institute and leading Finnish universities. This initiative marks a significant milestone in strengthening Finland’s and Europe’s AI research ecosystem and fostering long-term competitiveness on the global AI stage.
The professorships will establish permanent positions at institutions such as Aalto University, Universities of Helsinki, Oulu and Turku and Tampere University, in addition to having an ELLIS affiliation. These professorships will operate under the PS Fellow title. Going forward, Foundation PS aims at continuing to support AI research in general and the PS Fellow network in particular, in line with the initial donation announcement.
Foundation PS and the PS Fellow Network
A network of concurrently donated professorships represents a new approach to excellence in AI research, covering a wide range of subdisciplines related to AI. The selection of the candidates will be done jointly by the universities, with an intent to collaborate with the ELLIS Institute to both attract and select world-class talent for ELLIS Scholar and Fellow-level roles. Through permanent positions, the initiative comes with continuity that strengthens research impact for the long-term and supports Europe’s and Finland’s role as a leader in AI innovation.
The professors, all selected based upon academic merit in AI, will form the PS Fellow Network. The network provides a unique platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange among leading researchers in the field, with the intent to foster innovation within the broader AI ecosystem. Foundation PS intends to support the network by supporting and promoting their research in AI (e.g. through grants, scholarships, and other direct support) and by organizing conferences, events and training related to AI.
Building the Finnish AI ecosystem: Foundation PS, ELLIS Institute and LUMI AI
In tandem with the donation, the ELLIS Institute – a leading European initiative for AI research – is officially initiating its activities in Finland with funding from the Finnish government totaling €40 million. Together, these efforts provide a good basis to grow Finland into a leading hub for AI research and development, with the ultimate aim at forming a backbone of Europe’s long-term AI strategy.
In addition, Finland was recently awarded Europe’s largest AI factory initiative, an ambitious undertaking supported by the European Commission with a total budget of ~€600 million. The country already hosts LUMI, Europe’s most powerful supercomputer and a critical resource for AI research, with a unique compute quota reserved for Finnish research initiatives. The new LUMI initiative aims at a new pan-European supercomputer and places one of the first European Union’s AI Factories in Finland, covering AI-related services that advance AI research and industrial applications.
Long-term competitiveness on the global AI stage
This announcement marks the operational launch of Foundation PS, reinforcing its commitment to strengthening Europe’s AI research landscape. With the professorships and the establishment of the PS Fellow Network, Foundation PS takes a decisive step toward building a vibrant AI research ecosystem. These efforts align with Finland’s broader AI strategy, which includes the operational launch of the ELLIS Institute and the ambitious AI Factory project tied to the development of the next LUMI supercomputer. Together, these initiatives form a comprehensive framework to ensure Finland and Europe remain leaders in AI research and innovation.
“Through these professorships, we aim to lay a solid foundation for academic and applied AI research, creating an ecosystem that not only drives scientific excellence, but also supports the practical application of these advancements. Our vision is to create an enduring and vibrant ecosystem for AI research that bridges academia and industry, propelling Europe to the forefront of AI innovation and commercialization,” said Peter Sarlin.
Foundation PS believes that securing and developing top AI talent is essential for Europe’s future. Initiatives like the ELLIS Institute have highlighted the importance of creating world-class research environments. The professorships funded by Foundation PS are designed to create the conditions necessary for sustained research excellence and long-term impact, but further action is needed to ensure that Europe remains a leader in both AI innovation and commercialization.