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FIRST ADAPTIVE THERMAL SOLUTION FOR NEXT-GEN CHIPS

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.

Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-EIC-ACC - HORIZON EIC Accelerator

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-02

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Coordinator

UNIVERSAL SMART COOLING S.L.
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 2 498 426,70
Address
PARC DE GARDENY S/N, EDIFICI CEDICO
25003 Lleida
Spain

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Este Cataluña Lleida
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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