Hypertec at SC25: Scaling AI and HPC Sustainably

From climate modelling to medical breakthroughs and safer industrial automation, High-Performance Computing (HPC) and AI are accelerating discoveries in every field. From November 16th to 21st, nearly 20,000 researchers, engineers, and technology leaders gathered in St. Louis, MO, for the 37th edition of the Supercomputing Conference (SC25).  

This year’s theme, HPC Ignites, was a reminder that today’s innovations start with the computing ecosystem behind it. Without high-performance systems, we can’t scale knowledge.

At Hypertec, our mission is to enable that ecosystem: building partnerships, advancing sustainable systems, and empowering innovators who push boundaries further. Read on for our take on the key moments at SC25 and where the industry is headed next.

HPC & AI: Accelerators of Innovation

One thing became clear at SC25: HPC and AI fuel each other.

• HPC powers the large-scale simulations required for scientific modeling.
• AI models accelerate these simulations and improve prediction accuracy.

This synergy is already transforming industrial and scientific workflows. In a panel discussion featuring leaders from Valvoline, Midas Immersion Cooling, and Hypertec, Dr. George Zhang shared how AI accelerates lubricant formulation from months to minutes.

The same pattern appears in research institutions such as the University of Waterloo, where the Nibi supercomputer, Canada’s first large-scale immersion-cooled HPC system, powered by Hypertec, uses HPC and AI for advanced research.

Cooling Strategy as a Competitive Advantage

With the rapid increase in computing demand, cooling has become a strategic choice. Air cooling cannot cope with modern workloads or sustainability goals.  

SC25 highlighted a shift toward Direct Liquid Cooling and immersion cooling. Immersion cooling, in particular, drew interest due to its superior heat capture, reduced water and power usage, and ability to support high-density AI and HPC systems.

Hypertec invested early in immersion-born systems, engineered specifically for liquid cooling environments. This distinction is especially valuable for institutions prioritizing long-term efficiency, resilience, and sustainability. Our platforms were showcased not only in our booth’s acrylic tank, but also running live at partner stands, including Solidigm, Midas, GRC, and Valvoline.

Sovereignty Matters More than Ever

Another recurring topic was data sovereignty and compliance, especially in universities, national labs, healthcare research, and government-adjacent organizations. Sovereign AI begins with where systems are manufactured, how they are supported, and who controls the supply chain.

Hypertec was founded 41 years ago with sovereignty in mind, as a North American manufacturer of HPC and AI systems, and partnerships that extend across workloads and infrastructure layers.  

Ecosystem Building, Not Just Systems

SC25 reinforced that advanced computing isn’t powered by isolated products. It’s powered by collaboration. Throughout the conference, Hypertec was joined by partners to present sessions on:

• liquid cooling in practice (Valvoline, Submer)
• scalable AI infrastructure (5C, Together AI, Hoonify)
• SSD immersion reliability (Solidigm)

These conversations showed where HPC is headed: building systems through collaboration, designed for specific workloads rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. Hypertec’s combined expertise in server design, prefabricated data centers, and construction supports this approach, enabling fast deployment of tailored, sovereign AI and HPC environments.

Looking ahead

HPC and AI are set to grow rapidly, and this growth will be paired with a push to build responsibly, focusing on efficiency, sustainability and sovereign deployment. Hypertec supports this approach by designing and manufacturing high-performance systems optimized for liquid cooling and rapid, secure delivery. The infrastructure and ecosystems we build today will drive innovation in the future.