As a part of the cooperation, Bain Capital is buying an 80% stake in AQ Compute, the info centre subsidiary of Aquila Group. This strategic alliance, with a focused multi-billion Euro funding quantity, is aimed toward considerably accelerating AQ Compute’s plans to develop and function sustainable information centres for hyperscale and AI clients throughout Europe.
Based by Aquila Group in 2020, AQ Compute gives modular and AI-ready information centre and colocation providers, primarily powered by clear vitality. With important funding, the corporate launched its first sustainable information centre close to Oslo in 2024, with extra initiatives underway in Barcelona, Milan and past. Bain Capital helps this progress by way of its capital funding and world experience within the information centre trade, together with its profitable growth of Bridge Knowledge Centres in Asia. Collectively, the companions purpose to construct a number one European information centre platform, utilising clear vitality wherever possible.
Ali Haroon, a Companion at Bain Capital, mentioned: “The European information centre sector presents a horny market alternative, pushed by strong cloud demand, a necessity for high-performance computing and AI deployments, and information sovereignty throughout the area. By this partnership with Aquila Group, we deliver a differentiated, renewable vitality angle to sort out the ever-growing energy challenges on this essential a part of Europe’s infrastructure.”
Rafael Coste Campos, a Managing Director at Bain Capital, added: “We’re thrilled to deliver our deep European actual property sector experience and our multi-layered expertise rising corporations with advanced infrastructure providers, tenant relationships and expertise attraction to AQ Compute. Leveraging our world information centre experience, we’re well-positioned to satisfy the wants of this ever rising and critically essential sector and to construct a market main information centre operation in Europe.”
Michael Huber, a Principal at Bain Capital mentioned: “Having invested greater than $1 billion in actual property over the previous three years, Bain Capital’s first European funding in information centres means we now have a very world platform. This funding will profit from and complement our expertise investing in and constructing one of many largest information centres in Asia – Chindata and backing DC BLOX within the US.”
Roman Rosslenbroich, Co-founder and CEO of Aquila Group, commented: “By our partnership with Bain Capital, we’re effectively positioned to increase AQ Compute’s capabilities and solidify its function as a key participant in Europe’s digital infrastructure. The fast progress in information calls for presents each a problem and a possibility — whereas extra information centres are important, they have to be sustainable. Aquila will make investments a number of hundred-million euros alongside Bain Capital’s bigger dedication, with Aquila Capital offering co-investments. With our continued 20% stake, we’ll guarantee AQ Compute’s progress aligns with our long-term imaginative and prescient for sustainable infrastructure, leveraging synergies with Aquila Clear Power, a significant developer and impartial energy producer within the clear vitality area.“
Markus Holzer, Chairman of AQ Compute, mentioned: “At AQ Compute, we’re uniquely positioned to satisfy the rising demand for information processing by combining modern, AI-ready infrastructure with a dedication to sustainability. This partnership with Bain Capital not solely accelerates our growth pipeline but additionally permits us to set new requirements in sustainable information centre operations throughout Europe.”
