With the construction of two new data centers by French company Data4, Greece is poised to become a regional center for technology and AI.
To establish Greece as a critical hub for technology and artificial intelligence, the Greek government and the French company Data4 started constructing a new data center outside of Athens.
Cointelegraph was there at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility, which is situated just outside the Greek capital of Athens, on November 19.
Putting money into the future
The occasion signifies Data4’s entry into the Greek market, establishing itself as a significant Mediterranean hub for connectivity and data storage.
In addition, it is anticipated that Data4’s new campus will be essential to the growth of Greece’s digital infrastructure, advancing its goal of becoming a regional leader in the IT and technology industries.
Data4 executives, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and other government representatives attended the ceremony.
In his remarks, Mitsotakis emphasized how the investment may strengthen the local economy, enhance Greece’s standing internationally, and open doors for qualified technical professionals. “The government is dedicated to funding initiatives that promote innovation and digital transformation,” Mitsotakis stated.
At least two buildings are planned by Data4, the first of which is now being built and should be finished in around two years. According to Olivier Micheli, CEO of Data4, the second one will start “depending on the market absorption and acceleration [in Greece].”
“The first data center is expected to be ready by the end of 2026, [or] January 2027,” he stated.
Cointelegraph questioned Michelis about how the Greek market stacks up against other European nations where Data4 conducts business. He claimed it is “quite similar,” requiring local and national companies to host their data. He went on to say:
“The government [here] is very active; it has a program transition to the cloud and digital to facilitate the lives of the citizens. The government is already a big consumer. As well, you have all the tech giants that are willing to support AI and cloud development in the country.”
Development of data centers in Greece
The event occurred barely two months after Data4 first announced its plan to invest in Greece.
According to Micheli, the Greek investment will total about “300 million euros for the first two data centers.” “And it will be around 450 to 500 million euros in total if we can build a third data center here if we work very well with the community,” he continued.
Several companies are investing in data centers throughout Europe, including Data4. The business already oversees several data centers across six European nations, including Greece, and plans to invest an additional 7 billion euros by 2030.
Microsoft and other significant tech companies have invested in European data centers and AI-related projects.
Microsoft declared in February that it would invest $2 billion to build AI data centers in Spain. Like Data4, planned for 2020 and recently received ministerial clearance, Microsoft also started an investment project in Greece.
