Bain Capital, a leading alternative investment firm, and Aquila Group, a specialist in sustainable assets, have formed a strategic alliance that marks a milestone in the data center sector in Europe. As part of the agreement, Bain Capital has acquired an 80% stake in AQ Compute, Aquila Group’s data center subsidiary, with an ambitious multi-billion euro investment plan to develop and operate sustainable facilities aimed at hyperscale clients and artificial intelligence applications.
Founded in 2020 by Aquila Group, AQ Compute offers colocationHousing facilities are a type of data center … and modular data centers designed for AI, primarily powered by clean energy sources. This year, the company opened its first data centerA data center or data processing center (DPC) … in a sustainable manner near Oslo, Norway, and has ongoing projects in Barcelona and Milan, among other European cities. Bain Capital will drive this expansion by providing capital and industry expertise, building on its track record of developing data centers through its Bridge Data Centres platform in Asia. Together, Bain Capital and Aquila Group aim to build a leading platform for sustainable data centers in Europe.
Sustainability and Technology: AQ Compute’s Approach
AQ Compute stands out in the market for its innovative infrastructure, optimized to meet the demands of artificial intelligence and large-scale data processing. Markus Holzer, President of AQ Compute, stated that the partnership with Bain Capital will accelerate its development pipeline and establish new standards in sustainable data center operations. “We are committed to combining cutting-edge infrastructure with a sustainability approach that sets the benchmark in Europe,” he noted.
Sustainability is a priority for both companies. Roman Rosslenbroich, CEO and co-founder of Aquila Group, emphasized that the agreement allows AQ Compute to establish itself as a key player in European digital infrastructure, while Aquila Capital continues to co-invest to align AQ Compute’s growth with its vision for sustainable infrastructure. According to Rosslenbroich, “The growing demand for data is a challenge, but also an opportunity to advance towards cleaner solutions.”
Bain Capital: Investing in Technology and Renewables to Address Energy Challenges
Bain Capital’s interest in AQ Compute is driven by the increasing demand for data centers in Europe, fueled by the growing use of the cloud, high-performance computing, and data sovereignty needs in the region. Ali Haroon, a partner at Bain Capital, commented that the partnership with Aquila brings a differentiated perspective on using renewable energy to tackle energy challenges, a growing concern in European technological infrastructure.
To advise on this transaction, Aquila Group engaged real estate consulting firm CBRE, which, through its real estate investment banking division, facilitated the capitalization and sale of the majority stake to Bain Capital.
A Model for the Future of Data Centers in Europe
Bain Capital’s backing allows AQ Compute to establish a strong presence in the European market, offering data center solutions that minimize environmental impact. This business model aligns with global trends toward sustainable technological infrastructures and is a significant step in responding to the unprecedented demand for data processing in sectors such as AI and cloud computing.
With Bain Capital’s financial backing and operational expertise, AQ Compute is positioned as a benchmark in the development of sustainable data centers, leading the shift towards an efficient and environmentally responsible digital infrastructure in Europe.
Source: Bain Capital