Spain has taken another step in competing for one of Europe’s major AI gigafactories. The public-private consortium supported by the government is preparing a bid based on a multisite model, with facilities planned in Móra la Nova (Tarragona) and Madrid, with Multiverse Computing as the technological partner. The project aims to mobilize up to €5 billion and position the country on the European map for advanced AI computing.
The project was discussed on July 1 in a meeting at Moncloa between Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, institutional representatives, and key business partners. According to Multiverse, attendees included the Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Function, Óscar López; the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa; Telefónica CEO, Marc Murtra; ACS Chairman, Florentino Pérez; Banco Santander CEO, Héctor Grisi; and Multiverse Computing CEO, Enrique Lizaso.
A Spanish bid for the European AI race
The Spanish gigafactory has not yet been awarded. The consortium is awaiting the European Commission’s call for proposals to compete for one of the flagship infrastructures of the European AI Gigafactories program. The Commission indicates that EuroHPC JU plans to publish the official call in summer 2026, as part of the community strategy to strengthen Europe’s capacity in artificial intelligence.
The ownership share announced by Multiverse shows a closely held public majority through SETT, the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation, with 47.99%. Telefónica, ACS, and Santander would each hold 15.67%, Multiverse Computing 4%, and the Generalitat of Catalonia 1%. The company emphasizes that the project is predominantly private, a conclusion supported when considering the participation of companies outside of SETT and the Generalitat.
| Partner | Ownership Share |
|---|---|
| SETT | 47.99% |
| Telefónica | 15.67% |
| ACS | 15.67% |
| Banco Santander | 15.67% |
| Multiverse Computing | 4% |
| Generalitat de Catalunya | 1% |
The European Union defines AI Gigafactories as large-scale facilities dedicated to the development and training of next-generation AI models, capable of covering the entire lifecycle of large models and applications. It’s not just about purchasing GPUs: these include AI-optimized computing, high-capacity storage, networks, secure cloud access, and specialized support services for public and private users.
The program is part of InvestAI, an initiative launched by the European Commission to mobilize €200 billion in AI investments, with a €20 billion European fund aimed at creating up to five AI gigafactories. The declared goal is for Europe to develop its own capacity to train and deploy advanced models without fully relying on US or Chinese infrastructures.
Multiverse: efficiency, software, and sovereignty
Multiverse Computing plays a significant role by introducing a Spanish technological layer into a project that, due to its size, could be dominated by global hardware and cloud providers. The Donostia-San Sebastián-based company will bring expertise in quantum computing, optimized AI, and a software stack for AI data centers that includes GPU orchestration, AI services, and sovereignty controls, according to its own statement.
The company specializes in model compression techniques inspired by quantum computing. Its product CompactifAI promises to compress AI models by up to 95%, with a loss of accuracy between 2% and 3%. This claim should be viewed as a value communicated by the company, depending on the model, use case, and specific validation.
This approach addresses one of the major challenges of AI gigafactories: building raw capacity is not enough. Training and running increasingly larger models requires energy, chips, cooling, orchestration software, workload optimization, and cost control. If technology can reduce computing requirements without significantly degrading quality, it can impact both operational economics and sustainability.
Multiverse’s involvement also brings an industrial perspective. Spain aims not only to host a major AI infrastructure but also to demonstrate the ability to incorporate proprietary technology into a critical layer: software efficiency, model management, and deployment sovereignty. Enrique Lizaso summarized this position by stating the goal is to ensure the infrastructure is “powerful, efficient, and sovereign.”
Móra la Nova, Madrid, and the energy challenge
The Spanish proposal is structured as a multisite model. Móra la Nova is envisioned as the primary site in Tarragona, while Madrid would host part of the technological infrastructure. According to reports from El País, supporters believe the Catalan facility could be operational by 2028, with an initial energy demand of 50 MW, expandable to 125 MW.
The energy aspect is critical. AI gigafactories are, in practice, supercomputing centers and high-density data centers. Their viability depends on access to energy, electrical grid stability, permits, cooling, connectivity, physical security, and talent attraction. The European Commission and the European Investment Bank have noted that success will depend on combining public and private funding to build a competitive and secure AI infrastructure.
For Spain, the choice of Móra la Nova also has regional significance. The area, near the Ribera d’Ebre, is associated with ongoing debates about its post-nuclear industrial future, given the planned nuclear activity shutdown in the region. Supporters argue the project could contribute to reindustrialization and the creation of a technological hub outside the traditional major centers.
Opportunity and risk
Spain’s bid comes at a time when Europe is striving to catch up with the US and China. The European Commission received 76 expressions of interest from 16 member states covering 60 locations, exceeding expectations and highlighting the competitiveness of any national proposal.
Spain leverages strong partners in telecommunications, construction, finance, and technology. Telefónica brings connectivity and digital infrastructure experience; ACS offers development and construction capacity; Santander provides financial strength; SETT offers strategic public support; and Multiverse contributes software and AI efficiency solutions. While the partnership is solid on paper, winning the European award will require demonstrating technical viability, energy access, economic model, sustainability, security, and value for businesses, universities, research centers, and governments.
The core question is whether Europe aims just to buy AI capacity or build its own infrastructure with local companies along the value chain. Spain’s bid attempts to pursue the latter. If successful, it won’t be just a large data center—it will demonstrate Spain’s ability to participate in critical AI infrastructure with more than land, power, and capital.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Spanish AI gigafactory?
A public-private bid to compete for one of Europe’s AI Gigafactories, with a multisite proposal in Móra la Nova (Tarragona) and Madrid.
What role will Multiverse Computing play?
Multiverse will be a technological partner with a 4% stake, providing AI software, GPU orchestration, sovereignty controls, and model optimization technologies.
How much investment could the project mobilize?
The consortium aims to mobilize up to €5 billion if the bid proceeds and secures the expected financing.
Has the gigafactory already been awarded to Spain?
No. The project awaits the official European Commission call and will compete against other European proposals.
Why is this infrastructure important?
Because AI gigafactories aim to give Europe independent capacity to train and deploy advanced models, reducing reliance on external technology and enabling access for companies, universities, and research centers.
via: multiversecomputing
