IONOS submits Expression of Interest for AI Gigafactory

Karlsruhe / Berlin, 20 June 2025. IONOS Group SE, together with HOCHTIEF AG, has today submitted an Expression of Interest to the European Commission for the construction and operation of an AI Gigafactory.

With more than 30 years of experience in digitalisation and operating cloud infrastructure, and a proprietary, high-performance tech stack, IONOS brings the expertise and capacity to run large-scale AI workloads with full digital sovereignty.

HOCHTIEF is one of the world’s leading providers in the development and construction of data centres, combining deep expertise across planning, financing, construction, operation, and digital infrastructure. With around 6 GW of successfully delivered projects, the company develops innovative and sustainable solutions.

The consortium is further supported by specialised technology and security firms, as well as renowned research and development institutions.

The proposal outlines the development of a high-performance data centre infrastructure, with operations set to begin as early as 2027. It will utilise state-of-the-art GPU technology, initially deploying over 50,000 GPUs, scalable to more than 100,000 GPUs, all fully aligned with European standards to ensure maximum resilience and independence.

The project financing follows a standard industry structure, combining equity, partnership models, and debt financing, supported by targeted EU funding.

The Expression of Interest submitted today marks a first step. The European Commission will define the next phases of the selection process in the coming months. The Consortium stands ready to further detail its concept and to help shape a sovereign AI ecosystem in Europe.