AtlasEdge Data Centers, a leading investor and operator in pan-European Edge data centers, has announced its entry into the Portuguese market with a significant investment commitment of over $530 million (€500 million). The company, backed by DigitalBridge, aims to expand its presence in Portugal and tap into the country’s rapidly growing data center market.
According to AtlasEdge’s CEO, Giuliano Di Vitantonio, Portugal is a “hugely promising” market for data center, with unparalleled global connectivity, a robust demand for data center capacity, and an attractive business environment. The investment will contribute to the development of the data center infrastructure in the region, addressing the underserved market and capitalizing on Portugal’s abundant renewable energy resources.
The investment will see the company acquire two adjacent sites in Lisbon, which will serve as the foundation for AtlasEdge’s expansion into the Portuguese market. The sites, strategically located in Carnaxide, Oeiras, near the entry point for crucial subsea cables connecting the Iberian Peninsula to Africa, North and South America, will enable customers to manage their networks across the continent and leverage the subsea gateway for global connectivity.
AtlasEdge’s Lisbon facilities will be designed to operate on renewable power and recover and reuse 100% of the heat produced by operators. The company is also in advanced discussions with neighbouring entities to explore the possibility of consuming some of the heat generated by the data centers.
The investment will create job opportunities in maintenance, customer management, and general facilities management, with the potential for nearly 10-20 roles at the initial data centers. Construction of the sites will involve around 300-400 people, and the company has received favourable backing from local authorities.
Filipe Santos Costa, President of the Portuguese Trade & Investment Agency (AICEP), commented on the significance of AtlasEdge’s investment, stating that it is “a major, long-term commitment from the company and emblematic of Portugal’s new attractiveness for Cable Landing Stations and Data Centers investments by ambitious, globally-minded businesses.”
As part of its European expansion strategy, AtlasEdge plans to consolidate its presence across 20 different metros in 13 countries. The company has already announced new sites in Hamburg and Leeds, as well as an acquisition in Vienna, with these latest acquisitions representing a continuation of its customer-led approach, focused on building Europe’s largest Edge platform.
Di Vitantonio expressed his optimism for the future of AtlasEdge in Portugal, stating that the two Lisbon sites will set a new standard
