The hyperscale provider says it has 700MVA of contracted power and has facilities already operational
One month on from its public launch, Bain Capital-backed hyperscale data centre provider hscale has revealed new operational details about its pan-European expansion plans, including confirmation that facilities are already serving customers and substantial power commitments are in place.
Speaking to Mobile Europe about progress since the May launch, Oliver Schiebel, CEO of hscale, confirmed the company has actually been “successfully operational for over a year now” with live high-density hyperscale capacity, putting to bed some of the initial impressions that the venture was starting from scratch.
The revelation gives context for hscale’s ambitious expansion timeline, which includes 100MW under construction across multiple European markets and a 1GW+ pipeline spanning seven key metros: Milan, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Oslo, Barcelona and Zaragoza. When pressed for specifics on the pipeline distribution, Schiebel was understandably coy: “We cannot disclose this information but confirm it is zonal capacity.”
Pipeline taking shape
Schiebel did provide specific delivery timelines for the company’s near-term construction programme. “Barcelona (BNC) is advanced and due to be delivered in 2026, Oslo (OSL 2 & 3) will be operational from 2026 and delivered in phases given the 300MVA scale,” he said. The company’s Milan presence is particularly substantial, with “two Milan sites delivering over 250MVA of capacity which will both be delivered in 2028.”
The scale of hscale’s power commitments has also been disclosed for the first time. “We have circa 700MVA of contracted power,” Schiebel confirmed, underlining the company’s ability to secure utility agreements across its target markets.
Land banking
Addressing questions about site readiness, Schiebel confirmed hscale has secured land positions across all seven named metros, though he wouldn’t be drawn on full details of land ownership. “Yes, unfortunately we cannot disclose full details. Our site sizes are at least approximately 50 MW IT ranging to 300MW or more,” he said, indicating the company is targeting large-scale developments capable of serving hyperscale requirements.
Planning permissions are “in place for several sites, with some in progress at the pre-construction phase,” according to the CEO, suggesting hscale is pretty well-positioned to execute its development timeline.
Capital strategy
The data centre operator’s funding approach represents a potential departure from the customer pre-commitment model common in the sector. “The market requires committed capital to allow us to compete, so we will be leaning forward on projects ahead of committing to our customer,” Schiebel explained, indicating Bain Capital is likely providing upfront investment rather than contingent funding.
This strategy reflects broader market dynamics where hyperscale customers increasingly expect ready-built capacity rather than build-to-suit arrangements, particularly for AI workloads requiring immediate deployment.
On the renewables front, hscale’s partnership with Aquila Group, which retains a 20% stake following Bain Capital’s acquisition of AQ Compute in October 2024, is proving strategically valuable for renewable energy access. “Aquila is a minority investor, helping us to access green power in many regions,” Schiebel said. The partnership has yielded concrete benefits, particularly in Madrid. “We have exclusive access to one of their major green energy infra projects with a direct connect to their PV farm, which can serve c.300MVA of data centre capacity,” he said.
Renewable energy sourcing varies by location, with some facilities designed for renewable power from day-one. “For some projects we even are able to connect renewable power generated in proximity day-one, for example where sites will be connectable to Aquila renewable assets, like wind or photovoltaic parks,” he explained.
Hyperscale focus
hscale’s facilities are being developed exclusively for major cloud providers rather than multi-tenant colocation. “The sites are specifically designed for the major hyperscalers. We use their performance specifications and ensure our design meets them,” said Schiebel.
The company has built flexibility into its designs to accommodate different hyperscale requirements. “We have a pivot point where we can deliver the variances of different customers to ensure we meet the intricacies of each design,” he added.
The disclosure of existing operations positions hscale a bit differently in the competitive EMEA hyperscale market, given the company inherited operational capacity through the AQ Compute acquisition rather than starting as a greenfield venture. The company, led by CEO Oliver Schiebel (formerly of Mainova WebHouse), has assembled a leadership team with experience delivering 6.85GW of data centre capacity across EMEA and APAC regions.
While customer details remain confidential, Schiebel confirmed “several other early-stage discussions underway” beyond existing operational capacity, indicating solid market traction for its hyperscale-focused platform.
