Nvidia linked GPU buyers with Nordic data centre operators

Nvidia has been introducing companies seeking access to its graphics processing units (GPUs) to data centre operators in the Nordics, according to CNBC reporting cited by Mobile World Live.

TL;DR

• CNBC reported Nvidia connected GPU customers with data centre operators in the Nordics.
• Nvidia CFO Colette Kress said in June the company had engaged in matchmaking around land, power, shell infrastructure and compute deployment.
• Nordic AI infrastructure projects cited include Pure DC in Finland, Arcem, Nebius in Finland, and Nscale capacity in Norway used by Microsoft.

Two sources familiar with the matter told CNBC that Nvidia offered to introduce Nordic data centre operators to companies with GPUs looking for capacity. One source said Nvidia approached a data centre company to identify potential offtakers, meaning customers that commit to buying or leasing computing capacity, and often did not disclose the identities of the companies it represented.

Comments from Nvidia CFO Colette Kress at Bank of America’s Global Technology Conference in June aligned with that reporting. Kress said Nvidia had “certainly engaged” in matchmaking to help companies secure land, power, shell infrastructure and deploy compute capacity as quickly as possible. A second source told CNBC Nvidia had also brokered introductions between AI infrastructure builders and GPU holders in the US and Asia.

The Nordics are attracting AI data centre investment because of available power, land and cooler climate conditions. Pure DC said in July it would invest €1.5 billion in a 110MW campus in Finland with scope to scale beyond 550MW, while Arcem has proposed a site with up to 500MW of capacity. Nebius announced plans in March for an AI factory in Finland, Microsoft said in April it would take additional capacity at an Nscale site in Norway, and Norwegian grid operator Statnett said 2.3GW of data centre capacity is queued for future grid connections. A Savills report ranked Oslo, Stockholm and Helsinki among the top six global locations for future data centre development.

Related questions

• What did CNBC report about Nvidia's role in Nordic data centre deals?
• What AI data centre projects were cited in Finland and Norway?
• How much data centre capacity is queued for grid connection in Norway?