EQT announced on Jan. 5 that their Infrastructure VI fund ("EQT Infrastructure") has partnered with EdgeConneX to expand into new markets by building and operating high-powered and purpose-built data centers for hyperscale customers around the world.
EQT acquired EdgeConneX, a data center provider backed by funds EQT Infrastructure IV and EQT Infrastructure V, in 2020. EdgeConneX has since more than tripled its capacity, expanding into new Asian, Latin American, and European markets, and the company currently has 80 data centers in operation or development in more than 50 markets across North America, Europe, APAC and South America
EQT Infrastructure noted in a press release that key trends, including digitalization, cloud adoption, and AI, have supported the continued growth of the data center industry, and it is estimated that the capacity needed to serve AI-focused deployments will triple by 2030.
In the same press release, Jan Vesely, partner within EQT Infrastructure's Advisory team, said, "With the support of EQT Infrastructure's global presence, industry expertise, and dedication to sustainable growth, EdgeConneX together with this new initiative is well-positioned to be a leading provider of critical digital infrastructure worldwide. EdgeConneX is a pioneering data center solutions provider, and its team has the proven track record and deep experience necessary to help lead this expansion and meet hyperscale customers' needs around the world."
EdgeConneX CEO Randy Brouckman said in the press release, "We have always taken a customer-centric approach, focused on giving our customers the capacity they need, in the right configuration, in the right markets, at the right time. Amid the rapid proliferation of data and computing, data centers are the critical infrastructure housing and connecting the technologies, the companies, and the end-users, thus enabling the future growth of the world's digital economies. With the support of EQT's deep local presence in critical markets around the world, EdgeConneX has expanded rapidly, and we're excited about the opportunities this new partnership with EQT will unlock."
EQT also reports that, with this transaction, EQT Infrastructure VI is expected to be 30-35% invested based on target fund size.
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