we receive e we publish the following Press release spread by CDP.
Il European Investment Fund (EIF, part of the EIB Group) and CDP Equity (Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group) allocate 200 million euros to PIMCO European Data Center Opportunity Fund to support the expansion of European digital infrastructure, with an operation that also includes the use of guarantees offered by the European InvestEU programme.
In particular, the EIF aims to support the data centre sector by proposing itself as a reference investor in the PIMCO Fund with an initial contribution of 150 million euros. CDP Equity is also participating in the initiative and, in line with its mission to promote and support the development of strategic sectors of the economy, has subscribed a pro-quota investment of 50 million. The operation comes at a time when demand for data center shows a stable upward trend also in the wake of legal obligations and progress in the field of artificial intelligence.
In detail, theEuropean Data Center Opportunity Fund is dedicated to the growth and consolidation of new data centers in the fastest growing EU markets, including Milan, Madrid, Berlin, Zurich, Warsaw, Marseille and Athens. The investment is also possible thanks to the support of InvestEU programme, which guarantees 86 million of the total investment of EIF and CDP Equity. The InvestEU Programme aims to mobilise investments in favour of priority policies of the European Union.
The main aim of the Fund will be to step up Europe's efforts in the fields of digitalisation and data sovereignty, by helping to increase the capacity for low-latency data transmission and by making the necessary infrastructure available at local level (or in individual countries/markets concerned) to public administrations, businesses and private citizens throughout Europe.
"The investment demonstrates our commitment to fostering a strong digital ecosystem in Europe.", he has declared Marjut Falkstedt, Sole Administrator of the EIF. “By supporting the development of data centers, we are not only responding to the immediate demand for data center infrastructure, but also laying the foundation for sustainable growth and innovation in the digital economy.”
CDP Equity (CDP Group), together with the EIF, also actively contributes to the objectives of the Fund, confirming the common commitment to strengthen digital infrastructures in Europe and in strategic markets such as the Italian one, in line with what is foreseen by the Strategic Plan 2025-2027 of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti.
"Our investment in the PIMCO European Data Centre Opportunity Fund reflects CDP Equity’s strong commitment to accelerate digital transformation and the consolidation of strategic infrastructures both in Italy and at European level. By supporting the development of data centres, we are helping to lay the foundations for a more competitive, innovative and resilient digital economy, in line with the objectives of the CDP Group’s 2025-2027 Strategic Plan”, said Francesco Mele, Chief Executive Officer of CDP Equity.
The PIMCO European Data Centre Opportunity Fund aims to make a decisive contribution to addressing the supply-demand imbalance that characterises the European data centre market. data centerThe Fund has already made its first three investments in data centers in Madrid, Athens and Milan.
PIMCO’s dedicated team of senior investment experts and data center executives will use their expertise to effectively manage the Fund’s investments to promote cutting-edge energy efficiency practices. The Fund is committed to sustainability and green practices across its portfolio.
General informations
The EIF
Il European Investment Fund (EIF) is part of the European Investment Bank Group. Its main mission is to support Europe's micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by facilitating their access to finance. The EIF develops and develops venture capital, growth capital, guarantee and microfinance instruments specifically aimed at this market segment. Through its role, the EIF contributes to the EU's objectives of sustainability, innovation, research and development, entrepreneurship, growth and employment.
The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term financing, leveraging significant public and private funds to support a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for EU policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments previously available to support investments in the European Union, making the financing of investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is deployed through implementing partners who will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26,2 billion. The full budget guarantee will support the investment projects of the implementing partners, increasing their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilising at least €372 billion of additional investment.
CDP Equity
CDP Equity is the equity investment company of the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti Group, responsible for pursuing its strategy in the field of equity investments. It therefore operates both directly, through investments in Italian companies of strategic national interest capable of generating value in the long term, and indirectly through management companies active in various sectors of the Italian economy.
