In the heart of Bavaria, in the less than 40,000-strong city of Amberg, a new vision of European technological independence is beginning to crystallise. German start-up Polarise has announced plans to build a data center dedicated to artificial intelligence, with a capacity of 30 megawatts in its first phase. While this figure may seem modest compared to the campuses of Google or AWS, the strategic importance of the investment goes far beyond dry technical parameters.
Scheduled to be operational by mid-2027, the project hits a sensitive point in the European economy: the dramatic shortage of sovereign computing infrastructure. According to Bitkom Group, at the end of last year, the total capacity of AI data centres in Germany was around 530 MW. The problem is that the lion’s share of these resources is in the hands of players from outside the continent. In an era of rising geopolitical tensions, uncertainty over tariffs and divergent regulations on content moderation, relying solely on US clouds is becoming a strategic risk for European business.
Polarise, which currently operates thirteen facilities, plans to eventually expand its Amberg centre to as much as 120MW. This is a scale that would allow it to enter a league hitherto occupied almost exclusively by global hyperscalers. However, these ambitions require a huge amount of capital. The company suggests that the costs of the first phase will close in the “triple-digit million euro range”. Significantly, Marc Gazivoda, Polarise’s marketing director, stresses that the project is developing without the support of state subsidies, relying on commercial demand from customers who either rent power or install their own equipment in the facility.
Local players are beginning to see an opportunity in niches that previously seemed unconquerable. Building an in-house AI facility is not only a matter of prestige, but above all of data security and the stability of the digital service supply chain. If Polarise proves the project on schedule, Amberg could become a key point on the map of European Industry 4.0, offering an alternative for companies for whom geographical and jurisdictional proximity of servers is critical. The success of this investment will show whether Europe can realistically fight for control of the foundations of its own digital future, or whether it will remain merely an ambitious consumer of other people’s technology.
