In June 2025, the informal call for expressions of interest from the European Commission closed. The response was overwhelming: 76 submissions from 16 EU member states, spread across more than 60 proposed locations. This exceeded all expectations and demonstrates how great the ambition in Europe is to build its own AI infrastructure.
The respondents collectively anticipate the procurement of at least three million GPUs, with a total indicative investment volume of more than €230 billion. This demonstrates the enormous demand for sovereign AI compute capacity in Europe. The scale of interest confirms that the market is ready for a fundamentally different approach to AI infrastructure — one that is European, federated, and public-private.
The EuroHPC JU FAQs clarify the selection criteria for the gigafactories: the availability of sustainable energy sources, co-financing by participating member states, and the strategic added value for the European AI ecosystem. Consortia that meet these criteria have the best chance of selection.
On 4 December 2025, the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the financing of AI gigafactories. This financing instrument is crucial to bridging the gap between public co-financing and the total investment requirement.
The public consultation that EuroHPC JU held earlier formed the basis for the definitive selection framework. Stakeholders from across the entire value chain — from energy suppliers to AI researchers — contributed to shaping the requirements.
Sovereign AI-Grid distinguishes itself as the only known multi-site, multi-country consortium in the Benelux-Germany configuration. With operational sites in the Netherlands, a contracted grid connection in Belgium (Verviers), and a partner in development in Germany, the consortium offers a unique geographical spread and redundancy.
The AI Factories initiative of the European Commission provides the broader framework within which these gigafactories operate. It connects supercomputing, data, and talent in an integrated strategy for European AI sovereignty.
Learn more about our consortium or become a partner.