Start Campus
Start Campus is a privately held Portuguese hyperscale data center developer building the 1.2 GW SINES Data Campus in Portugal, purpose-built for AI, cloud, and HPC workloads with proprietary seawater cooling and 100% renewable energy. It serves hyperscale operators and AI companies, anchored by Microsoft and Nscale.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersLisboa, Portugal
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Start Campus does
Start Campus S.A. is a privately held hyperscale data center developer headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, building the SINES Data Campus on Portugal's Atlantic coast — Europe's largest colocation site with 1.2 GW of secured IT grid capacity planned across six buildings (SIN01–SIN06). The campus is purpose-built for AI, cloud, and HPC workloads, leveraging an innovative seawater cooling system that repurposes infrastructure from a decommissioned power plant to achieve a target PUE of 1.1 and WUE of 0, with operations powered by 100% renewable energy in partnership with EDP. SIN01 (37.5 MW) was inaugurated in April 2025 as the first operational facility, and SIN02 (200 MW) is in build with Nscale-funded infrastructure supporting deployment of 66,000+ NVIDIA Rubin GPUs for Microsoft from late 2027.
The company sells wholesale colocation and interconnection services directly to hyperscale operators, cloud providers, and AI companies, offering powered shell, white space, turnkey, and build-to-suit configurations under bespoke multi-year enterprise contracts. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting strategic accounts such as Microsoft (anchor tenant with $10B commitment) and Nscale (GPU infrastructure partner), supported by participation in major industry events (Web Summit, PTC, DCD Awards, Datacloud) and a thought leadership content program. Pricing is customized and quote-based given the large-scale, bespoke nature of contracts; no public pricing list is disclosed.
The business is backed by two institutional investors — Davidson Kempner Capital Management and Pioneer Point Partners — with approximately $9.96bn (€8.5bn) committed to the SINES project, and has assembled a technology and supply partner ecosystem spanning Siemens Energy, Schneider Electric, JetCool, Nautilus Data Technologies, DE-CIX, Jacobs, and EDP. Start Campus operates with 51–100 employees, has secured LEED Gold, OCP Ready v2, ISO/IEC 27001, and SOC 2 Type II certifications, and targets Net Zero by 2030.
Start Campus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Start Campus
- Legal name
- Start Campus S.A.
- Website
- https://startcampus.pt
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Start Campus is a privately held Portuguese hyperscale data center developer building the 1.2 GW SINES Data Campus in Portugal, purpose-built for AI, cloud, and HPC workloads with proprietary seawater cooling and 100% renewable energy. It serves hyperscale operators and AI companies, anchored by Microsoft and Nscale.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Start Campus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hyperscale Data Center Colocation
- NAICS
- Computer Facilities Management Services (541513)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- HPC / AI-Optimized Data Center Facilities (HDABACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hyperscale Data Center Campuses (Build-to-Suit) (HDABACAC), Data Center Operations & Managed Services (Remote Hands, NOC/SOC) (HDABANAA)
Keywords
Where Start Campus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lisboa
- HQ country
- Portugal
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Start Campus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Colocation Services: Colocation services with flexible deployment options including Powered Shell, White Space, Turnkey, and Build-to-Suit solutions. Revenue generated from hosting customer IT infrastructure in hyperscale data center facilities.
- Interconnection Services: Carrier-neutral interconnection services including DE-CIX internet exchange presence, multiple carrier options, and direct subsea cable connectivity to Americas and Africa.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Custom enterprise contracts with flexible configurations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Start Campus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Start Campus develops and operates the SINES Data Campus, a 1.2 GW hyperscale data center campus in Sines, Portugal, purpose-built for AI, cloud, and HPC workloads. It provides colocation services in flexible configurations (Powered Shell, White Space, Turnkey, and Build-to-Suit) along with carrier-neutral interconnection services. The campus features a proprietary seawater cooling system targeting WUE of 0 and PUE of 1.1, and is powered by 100% renewable energy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GAMMA: Community platform initiative investing in local communities in Sines and neighboring Santiago do Cacem, supporting projects in educational development, environment, community, and entrepreneurship.
- SIN01
- SIN02
Products and services
- SIN01 Data Center Facility First operational hyperscale data center building at the SINES Data Campus in Sines, Portugal, offering 37.5 MW of IT capacity with seawater cooling, 100% renewable energy, OCP Ready v2 and LEED Gold certifications for hyperscale AI, cloud, and HPC tenants including Microsoft and Nscale.
- SIN02 Data Center Facility (Planned) Second planned hyperscale data center building at the SINES Data Campus, with 200 MW capacity funded in part by Nscale's €465 million commitment. Designed for high-density AI workloads and integrated with the same seawater cooling and renewable energy systems as SIN01.
- SINES Data Campus Colocation Services Hyperscale colocation services at the SINES Data Campus offering flexible deployment options including Powered Shell, White Space, Turnkey, and Build-to-Suit solutions, marketed to hyperscale operators, cloud providers, AI companies, and large enterprises under multi-year custom contracts.
- Carrier-Neutral Interconnection Services Carrier-neutral interconnection services at the SINES Data Campus providing DE-CIX internet exchange presence, multiple carrier options, and direct subsea cable connectivity to the Americas, Africa, and Europe on a recurring subscription basis.
Quantifiable outcome
- PUE of 1.1 and WUE of 0
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Start Campus
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Start Campus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature5 records
Start Campus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- NscaleflagshipExpanded partnership to deploy 66,000+ NVIDIA Rubin GPUs at SINES Data Campus for Microsoft starting late 2027. €695 million total commitment including €230M shared infrastructure investment and €465M for second 200MW building. Builds on existing deployment of 12,600 NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs at SIN01 for Microsoft. One of the largest AI infrastructure projects in EU history.
- EDPcoreStrategic partnership making EDP Start Campus's preferred long-term green energy solutions partner. Agreement designed to accelerate renewable-powered data center development in Portugal, directly driving new renewable generation assets aligned with hyperscale data demand. Partnership explores similar developments across Portugal and potentially other international markets.
- Siemens EnergycoreLandmark order for transformers from Siemens Energy to power SIN02-06 buildings. High-demand, long-lead-time equipment representing key milestone in delivering 1.2 GW SINES DC campus. Siemens Energy has invested $1 billion in U.S. manufacturing capacity for transformers and grid equipment.
- Nautilus Data TechnologiescoreNautilus supplies EcoCore modular liquid cooling product line to Start Campus site in Sines. Cooling solutions positioned to address growing demand from AI and high-performance computing workloads. Company pivoted from developing own data centers to providing infrastructure for other developers.
- JetCoolcoreStrategic partnership to deploy JetCool's advanced microconvective cooling technology at Start Campus' 1.2 GW SINES DC facility. Collaboration combines liquid cooling solutions including 300kW in-rack coolant distribution units with existing sea water cooling infrastructure to maximize efficiency for AI GPUs and high-density computing.
- DE-CIXcoreDE-CIX, world's leading Internet Exchange operator, established Point of Presence (PoP) at SINES DC. Offers interconnection and cloud services at the carrier-neutral facility, marking significant expansion of DE-CIX's European footprint.
- Hidromod (ABL Group)minorProvided specialist marine modelling and technical advisory services to validate seawater cooling system for the gigawatt-scale data centre. Multi-year programme combined oceanographic analysis, three-dimensional hydrodynamic modelling, and environmental assessments.
- JacobscoreEngineering and construction partner for the SIN01 data center. Delivering Europe's largest and most sustainable data center through design and construction services.
- Schneider ElectriccoreAward recipient for data center infrastructure solutions at SIN01. Partnership recognized in Datacloud Awards 2026.
- NOVA IMSminorCollaboration to develop specialized talent in Portugal in areas directly linked to operation of data centers, energy systems, and critical AI infrastructure.
- Porto Business SchoolminorPartnership in START Rise AI Challenge, a national initiative to identify and support Portuguese AI startups, with prizes including space at Start Campus facilities.
- TERRANOVAminorCompanies like Start Campus and TERRANOVA are developing hyperscale data centers with partners to meet AI infrastructure demands.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Start Campus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vantage Data Centers: Hyperscale data center provider with campuses in EMEA (including Cardiff and growing EU sites) targeting AI and cloud tenants with sustainability-focused builds. Closely mirrors Start Campus in scale, sustainability branding, and focus on gigawatt-class campus development.
- Stack Infrastructure: Hyperscale-focused data center developer with campuses in the Americas and EMEA, owned by IPI Partners. Comparable in building bespoke, multi-hundred-MW campuses for AI and cloud hyperscalers using renewable power and liquid cooling.
- Equinix: World's largest carrier-neutral colocation and interconnection operator (IBX data centers) with strong EMEA footprint. Comparable in interconnection-led model, hyperscaler customer base, and premium positioning; competes with Start Campus for similar European AI and cloud workloads.
- CyrusOne: Hyperscale data center operator (KKR/GIP-owned) with significant European footprint serving AI, cloud, and enterprise customers. Comparable in building large-scale, GPU-ready facilities with sustainability metrics targeting similar hyperscale tenants.
- Digital Realty: Global hyperscale colocation operator with PlatformDIGITAL across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Most directly comparable to Start Campus in targeting hyperscale and AI tenants with multi-MW builds; Start Campus CEO Robert Dunn is a former Digital Realty executive.
Others
- Aqua Comms: Transatlantic subsea cable operator (owner of AEC-1, AEC-2, CeltixConnect) connecting Europe to North America. Directly comparable as part of the Sines subsea ecosystem and represents the type of connectivity partner enabling Start Campus's transatlantic AI gateway positioning.
Broad incumbents
- QTS Data Centers (Blackstone): Hyperscale mega-campus operator owned by Blackstone, with massive AI-ready builds in the US and Europe. Comparable as a Blackstone-backed hyperscale platform competing for similar AI/cloud anchor tenants with large pre-leased campuses.
- NTT Global Data Centers: One of the world's largest data center operators with broad EMEA presence and a full portfolio from hyperscale to enterprise. Comparable as an established incumbent serving the same hyperscaler and enterprise customers, though not exclusively focused on gigawatt-scale AI campuses like Start Campus.
- Telehouse (KDDI): KDDI-owned global colocation and interconnection operator with European campuses in London, Paris, and Frankfurt. Comparable in carrier-neutral interconnection and EMEA hyperscaler servicing, though primarily serving mature FLAP-D markets rather than Iberian greenfield campuses.
Emerging players
- EdgeConneX: Specialized data center provider focusing on hyperscale and edge campuses across Europe and globally. Comparable as a smaller but focused player targeting AI and cloud customers with custom campuses, though typically smaller in scale than Start Campus's 1.2 GW build.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Start Campus social profiles
Digital presenceStart Campus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Start Campus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Start Campus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Start Campus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Start Campus
What does Start Campus do?
Start Campus develops and operates the SINES Data Campus, a 1.2 GW hyperscale data center campus in Sines, Portugal, purpose-built for AI, cloud, and HPC workloads. It provides colocation services in flexible configurations (Powered Shell, White Space, Turnkey, and Build-to-Suit) along with carrier-neutral interconnection services. The campus features a proprietary seawater cooling system targeting WUE of 0 and PUE of 1.1, and is powered by 100% renewable energy.
Is Start Campus a public or private company?
Start Campus is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Start Campus founded?
Start Campus was founded in 2022. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Start Campus based?
Start Campus is headquartered in Lisboa, Portugal, in the Europe region.
How does Start Campus make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Colocation Services are the primary driver. The others are interconnection Services.
Who are Start Campus's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vantage Data Centers, Stack Infrastructure, Equinix, CyrusOne and Digital Realty. Aqua Comms is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are QTS Data Centers (Blackstone), NTT Global Data Centers and Telehouse (KDDI). EdgeConneX is listed as an emerging player.
Does Start Campus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Start Campus.
What industry is Start Campus in?
Start Campus's product category is Hyperscale Data Center Colocation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDABACAJ, HPC / AI-Optimized Data Center Facilities, with a secondary code of HDABACAC, Hyperscale Data Center Campuses (Build-to-Suit). Its NAICS code is 541513 and its SIC code is 7373.