Center 3
center3, a stc Group subsidiary founded in 2020 in Riyadh, operates Saudi Arabia's largest integrated carrier-neutral data center, subsea cable (8,000 km), and Internet Exchange platform serving hyperscalers, cloud providers, gaming/content firms, and global carriers across MENA and Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersRiyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Center 3 does
center3 is a Riyadh-headquartered, stc Group-owned digital infrastructure operator founded in 2020 (originally as project 'MENAHub') to position Saudi Arabia as the regional data hub connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa under Saudi Vision 2030. The company operates an integrated platform combining 23+ carrier-neutral data centers across Saudi Arabia (with presence in Bahrain), three Internet Exchanges in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam, and 8,000 km of owned subsea cable infrastructure with access to four global cable landing stations. Its product portfolio spans three pillars: (1) Data Center Services (colocation, white space, built-to-suit, flexible space, hands-and-eyes support, add-on services); (2) Connectivity Services (IP transit, terrestrial capacity, subsea capacity, MPLS internet access, direct internet access, landing station interconnect, and cloud connect); and (3) Internet Exchange services for peering-based traffic exchange. center3 also owns the customer self-service portal 'access3'.
The company targets four primary enterprise verticals — hyperscalers, gaming and content providers, cloud providers, and global international carriers — through a B2B direct enterprise sales motion supplemented by strategic technology partnerships (Huawei Cloud Zone, Sahara Net colocation, Zoom node deployment, TLS) and inorganic expansion. Revenue mechanics rely on recurring colocation contracts, subscription-based connectivity and IP transit services, and managed services, with no public pricing disclosed. Recent strategic activity includes the June 2024 completion of the CMC Networks acquisition (extending reach to 88 countries across Africa and the Middle East), an August 2025 announcement of 1 GW data center expansion plans, and a December 2025 joint venture with PIF-owned HUMAIN to deliver 250 MW initial AI data center capacity. The firm holds Uptime Tier III and Tier IV certifications across Design, Facility, Gold Operation, and Management & Operations, alongside ISO 9001, PCI DSS, SOC 1/2/3, CEEDA, and ISO 14644-1, and was recognized in IDC MarketScape Gulf Countries Colocation Services 2025 Leaders Category and won Best Data Centre in Middle East & Africa.
Center 3 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Center 3
- Legal name
- center3
- Website
- https://center3.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- center3, a stc Group subsidiary founded in 2020 in Riyadh, operates Saudi Arabia's largest integrated carrier-neutral data center, subsea cable (8,000 km), and Internet Exchange platform serving hyperscalers, cloud providers, gaming/content firms, and global carriers across MENA and Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Center 3 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Colocation and Data Center Services
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Computer Facilities Management Services (541513), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (51821), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- SIC
- Computer Communications Equipment (3576), Services-Computer Rental & Leasing (7377), Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interconnection-Focused Colocation (IX / Meet-Me-Room Ecosystems) (HDABACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Retail Colocation (Multi-Tenant Data Centers) (HDABACAA), Data Center Interconnection (DCI) & Cross-Connects (HDABALAB), Carrier Hotels & Network-Dense Colocation (HDABACAE), Carrier Interconnection & Peering Exchanges (IXPs, private interconnect, cross-connect) (HDAIAEAG), Edge Colocation & Distributed Data Center Services (HDABAOAB)
Keywords
Where Center 3 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Riyadh
- HQ country
- Saudi Arabia
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Center 3 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Data Center Services: Colocation, white space, built-to-suit, flexible space, hands and eyes support, and add-on services for enterprise customers requiring physical infrastructure.
- Connectivity Services: IP transit, terrestrial capacity, subsea capacity, MPLS internet access, direct internet access, landing station interconnect, and cloud connect services for carriers and enterprises requiring data communication solutions.
- Internet Exchange Services: Facilitation of internet traffic exchange between networks through peering agreements, enabling local traffic routing and reduced latency.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Center 3 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Center 3 operates an all-in-one digital infrastructure platform combining carrier-neutral data centers, submarine cable systems and landing stations, and Internet Exchange services across Saudi Arabia and the MENA region. The company delivers colocation, built-to-suit, white space, IP transit, terrestrial and subsea capacity, cloud connect, and peering services to hyperscalers, cloud providers, gaming and content platforms, and global carriers.
Product overview
Center3 is a digital infrastructure hub offering an integrated platform of data center, connectivity, and internet exchange services. The core product portfolio includes: (1) Data Center Services with sub-products for white space, built-to-suit, colocation, flexible space, hands and eyes, and add-on services; (2) Connectivity Services encompassing IP transit, terrestrial capacity, landing station interconnect, MPLS internet access, direct internet access, subsea capacity (8000 km of submarine cables), and cloud connect services; and (3) Internet Exchange services available in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam. The unified platform serves hyperscalers, gaming and content providers, cloud providers, and global international carriers with carrier-neutral infrastructure across Saudi Arabia and expanding into MENA and Africa through the CMC Networks acquisition.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- access3: Customer portal for accessing center3 services
Products and services
- Data Center Services Secure, scalable data center infrastructure offering customizable space layouts, robust power and cooling, comprehensive connectivity options, and enhanced security for enterprise customers across Saudi Arabia and the MENA region.
- Connectivity Services Carrier data communication solutions including IP transit, terrestrial capacity, subsea capacity, MPLS internet access, direct internet access, landing station interconnect, and cloud connect services for carriers and enterprises.
- Internet Exchange (IX) Physical platform where ISPs, CDNs, and large-scale web companies exchange internet traffic through mutual peering agreements, reducing latency and transit costs in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam.
- Subsea Cable and Landing Station Services Submarine cable capacity and landing station services providing undersea connectivity from Saudi Arabia to global networks, spanning 8,000 km of cable and four global cable landing stations.
- AI Data Center Infrastructure (HUMAIN JV) AI-grade data center infrastructure delivered via the HUMAIN joint venture, with initial capacity of 250 MW and a roadmap to 1 GW to support large language models and mission-critical AI applications for hyperscale and enterprise customers.
Companies that use Center 3
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Center 3 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Center 3 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core/flagship, minor and major.
- HUMAINcore/flagshipcenter3 (as stc subsidiary) and HUMAIN (Saudi Public Investment Fund company) announced a strategic joint venture to develop and operate AI data centers in Saudi Arabia with an initial capacity of 250 MW, aiming to support up to 1 GW of AI workloads. The partnership combines data center expertise with full-stack AI capabilities to enable large language models and mission-critical AI applications.
- Sahara Netcore/flagshipcenter3 and Sahara Net formed a strategic colocation partnership to advance Saudi Arabia's digital ecosystem. The partnership combines center3's data center infrastructure with Sahara Net's network capabilities.
- TLSminorcenter3 formed a strategic partnership with TLS to enhance digital infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
- CMC Networkscore/flagshipcenter3 completed the acquisition of CMC Networks, including all of CMC Networks Mauritius and 49% of CMC Networks South Africa. This expansion enhances center3's market presence in Africa and the Middle East, where CMC Networks operates its extensive data communication network across 88 countries.
- Huaweimajorcenter3 signed a strategic partnership with Huawei to launch Huawei Cloud Zone in Saudi Arabia, providing cloud services infrastructure within center3's data center facilities.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Center 3 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Digital Realty: Global hyperscale and interconnection-focused data center operator with significant MENA presence. Comparable to center3 as a multi-tenant colocation and connectivity provider serving hyperscalers, cloud providers, and carriers across multiple regions.
- Iron Mountain Data Centers: Global data center operator offering colocation, interconnection, and managed services to enterprise and hyperscale customers. Comparable as a multi-region colocation and interconnection provider pursuing similar customer segments to center3.
- Equinix: Global leader in carrier-neutral colocation and interconnection, operating the largest IBX ecosystem worldwide. Equinix is a broad incumbent that competes with center3 in interconnection-dense markets and represents the global standard center3 is emulating with its KSA-based IXs and colocation footprint.
Direct peers
- Khazna Data Centers: UAE-based carrier-neutral colocation provider serving hyperscalers, enterprises, and government clients in the Gulf. Directly comparable to center3 as a regional Gulf colocation specialist with similar customer segments and a focus on tier-certified, carrier-neutral infrastructure.
- NEXTDC: Australia's largest carrier-neutral data center operator serving hyperscalers, cloud, and enterprise customers with Tier III/IV facilities. Comparable to center3 as a regional carrier-neutral colocation leader pursuing tier-certified, interconnection-dense facilities for hyperscaler and enterprise workloads.
- ST Telemedia Global Data Centres: Asia-headquartered carrier-neutral data center operator with colocation facilities across Southeast Asia, India, and the Middle East. Comparable to center3 as a regional, carrier-neutral colocation platform backed by a major telecom group serving hyperscalers and enterprises.
- MainOne (Equinix): West African data center and subsea cable operator (acquired by Equinix) that owns and operates the MainOne submarine cable and landing station in Nigeria. Comparable to center3 in owning both subsea cable infrastructure and carrier-neutral data centers in a regional hub position.
- Sahara Net (Integrated Dawiyat): Saudi Arabia-based colocation, connectivity, and managed services provider with whom center3 has a formal strategic colocation partnership. Directly comparable as a domestic KSA-based carrier-neutral colocation and connectivity competitor/partner.
- Gulf Data Hub: UAE-based wholesale and retail colocation provider serving enterprise, cloud, and carrier customers in the Middle East. Directly comparable to center3 as a regional Gulf-focused data center operator competing for the same hyperscaler and enterprise workloads.
- Raxio Group: Pan-African carrier-neutral data center operator with facilities across multiple African countries. Closely comparable to center3 following its CMC Networks acquisition, as both are regional colocation platforms expanding digital infrastructure across the Africa-Middle East corridor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Center 3 social profiles
Digital presenceCenter 3 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance14 records
Center 3 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Center 3 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Center 3 subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Center 3 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Center 3 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Center 3
What does Center 3 do?
Center 3 operates an all-in-one digital infrastructure platform combining carrier-neutral data centers, submarine cable systems and landing stations, and Internet Exchange services across Saudi Arabia and the MENA region. The company delivers colocation, built-to-suit, white space, IP transit, terrestrial and subsea capacity, cloud connect, and peering services to hyperscalers, cloud providers, gaming and content platforms, and global carriers.
Is Center 3 a public or private company?
Center 3 is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Center 3 founded?
Center 3 was founded in 2020. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Center 3 based?
Center 3 is headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East region.
How does Center 3 make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Data Center Services are the primary driver. The others are connectivity Services and internet Exchange Services.
Who are Center 3's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Digital Realty, Iron Mountain Data Centers and Equinix. Direct peers are Khazna Data Centers, NEXTDC, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, MainOne (Equinix), Sahara Net (Integrated Dawiyat), Gulf Data Hub and Raxio Group.
Does Center 3 have an API?
No public API is recorded for Center 3.
What industry is Center 3 in?
Center 3's product category is Colocation and Data Center Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDABACAF, Interconnection-Focused Colocation (IX / Meet-Me-Room Ecosystems), with a secondary code of HDABACAA, Retail Colocation (Multi-Tenant Data Centers). Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 3576.