Google will invest at least €13 billion over the next two years in developing digital infrastructure in Finland . Presented by the American company as its largest investment ever in Europe, this program will notably finance data centers capable of running artificial intelligence models.
The facilities will be developed in the municipalities of Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos, and Vaala. Part of the funding will also be allocated to clean energy projects and local programs supporting biodiversity, education, research, and training. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo believes this investment will stimulate innovation and strengthen the country's position in the European data economy.
More than 37,000 jobs supported during the works
Construction of the new infrastructure is planned for 2027 and 2028. According to Google 's estimates , the investment could contribute an additional €3,6 billion annually to Finland's GDP and support more than 37,000 jobs, including approximately 16,000 in the construction sector. Once the centers are operational, nearly 7,000 direct and indirect jobs could be maintained each year.
Finland benefits from relatively affordable electricity and a cold climate, reducing the cooling needs of servers. Google has already established a presence there since its 2009 acquisition of a former paper mill in Hamina, which was converted into a data center. For Helsinki , facing particularly high unemployment, the rapid expansion of data centers is now a key pillar of its industrial and digital strategy.
