Groq has made its European debut by launching its first data center in Helsinki, Finland, in collaboration with Equinix. This new facility aims to accommodate the increasing demand for AI inference capacity in the region. By bringing computing power closer to European customers, Groq intends to offer ultra-low-latency AI services while maintaining sovereign and private infrastructure through Equinix Fabric.
The choice of Helsinki stands out due to Finland’s sustainable energy practices and advanced data infrastructure. These factors provide ideal conditions for efficient, low-cost AI inference, catering specifically to AI-native firms and enterprises. Groq’s Helsinki site complements their existing data centers in the United States, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. Together, they deliver over 20 million tokens per second worldwide, offering a global reach with localized data governance.
Jonathan Ross, CEO of Groq, highlighted the center’s role in meeting the growing demand for AI inference. “As demand for AI inference continues at an ever-increasing pace, we know that those building fast need more – more capacity, more efficiency and with a cost that scales. With our new European data center, customers get the lowest latency possible and infrastructure ready today. We’re unlocking developer ambition now, not months from now,” said Ross.
The Helsinki facility serves as Groq’s latest endeavor in collaboration with Equinix. Utilizing Equinix Fabric, customers can access Groq’s services through a variety of configurations—private, public, or sovereign—based on enterprise and regulatory needs. Regina Donato Dahlström, managing director for the Nordics at Equinix, lauded the partnership, expressing confidence in the efficiency and scale offered by combining Groq’s and Equinix’s resources.
The data center is designed to support real-time AI inference applications such as natural language processing. Using Groq’s proprietary Language Processing Unit (LPU) system offers a cost-effective, high-speed alternative to traditional GPU-based technologies. The Nordic countries, known for their plentiful renewable energy resources and political stability, continue to attract global tech firms seeking sustainable infrastructure solutions.
According to reports, Groq is also seeking between $300 million and $500 million from investors to support its operations, following a $1.5 billion deal with Saudi Arabia. This funding is expected to bolster the rollout of Groq’s advanced AI chips there and help achieve a revenue target of around $500 million by 2025.
