The European Commission has officially opened applications for companies and investors to build a new generation of AI data centres across the bloc, marking the next step in its flagship effort to strengthen the continent’s tech infrastructure.
On Thursday, the EU’s executive branch invited companies to bid to build up to seven "AI Gigafactories" across Europe, with the programme backed by €10bn in public funding and an expected €20bn in total investment once private capital is included.
The call gives companies their first opportunity to compete for contracts under one of the EU's most ambitious tech sovereignty initiatives, aimed at reducing Europe's dependence on AI infrastructure from the US and Asia.
Applicants can bid for two types of projects. Four smaller facilities, each equipped with at least 75k AI chips, will be eligible for up to €500m in public funding. Three larger gigafactories, each requiring at least 100k chips, can receive up to €1bn.
The projects are expected to begin construction in early 2027, although they will be rolled out in phases because much of the public funding remains subject to approval in the EU's next long-term budget.
Only €2bn of the promised public funding is currently available. The remainder will need to be agreed as part of the bloc's next multiannual financial framework.
The announcement follows months of uncertainty over how the programme would be financed. When the Commission first unveiled its AI gigafactory plans last year, it said €20bn would be "mobilised" but did not specify how much would come from public funding versus private investment, leaving prospective bidders seeking greater clarity.
While some procurement criteria may favour European companies, the Commission said it had already signed letters of intent with US chipmakers Nvidia, AMD and Qualcomm to ensure successful bidders can access the hardware needed to build the facilities.
