Verda raises €100m to build European hyperscaler, plans to hire 100+ people and launch in new markets

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TLDR

  • Helsinki-based Verda (formerly Datacrunch) raised €100m in debt and equity to expand its AI cloud infrastructure across Europe, the US, and Asia.

Key Facts

  • The round was led by Lifeline Ventures with participation from byFounders, Tesi, Varma, and Nordic financial institutions providing debt.
  • Verda operates data centres in Finland and Iceland; it plans new offices in California and Asia and construction expansion into Sweden.
  • Revenue run rate doubled to over $60m in Q1 2026; the company is cash flow positive and has raised ~€170m in total.
  • The €55m raised in September 2024 ran out by January 2026 due to a surge in compute demand.

Why It Matters

  • Verda is one of the few vertically integrated European cloud providers scaling to compete with US hyperscalers on AI infrastructure.
  • CEO Ruben Bryon says remaining a European-headquartered company is a deliberate differentiator, not just a compliance posture.

Mimi Billing, Sifted · 2026-04-24 · Read the original