The Netherlands has officially entered the race to host one of five AI Gigafactories, as reported by IO+. This comes under the EU’s InvestAI program, which aims to unlock up to €200 billion in AI infrastructure investment across Europe. Investment company DGFO and Eneco have jointly submitted a proposal to the European Commission.
The AI Gigafactories, originally proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, aim to reduce Europe’s digital reliance on the U.S. and China. Their purpose is to build a robust, sovereign computing network to power AI applications across sectors such as healthcare, science, education, defense, and the broader economy.
According to IO+, initiator Han de Groot emphasized- “Just as trains cannot run without rails, AI cannot exist without robust AI computing infrastructure. The Netherlands has everything it needs to win this European tender: a strong digital infrastructure, direct access to renewable energy, a high-quality knowledge infrastructure, and a strong technology ecosystem.”
The Dutch proposal is backed by a broad coalition of top Dutch companies, research institutions, and public organizations. High-profile figures, including former ASML CEO Peter Wennink, have also voiced their support.
Meanwhile, several other countries, among them Germany, France, Austria, Spain, the Czech Republic, Italy, and Sweden have submitted or expressed interest in hosting an AI Gigafactory as part of the EU initiative.
