Bain Capital acquires majority stake in AQ Compute from Aquila Group
Hamburg/ Munich — Bain Capital, one of the world’s leading private multi-asset investment firms, and Aquila Group, a private investment firm and pioneer in sustainable investing, announce a significant partnership in the data center sector. As part of the collaboration, Bain Capital is acquiring an 80% stake in AQ Compute, the data center subsidiary of Aquila Group. This strategic alliance, with a target investment volume of several billion euros, is expected to significantly accelerate AQ Compute’s plans to develop and operate sustainable data centers for hyperscale and AI customers across Europe. Founded in 2020 by Aquila Group, AQ Comp ute offers modular and AI-enabled data center and colocation services powered primarily by green energy. With significant investment, the company launched its first sustainable data center near Oslo in 2024 — with further projects planned in Barcelona, Milan and beyond. Bain Capital is supporting this growth with capital investment and global expertise in the data center industry, including the successful development of Bridge Data Centres in Asia. Together, the partners aim to build a leading European data center platform with the goal of using green energy wherever possible.
Ali Haroon, a partner at Bain Capital, said: “The European data center market has an attractive supply-demand imbalance driven by strong cloud demand, the need for high performance computing and AI deployments, and data sovereignty in the region. Through this partnership with Aquila Group, we bring a differentiated perspective on renewable energy to address the ever-growing power supply challenges in this important part of Europe’s infrastructure.” Rafael Coste Campos, a Managing Director at Bain Capital, said: “We are excited to bring our deep expertise in the European real estate sector and our diverse experience in building businesses with complex infrastructure services, tenant relationships and talent acquisition to this platform. By leveraging our global data center expertise, we are well positioned to meet the needs of this ever-growing and critically important sector and build a market-leading data center operation in Europe.” Roman Rosslenbroich (photo: Aquila), co-founder and CEO of Aquila Group, commented: “Through our partnership with Bain Capital, we are well positioned to expand AQ Compute’s capabilities and cement its role as a key player in Europe’s digital infrastructure. The rapid growth in data demand is both a challenge and an opportunity — more data centers are essential, but they must be sustainable. Aquila will invest several hundred million euros alongside Bain Capital’s larger commitment, with Aquila Capital providing co-investment. Through an actively managed 20% stake, we are helping AQ Compute grow in line with our long-term vision of sustainable infrastructure. At the same time, we are unlocking synergies with Aquila Clean Energy, a leading developer and independent producer in the green energy sector.” Markus Holzer, Chairman of AQ Compute, said: “At AQ Compute, we are uniquely positioned to meet the growing demand for data processing by combining an innovative, AI-enabled infrastructure with a commitment to sustainability. The partnership with Bain Capital accelerates our development pipeline and enables us to set new standards for sustainable data center operations across Europe.” About Bain Capital
Bain Capital is one of the world’s leading private alternative multi-asset investment firms, creating lasting value for our investors, teams, businesses and the communities in which we live. Since our founding in 1984, we have leveraged our knowledge and experience to organically expand into numerous asset classes, including private equity, credit, public equity, venture capital, real estate and other strategic focus areas. The firm has offices on four continents, more than 1,750 employees and approximately $185 billion in assets under management. About Aquila Group
Aquila Group, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, is a private investment firm that manages a diverse portfolio of companies focused on innovative solutions across multiple sectors.
Since 2001, Aquila Group has been at the forefront of identifying emerging trends and fostering innovation, particularly in the areas of renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure, while actively investing in the development of new businesses. As an investor and developer, Aquila Group remains committed to creating long-term value and driving solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future. Aquila Group’s portfolio includes asset management, industrial renewable energy development and independent power production (IPP) across Europe and Asia Pacific, as well as projects in data centers, green logistics and Spanish residential real estate. With a transaction volume of over EUR 25 billion and assets under management of EUR 15 billion, the company has a solid track record. With around 700 employees in 19 offices worldwide, Aquila Group is committed to avoiding 1.5 billion tons of CO2 equivalent over the lifetime of its portfolio by 2035. https://www.aquila-group.com