Kajaani has become one of Europe’s key data center locations. The region’s infrastructure, green energy, strong expertise, and secure environment have made Kajaani an attractive destination for international operators. One of them, XTX Markets, the leading algorithmic trading firm, is constructing a large-scale data centre in Kajaani to future-proof its significant computational capabilities. Now, the Kajaani Data Center Ecosystem is taking the next step with a brand renewal, aimed at strengthening city’s position as the Arctic capital of the data center industry, and supporting the ecosystem’s continued growth.
LUMI was the first large-scale European supercomputer investment in Kajaani, paving the way for further data center development in the region.
“CSC’s active presence in Kajaani will continue with the European Union’s LUMI AI Factory project. This initiative is part of the EU’s network of AI Factories, and its new AI-optimized supercomputer will be placed in CSC’s data center at Renforsin Ranta,” explains Eeva Sokka, Data Center Ecosystem Manager at CSC.
“The significant international growth in the data center sector, driven by the LUMI supercomputer, has demonstrated that Kajaani is an optimal location for sustainable and efficient data center operations. ,” states Risto Hämäläinen, Director of Development at the City of Kajaani.
“We want to further strengthen the ecosystem’s role in fostering business development and new opportunities around data center operations. The Kainuu data center pilot, part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment’s Data economy growth program, supports this goal excellently,” Hämäläinen continues.
The data center industry is more than just data centers
The Kajaani Data Center Ecosystem is not limited to data center operators; it is a diverse and integrated network that includes education and research institutions, a platform for software development and AI companies, businesses utilizing waste heat from data centers, hardware and infrastructure providers, as well as experts in data center design and construction.
Niina Ahtonen, Director of the CEMIS (Centre for Measurement and Information Systems), emphasizes that the Kajaani ecosystem is more than the sum of its parts—it is a community that strengthens business operations tied to data centers and enables safe and efficient investments in the industry.
“Kajaani has ready-built infrastructure, a skilled workforce, and a strong collaboration network that supports both large and small players in the value chain,” Ahtonen says.
Waste heat utilization as part of responsible operations
As part of the ecosystem’s sustainability goals, Kajaani is actively developing solutions for utilizing waste heat from data centers. This is a key aspect of the ecosystem’s sustainable growth, and new implementation opportunities are being explored through research, development and innovation projects.
“Kajaani is actively researching new ways to utilize data center waste heat. CSC’s data center already contributes to district heating, and new pilot projects are currently being planned,” says Silja Keränen, Project Manager of the Utilizing Data Center Waste Heat project at Kajaani University of Applied Sciences.
New brand to support ecosystem growth
The brand development has been carried out in collaboration with key players in the Kajaani Data Center Ecosystem, with values centered around community, responsibility, reliability, and progressiveness.
“In the initial phase, the ecosystem will adopt a shared Kajaani Data Center Ecosystem logo, and during the spring, we will launch a new website that brings together key information and serves multiple target groups, including businesses, investors, and industry experts,” explains Milja Korhonen, Communications and Marketing Manager of the City of Kajaani.
“With a shared brand, the ecosystem will gain greater visibility in industry events, further enhancing Kajaani’s recognition in the global data center network,” Korhonen adds.
The brand development project was carried out in collaboration with the Oulu-based advertising agency Design Inspis.
Further Information:
Risto Hämäläinen, Director of Development, City of Kajaani, Tel: +358 44 710 0217
Milja Korhonen, Head of Communications and Marketing, City of Kajaani, +358 40 624 2251
Eeva Sokka, Data Center Ecosystem Manager, CSC-IT Center for Science Ltd, Tel: +358 44 770 0524
Niina Ahtonen, Director, CEMIS Research and Training Center, Tel: +358 40 094 7118
Silja Keränen, Project Manager, Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, Tel: +358 44 7100 288