Microsoft has opened its first cloud region of data centers in Spain.
The data centers are all located in the Community of Madrid, from which Microsoft will provide artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud services to companies and public entities.
The new cloud region, called Spain Central, is part of Microsoft's commitment to invest $2.1 billion in Spain between 2024 and 2025.
The data centers were constructed by Ferrovial.
It is hoped that the increase in AI and cloud computing for Spanish organizations could add $10.7bn to the national GDP and contribute around 77,000 jobs between 2024 and 2030, according to IDC.
Spain Central will offer productivity services, data analytics, cybersecurity, computing and storage (Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform), and generative AI.
Alberto Granados, president of Microsoft Spain, said: "We are committed to Spain, through investments, the promotion of alliances, and the creation of programs that guarantee broad access to the cloud, as well as AI services that allow organizations and for people to develop and use technology in ways that serve the public good.
"We do this through a data center infrastructure that provides the most innovative cloud and Artificial Intelligence services, offering the highest levels of reliability, security, privacy, and data residency."
José Luis Escrivá, Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Service of the Government of Spain, added: “Microsoft's new data center region will provide cutting-edge, sustainable and secure AI solutions for Spain and the rest of Europe.
"It is a great satisfaction that Microsoft is once again betting on Spain for the deployment of state-of-the-art infrastructure and services, thus contributing to the positioning of our country at the forefront of digital transformation."
Clients already confirmed for the new region include Abanca, Aciturri, Banc Sabadell, Banco Santander, Bankinter, BBVA, and CaixaBank, among many others.
Microsoft partners Accenture, Capgemini, DXC Technology, Fujitsu, Minsait, KPMG, Kyndryl, NTT Data, SEIDOR, and Telefónica Tech recently joined the Microsoft cloud region Strategic Partner Program in order to help with the digital transformation of Spanish organizations and support them in the migration of their workloads to the new Spain Central data center region.
Plans for the Madrid region were first announced in 2020 in partnership with Telefónica.
In October 2023, Microsoft shared that it was planning an additional cloud region in Spain located in Aragon.
Google became the first hyperscaler to launch a Spanish region in May 2022 with a region in Madrid.
Amazon launched an AWS cloud region in Aragon in November 2022; reportedly also around Zaragoza in the Huesca Logistics Platform, in Villanueva de Gállego, and in El Burgo de Ebro.
Oracle opened a Madrid region in September with plans for a second in the works.
Both Google and Oracle’s regions were also developed in partnership with Telefonica.
