Unidata S.p.A. and Azimut Libera Impresa SGR S.p.A. have formed a joint venture (J.V), called UniCenter S.p.A., to develop a Tier IV green data center in Rome. The facility is designed to deliver approximately 20 MW of power, accommodate over 2,000 racks, and cover a total surface area of 13,000 square meters, making it one of the largest sustainable data center projects in Italy.
According to a press release, UniCenter S.p.A is owned 75 percent by Fondo Infrastrutture per la Crescita ESG, a closed-end infrastructure fund managed by Azimut Libera Impresa, and 25 percent by Unidata. The initial investment for the project is estimated at €57 million (US$ 65 million), with Unidata contributing €5.7 million (US$ 6.5 million) and the fund €51.3 million (US$ 59.1 million). The investment reflects growing demand in Italy for high-capacity, energy-efficient data infrastructure as businesses and public institutions increase reliance on cloud and digital services.
Unidata will oversee operational management of the new data center. The joint venture brings together Unidata’s experience in telecommunications, cloud, and IoT services with the fund’s investment capacity focused on sustainable infrastructure.
The data center will operate exclusively in a wholesale capacity and serve both national and international clients. It will run entirely on renewable energy and is designed to meet Tier IV standards for reliability and resilience. Unidata will continue offering services independently from its existing Rome and Milan data centers while leveraging UniCenter’s infrastructure for clients requiring capacities above 30 kW.
The launch of UniCenter positions Rome as a strategic hub for sustainable digital services in Italy. Analysts say the project aligns with broader European trends toward green data centers, responding to environmental regulations and rising interest from companies seeking low-carbon IT infrastructure. The facility is expected to strengthen Italy’s competitiveness in hosting both national and international digital operations.