This new facility marks Digital Realty's pioneering entry as a major data center investor in Europe's southeasternmost point, enhancing its Mediterranean presence. Heraklion-1 uniquely positions Digital Realty as the only data center platform on the island of Crete, strategically linking Europe with Asia, the Middle East, and East Africa via a dense network of subsea cables. This strategic move is complemented by investments in Digital Realty’s Athens Campus, the country’s most connected data center.

Scheduled to begin operations in the first quarter of 2025, Heraklion-1 has already attracted significant interest from businesses in various industries throughout the region. This strong response highlights the pressing need for reliable data center solutions, underscoring the pivotal role Heraklion-1 will play in meeting these demands.

Digital Realty has partnered with leading companies, including Schneider Electric, to ensure top-tier infrastructure deployment. These partnerships support the integration of sophisticated data center technologies, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of Heraklion-1.

Moreover, Digital Realty has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with key players in the digital infrastructure and subsea cable sectors, including Exa Infrastructure, to secure more diverse connectivity routes between Europe and global destinations. These collaborations not only strengthen existing relationships but also set the stage for further expansion across the Mediterranean. Additionally, routing through Greece will decrease latency, improving the user experience for various destinations in Eastern Europe.

Alexandros Bechrakis, Managing Director at Digital Realty in Greece said, “Our vision to transform Greece into a digital hub by establishing a cutting-edge data center in Europe's southeastern corner is quickly becoming a reality. We are delighted with the timely progress of Heraklion- 1's construction and are expecting to launch the facility in early 2025. We look forward to providing a top-tier connectivity hub that will support business growth throughout the Mediterranean and create links between Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa."

Digital Realty considers the Heraklion-1 facility as a crucial component of its broader Mediterranean strategy. Alongside existing hubs in Marseille and Athens, and upcoming hubs in Barcelona, Rome, and Tel Aviv and a second data center in Zagreb, Heraklion-1 reinforces Digital Realty's position as the preferred data center platform in the region.