PoliCloud Secures €7.5 Million to Fuel European Sovereign Cloud Roll‑out
The Cannes‑based firm will deploy the capital to bolster its operational team, scale micro‑data centre deployment across Europe and target public sector clients that need secure, locally governed cloud services.
Founded in February 2025 by serial fintech entrepreneur David Gurlé, PoliCloud delivers containerised micro‑data centres housing proprietary hardware integrated with Hivenet's distributed storage and computing software. Early traction includes four sold units and projected revenues in excess of €6 million by the end of 2025.
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The firm's micro‑data centres—equipped with up to 104 GPUs per unit and expected to scale beyond 1,000 GPUs by year‑end—are designed for high‑performance computing, AI processing and encrypted data storage, offering reduced dependency on US‑based cloud giants and enhanced compliance with European data sovereignty standards.
'PoliCloud is meeting a critical market demand for sovereign cloud infrastructure that is not only secure and abundant but also eco‑responsible,' Gurlé stated, underscoring an ambition to deliver affordable, decentralised compute infrastructure across the continent.
Global Ventures Senior Partner Simon Sharp explained the investment thesis, emphasising a need for visionary entrepreneurs offering solutions with clear market demand and global potential. The firm previously backed Hivenet in 2022 and views PoliCloud as a strategic addition to its portfolio.
OneRagtime CEO Stéphanie Hospital and Mi8 Managing Director Guillaume Dhamelincourt echoed the sentiment, citing the increasing demand for affordable, secure and sustainable computing power in Europe. Inria's participation aligned with its strategic mission to support decentralised computing as a way to bolster France's digital autonomy.
Industry analysts note that the cloud infrastructure sector in Europe has drawn significant venture investment, particularly in sovereign and AI-ready platforms. PoliCloud stands out for combining hardware innovation, distributed software architecture and environmental responsibility—promising 75% lower CO₂ emissions and zero‑water waste per unit.
PoliCloud's edge compute strategy is being viewed as a potential game‑changer in the context of accelerating AI adoption. It offers municipalities, research institutions and regulated industries the flexibility to deploy GPU‑rich, GDPR‑compliant infrastructure locally, rather than relying on centralised hyperscalers.
Operating from Cannes, the company has so far sold four units within three months of its February launch at the World AI Cannes Festival. Hardware specifics remain under wraps, though insiders suggest each container may host more than 100 GPUs, with a roadmap targeting up to 10,000 GPUs by the end of 2026.
The €7.5 million lifeline will be used to recruit additional talent, fund technical development, scale production of micro‑data centres and initiate roll‑out across multiple European markets.
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