Google breaks ground on Sweden data center with EUR 5M skills fund

The Horndal facility will support Google services including Cloud and Workspace, while a new fund will back local education, sustainability, workforce development, and economic growth projects.

Google has broken ground on a new data center in Horndal, Sweden, alongside a EUR 5 million fund for education, sustainability, workforce development, and local economic growth projects. Credit: Michiel Sallaets

Google has broken ground on a new data center in Horndal, Sweden, and announced a EUR 5 million fund for local projects focused on education, sustainability, economic growth, and workforce development.

The facility, announced on 2 June 2026, is designed to support demand for Google services including Search, Google Cloud, Google Workspace, and YouTube. Google says the data center will also support demand linked to digital services and AI technologies used by people, businesses, and public sector organizations in Sweden and internationally.

The Horndal data center is expected to generate 100 direct full-time jobs. Google says it is already working with nearly 60 Swedish suppliers on construction, with further jobs expected through construction, suppliers, and local businesses.

Google said the local fund is intended to support upskilling, sustainability programs, community causes, and workforce development. The company says it has already trained more than 284,000 people in Sweden in digital and AI skills, including students, educators, small business owners, and developers.

The data center will use air-cooled technology and has been designed for off-site heat recovery. Google says the facility will be able to provide heat free of charge to eligible partners to support local homes and businesses.

Michiel Sallaets, Comms Lead EMEA Technical Infrastructure at Google, said on LinkedIn that the site will provide the “secure, enterprise-grade infrastructure” needed for customers to innovate on Google Cloud as demand for digital services and AI technologies grows.

Google links Horndal site to cloud and AI demand

The Horndal project adds to Google’s technical infrastructure in Europe. Google says its data centers support digital services used by people and businesses across the continent.

The company has had a Stockholm office since 2004. Google says its cloud platform and advertising network have supported tens of thousands of Swedish businesses, publishers, nonprofits, creators, and developers.

Anna Wikland, Managing Director Google Nordics, described the groundbreaking on LinkedIn as “a historic day for Google in Sweden,” adding that the investment will support demand for Google Cloud and AI technologies while keeping the local community “at the forefront.”

Anna Wikland, Managing Director Google Nordics, says: "I’m excited about today’s news and what it means for Sweden. This will give businesses, public institutions, and people even better and faster access to our technology, thus supporting the digital transformation of Sweden. It also underscores our long-term vision for Sweden and Europe, demonstrating a deep commitment to accelerating regional innovation through strategic investment."

Google also pointed to Google.org’s recent announcement that AI Sweden will lead an initiative to provide AI training for 13,000 workers across Northern Europe. The program is intended to support workers whose roles are exposed to AI.

EUR 5M fund targets skills and local projects

The EUR 5 million fund will support local projects in education, workforce development, sustainability, economic growth, and community causes.

Google said the fund is connected to its work to help people and businesses in Sweden expand their digital knowledge.

The company has not provided a full list of eligible organizations, application routes, or funding deadlines in the information released.

Blerta Krenzi, Chair of the Municipal Board, Avesta, says: “This historic groundbreaking marks the beginning of a new chapter that will strengthen Avesta. Welcoming the digital core industry of the future demonstrates the strength and expertise present in our region. Avesta Municipality looks forward to building a strong partnership with Google to drive growth and create new opportunities for all our residents.”

Rasmus Järborg, CEO, Nordnet, says: “By partnering with Google Cloud, Nordnet has built a new, cloud-native platform that takes advantage of faster time-to-market, improved scalability, and enhanced security. We applaud Google's continued investment in Sweden, which gives us opportunities for further innovation with AI, and to continue to deliver exceptional customer experience and accelerate our growth."

Heat recovery built into data center design

Google says the Horndal data center will be ready for off-site heat recovery, with heat made available free of charge to eligible partners.

The facility will use air-cooled technology, with water consumption limited to sanitary and other domestic uses. Google says it embeds heat recovery readiness into the design of all new data centers in Europe.

Google signed its first Swedish power purchase agreement in 2013 and says it has added more than 700 megawatts of renewable energy through seven wind projects in the country since then.

The Horndal facility is now under construction. Google says the data center will support growing demand for Google Cloud, AI technologies, and core digital services, while the EUR 5 million fund will back local projects in education, sustainability, economic growth, and workforce development.