The data center industry continues to be a driving force behind the global digital economy, moving rapidly to meet the demands of technological advancements and shifting market dynamics. Understanding the landscape and predicting the trends ahead has never been more critical for businesses, investors, and talent across this space. In this report, we dive into 2024 market value insights, predictions for the future, hiring and industry trends, and investor activity.

Whether you’re an industry professional, investor, or leader searching for actionable insights, this report is your guide to navigating the industry for 2025.

Market value

Market value

The data center market was valued at $194.81 billion in 2022 and $219.23 billion in 2023. It projected an increase to $242.72 billion by the end of 2024, reaching $584.86 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 11.6% during the forecast period. The industry is expected to rapidly increase its growth over the next decade, driven by increasing demand for data storage, cloud computing services, and advancements in digital infrastructure.

MEA

MEA

The Middle East & Africa (MEA) region has witnessed a surge in hyperscale data center investments, driven by rapid digital transformation, cloud adoption, and government-backed initiatives. In 2024, Saudi Arabia emerged as the leader in hyperscale data center investments, capitalizing on its strategic Vision 2030 plan, which prioritizes technology and data infrastructure. The Kingdom’s initiatives to attract global cloud service providers and its focus on becoming a digital hub for the region have been key growth drivers.

Europe

Europe

Major European markets—Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin—continue growing despite power and sustainability challenges. Secondary markets like Madrid, Milan, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Warsaw attract operators and investors due to strategic locations, data sovereignty, connectivity, and demand. The Nordic region, with 12% of the development pipeline, emerges as a promising growth area.

APAC

APAC

The APAC region ranked as the second-largest hyperscale data center market globally by investment, China led with a 48% market share. The region surpassed 10GW of IT load capacity in 2024, driven by growth in key markets. Cities like Mumbai and Jakarta gained prominence, while hubs such as Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Sydney, and Tokyo saw steady growth despite land and power constraints. Emerging markets: Bangkok, Johor, Hyderabad, Ho Chi Minh City, and Manila.

Americas

Americas

The construction of data centers in North America’s leading markets saw a significant increase, growing by nearly 70% from 2023 levels and reaching 3.9 gigawatts. By mid-2024, more than 500 megawatts of new capacity had been brought online. While development continues in established markets, operators have increasingly turned their attention to secondary and emerging hubs, including cities like Charlotte, Salt Lake City, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Nashville, and regions in Iowa.

Market growth | The largest data centers across EMEA

Kolos Data Center (Norway)
Power capacity: Up to 1000 MW
Area: 603,869 sq ft
Cost: $10M
AMS-1 (Amsterdam)
Operator: Iron Mountain
Area: 108,000 sq ft
Fredericia Data Center (Denmark)
Operator: Google
Cost: $648M
LD4 Data Center (UK)
Operator: Equiniz
Area: 145,000 sq ft
Telia Helsinki Data Center (Finland)
Operator: Telia
Area: 161,500 sq ft
Power capacity: 24 MW IT
LD5 Data Center (UK)
Operator: Equinix
Area: 226,000 sq ft
Facebook Lulea Data Center (Sweden)
Operator: Facebook
Area: 290,000 sq ft
Microsoft Dublin Data Center (Ireland)
Operator: Microsoft
Cost: $500M
Area: 550,000 sq ft
FRA 1 (Germany)
Operator: NTT
Area: 561,876 sq ft
Covilha Data Center (Portugal)
Operator: Altice Portgual
Area: 800,000 sq ft
Cost: $107m
Vantage Cardiff Data Center Campus (Wales)
Operator: Vantage Data Centers
Area: 750,000 sq ft

Market growth | The largest data centers across APAC

China Telecom-Inner Mongolia Information Park (China)
Power: 150 MW
Area: 994,062 sq metres
Yotta NM1 (India)
Power: 50MW
Area: 76,180 sq metres
Alibaba Cloud Zhangbei Data Center (China)
Power: 150MW
Area: 667,972 sq metres
Harbin Data Center (China)
Power: 150MW
Area: 667,972 sq metres
Range International Information Group (China)
Power: 150MW
Area: 585,289 sq metres

Market growth | The largest data centers across Americas

The Citadel Switch (Nevada, US)
Power: 650MW
Area: 668,901 sq metres
Utah Data Center (Utah, US)
Power: 65MW
Area: 130,064 sq metres
Lakeside Technology Center (Chicago, Illinois, US)
Power: 100MW
Area: 102,193 sq metres
QTS Metro Data Center (Virginia, US)
Power: 250MW
Area: 120,773
Apple Inc.’s Mesa Data Center (Arizona, US)
Power: 50MW Area: 120,774 sq metres
Google Cloud Platform Loudoun County Hyperscale Zone (Virginia, US)
Area: 18,570 sq metres
Investors to watch

Investors to watch

DigitalBridge: DigitalBridge is a leading global digital infrastructure investment and manages a diverse portfolio of digital infrastructure assets, including data centers, cell towers, fiber networks, small cells, and edge infrastructure, with approximately $88 billion in assets under management.

Astra Capital Management: Founded in 2014, the firm focuses on transformational growth investments in businesses with proven concepts and positive cash flow. Astra Capital’s notable involvement includes its majority investment in DartPoints, an owner and operator of edge colocation data centers. This investment, announced in May 2020, aimed to accelerate DartPoints’ expansion across North America through a buy-and-build strategy.

I Squared Capital: I Squared Capital is a global infrastructure investment firm with a significant presence in the data center market. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in Miami, the firm manages over $40 billion in assets across various sectors, including digital infrastructure.

Investors to watch

Investors to watch

Meridiam: Meridiam is a global investor and asset manager specializing in developing, financing, and managing long-term public infrastructure projects. Founded in 2005 by Thierry Déau, the firm focuses on sustainable infrastructure investments that contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Meridiam manages over $22 billion in assets across more than 125 projects worldwide.

GI Partners: GI Partners is a private investment firm founded in 2001, specializing in private equity, real estate, and data infrastructure. The firm has raised over $40 billion in capital and operates from offices in San Francisco, New York, Dallas, Chicago, Greenwich, Scottsdale, and London. In the data center market, GI Partners has a significant presence, focusing on investments in data centers, data transport, wireless access, and tech-enabled infrastructure.

Industry trends

Hyperscale

Hyperscale

The Hyperscale Data Center market was valued at $184.48 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $304.73 billion by 2029. The capacity of hyperscale data centers around the world has doubled in the last four years, due to the rise of AI, big data analytics, and IoT, and leaves an increasing demand for cloud architects, network engineers, and specialists in automation and AI integration.

Edge computing adoption

Edge computing adoption

The adoption of edge computing solutions currently stands at 33%, indicating that a significant portion of organizations have already embraced this technology to enhance their operations, improve data processing, and reduce latency. An additional 30% of organizations have expressed plans to deploy edge computing solutions within the next 24 months.

Cybersecurity advancements

Cybersecurity advancements

The WEF’s Cybersecurity Outlook highlights a gap in cyber resilience between organizations, with only 15% optimistic about significant improvements in cyber skills and education over the next two years. Financial implications are also notable. The global average cost of a data breach has risen to $4.88 million – a 10% increase from 2023.

Liquid cooling solutions

Liquid cooling solutions

The average data centre uses around 40% of its power for cooling. The future of data centre cooling techniques must bring methods that remove this excess heat in a more environmentally friendly way. Addressing the cooling challenge is crucial for sustainable operations and liquid cooling is emerging as a critical innovation to meet the growing computational demands while aligning with green initiatives.

AI

AI

Global electricity consumption is expected to double by 2026, some companies are rapidly expanding GPU fleets to meet AI workloads, while governments, such as Canada, are proposing incentives to encourage green energy-powered AI data centers. AI is also being used to optimize data center operations through techniques like deep reinforcement learning, reducing energy costs and carbon emissions.

Sustainability

Sustainability

Data centers account for 1% of global electricity consumption, and remain a growing priority. Companies like Google are partnering with renewable energy providers to power data centers using solar and wind farms, while AirTrunk is implementing rooftop solar systems and virtual power purchase agreements.

Hiring trends

The industry in the Americas region is experiencing significant activity, with a workforce of 101,137* professionals actively contributing to this fast-paced sector. (Insights from LinkedIn Talent Insights) Over the past year, 20,043 professionals have transitioned to new roles, yet despite this movement, there are still 1,660 job postings currently online, underscoring the consistent demand for skilled talent. The top talent hubs in the Americas include major metropolitan areas such as: New York San Francisco Washington, D.C., the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Los Angeles Prominent companies leading the hiring landscape are NTT Data North America, TELUS Digital, and Appen, reinforcing their strong presence as employers of choice in the region.

APAC is witnessing significant workforce activity, with a total of 112,387* professionals currently engaged in the field. (Insights from LinkedIn Talent Insights) This year alone, 24,684 professionals have transitioned to new roles, but despite this movement, there remains a demand for talent. The top talent hubs within APAC include: The Greater Bengaluru Area Greater Delhi Greater Hyderabad Greater Chennai Mumbai Metropolitan Region Leading employers in this sector include NTT Data North America, TELUS Digital, and Appen, reflecting a mix of multinational tech giants and digital solution providers that are actively scaling their operations in the region.

The industry across the EMEA region is thriving, with 1,060,807* professionals actively engaged in the sector. (Insights from LinkedIn Talent Insights) Over the past year, 25,523 individuals have transitioned to new roles, and despite this workforce mobility, there remain 1,502 job opportunities currently available, showcasing continued demand for skilled talent. The key locations driving talent concentration in the EMEA region include major hubs such as: London The UAE Nigeria Kenya Leading employers in the region include TELUS Digital, Appen, and SAMA, companies renowned for their contributions to digital solutions, AI development, and data services. When it comes to skills, professionals are emphasizing expertise in analytical capabilities, data analysis, open-source software, and Python programming.

UK salary benchmarking

UK salary benchmarking

Based on the 2024 Data Centre Salary Survey by DataX Connect, here is a table summarizing average salaries for various data center roles in the UK.

For specific roles, functions, or to look at your competitor companies, we can provide you with a bespoke salary benchmarking document. Get in touch to arrange this.

2025 Predictions

2025 Predictions

With strong market growth expected for 2025 and beyond, what are the implications?

  • Increased confidence in the data-driven economy from users and governments
  • A push on renewable energy services, cooling solutions and energy efficient designs and integration
  • North America & Europe will face competition from new markets
  • Increased demand from large-scale facilities
  • Greater emphasis on cybersecurity

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