As Europe accelerates into a new era driven by data, AI, and cloud computing, Max‑Hervé George is making a strategic commitment that could reshape the continent’s digital backbone. Through SWI Group and its dedicated infrastructure platform, AiOnX, the French investor is channeling north of €20 billion into the development of hyperscale data centers aimed at supporting Europe’s sovereignty in the digital age.
Max‑Hervé George: Strategic Vision Backed by Real Assets
Recognized for his foresight in alternative investments, Max‑Hervé George is no stranger to anticipating long-term trends. After co-founding Ultima Capital and founding Icona Capital, George led the strategic merger of Icona with Stoneweg, creating a consolidated investment firm now known as SWI Group.
With more than $11 billion in assets under management, SWI is a London and Switzerland-based alternative investment group active in private equity, real estate, private debt, and infrastructure. Today, George’s leadership is taking the firm in a bold direction, placing digital infrastructure at the heart of its future.
AiOnX: Building Europe’s Digital Engine Room
At the core of this strategic shift is AiOnX, the SWI Group platform dedicated to hyperscale data center development. These facilities, essential for powering AI, cloud services, and the data economy, are no longer optional-they are the digital infrastructure of the 21st century.
AiOnX’s current roadmap includes five large-scale projects across:
- Ireland
- Denmark
- Spain
- Italy
- United Kingdom
With a total pipeline of 2 GW, these developments represent an investment of more than €20 billion over the next years. The most recent project 330 MW data center in Cambridgeshire, UK-is specifically designed to meet the growing computational demands of artificial intelligence and high-density cloud computing workloads.
A European Vision for Digital Sovereignty
In a world where global cloud infrastructure is dominated by U.S. giants (GAFAM), Max‑Hervé George is pushing for a model rooted in European autonomy. His ambition: to ensure Europe doesn’t just consume digital services, but builds and controls the infrastructure behind them.
This vision is grounded in a broader strategy to give a European dimension to SWI Group-not only in terms of operations, but also in terms of sovereignty, sustainability, and innovation.
“Digital sovereignty starts with infrastructure,” a spokesperson for AiOnX said. “The power to store, compute, and manage data within Europe is no longer a luxury-it’s a necessity.”
Green IT at Scale: Sustainability is Non-Negotiable
Data centers consume vast amounts of energy, and with environmental concerns growing globally, AiOnX integrates sustainability at the design level. All current and future sites are engineered to operate using renewable energy and state-of-the-art cooling systems.
Key pillars of AiOnX’s sustainable strategy:
- Integration of green energy sources, including wind, solar, and hydro
- Advanced cooling technologies to reduce water and energy consumption
- Compliance with EU taxonomy and ESG investment frameworks
By combining high efficiency with environmental stewardship, AiOnX is proving that scale and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.
The Growing Role of Data Infrastructure
Data centers are no longer niche assets. They are fundamental to economic competitiveness, national security, and technological advancement. As AI applications become more sophisticated and data-driven services grow exponentially, Europe’s current infrastructure faces severe capacity constraints.
SWI’s move into hyperscale development via AiOnX is both a commercial response to market demand and a geopolitical statement. By controlling its data infrastructure, Europe gains resilience and independence in a field previously dominated by non-European players.
