Milan

Overview

The data centre market in Milan is among the fastest-growing in the EMEA region, driven by significant infrastructure investments and a variety of market advantages. Milan's robust connectivity, characterised by high broadband penetration and an increasing demand for data services, plays a pivotal role in this expansion. The city’s strategic geographical position provides excellent links to the MENA region, as well as to Northern and Western Europe.

Historically, Milan has functioned as Italy's business and financial centre, a role that has been further enhanced by its low latency and high-speed connectivity. These attributes not only attract investment but also support international operations effectively. The highest concentration of data centres can be found in the western part of Milan, closely followed by the southern region, which benefits from critical interconnections such as internet backbones and the Milan Internet Exchange (MIX).

Cloud adoption is a key driver of this market, as businesses increasingly migrate to cloud-based solutions that require scalable and resilient infrastructure. This trend is further bolstered by government initiatives like the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Cloud Italia Strategy, both aimed at promoting cloud adoption across the country.

Additionally, a growing number of major European players are seeking alternative locations for their cloud deployments, especially as established FLAP markets like Dublin and Amsterdam impose restrictions on data centre expansions. This shift presents Milan with a unique opportunity to capture a larger share of the European data centre market.