DAMAC Digital and Vodafone Türkiye Open Aegean Region’s Largest Data Center
DAMAC Digital and Vodafone Türkiye have inaugurated the first phase of what they describe as the largest data center in Türkiye’s Aegean region, strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure and expanding capacity for cloud computing, artificial intelligence and data-intensive applications. Located in Izmir, the facility represents an investment of approximately $100 million in its first phase. It will initially provide 4MW of capacity, with plans to scale to 20MW as demand grows.
The project forms part of a longer-term partnership between DAMAC Digital and Vodafone Türkiye, under which total investment is targeted to reach approximately $300 million. The partnership is focused on strengthening Türkiye’s digital infrastructure while supporting growing demand for cloud services, AI workloads and data sovereignty.
Hussain Sajwani, Founder of DAMAC Group and Chairman of DAMAC Digital, said the project reflects the company’s long-term confidence in Türkiye’s digital economy. “The inauguration of the Aegean Region’s largest data center in Izmir is a significant milestone in Türkiye’s digital transformation and reflects our long-term confidence in the country’s growth potential. As artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data-driven technologies reshape economies, advanced digital infrastructure will be fundamental to national competitiveness, innovation and sustainable growth.”
Sajwani added that the partnership combines Vodafone Türkiye’s local capabilities with DAMAC Digital’s international expertise to develop infrastructure designed to support Türkiye’s next phase of digital growth. The 7,500-square-metre Izmir Data Center will accommodate more than 650 cabinets and has been designed with a scalable architecture capable of supporting high-performance computing and advanced AI workloads.
Its infrastructure will support next-generation graphics processing unit (GPU) technologies, enabling both conventional AI applications and generative AI models to operate securely and at scale. The facility also incorporates seismic isolation technology, an important consideration given Türkiye’s exposure to earthquakes. The design is intended to improve operational resilience and help maintain service continuity in the event of natural hazards.
Engin Aksoy, CEO of Vodafone Türkiye, said the project builds on the company’s long-term investment in the country’s digital infrastructure. “This project builds on Vodafone Türkiye’s long-term investment in the country’s digital future. Serving more than 25 million mobile customers, millions of SMEs, and thousands of large enterprises, our belief in Türkiye’s potential has never wavered.”
Aksoy said the Izmir facility, delivered in approximately one and a half years, would expand Vodafone’s infrastructure while strengthening Türkiye’s cloud capabilities and data sovereignty. The location of the facility is also central to its role in Türkiye’s digital infrastructure ecosystem.
Izmir’s proximity to submarine cable landing stations connecting Europe, Africa and Asia gives the city strategic connectivity advantages and supports its emergence as a data center and network hub for Türkiye and the wider Mediterranean region.
The combination of international connectivity, scalable capacity and AI-ready infrastructure positions the facility to support enterprises with growing requirements for secure data processing and high-performance computing. The data center was formally inaugurated at a ceremony attended by Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Vodafone Türkiye CEO Engin Aksoy and senior DAMAC Digital executives.
For DAMAC Digital, the Izmir project forms part of its wider strategy to develop and operate digital infrastructure across key international markets. The company is positioning the investment to address increasing demand for secure, scalable and AI-ready data center capacity as enterprises and governments accelerate their adoption of cloud and artificial intelligence technologies.
