Start Campus and EllaLink establish partnership to strengthen connectivity between Europe, South America and Africa

• Agreement between Start Campus and EllaLink to strengthen Portuguese international connectivity between the future Hyperscale data center and Latin America, Europe and Africa through the submarine cable recently inaugurated in Sines
• Start Campus and EllaLink partnership is crucial to turn Sines into a Digital Hub of excellence at European level

SINES, Portugal and DUBLIN, Ireland, Oct. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Start Campus, the company responsible for the development of the Hyperscale data center project - SINES 4.0^©, one of Europe's largest Hyperscale sustainable data centers to be developed in Sines, Portugal, signed an agreement with EllaLink, company that recently inaugurated the first direct high-speed connection by submarine cable between Europe and South America.

This agreement reinforces the combination of two essential components that establish the internets’ backbone, Hyperscale data centers and submarine cables, that together guarantee 99% of intercontinental digital connectivity.

The partnership will provide a framework of cooperation between Start Campus and EllaLink guarantying that the infrastructures interact, knowledge is shared and synergies are established to promote Sines as a new digital hub in global data network systems. The goal is to link the two projects to boost Portugal’s international connectivity and reinforce direct connections with Europe, South America, Africa and Asia.

The companies will work together to explore and improve the development of new cable routes as well as promote the existing ones. Today, Sines is directly connected to Lisbon and Madrid in Europe, Fortaleza, São Paulo & Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. In the future, the connectivity will be extended to Marseille, Barcelona and Casablanca and furthermore to the United States, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

According to Afonso Salema, Managing Director of Start Campus, "We’ve partnered with EllaLink to connect SINES 4.0^© to South America and Africa and, in doing so, we’ll explore all the benefits it will bring to the Portuguese and European connectivity. This partnership enhances the two projects and helps transform Portugal into a World Digital Hub, futureproofing the Portuguese economy by bringing skilled jobs and economic benefits to the country."

For Diego Matas, EllaLink’s COO, "This partnership is an important step in the affirmation of Sines as a true technological hub. With it, we reiterate EllaLink's willingness to enhance the existing route integrated into a true ecosystem that offers high capacity, route diversity, low latency connectivity and a state-of-the-art infrastructure."

Start Campus announced, in April, the project SINES 4.0^©, an Hyperscaler Data Centre, with a capacity of up to 495MW, in Sines, representing an investment of up to €3.5 billion. It will be one of Europe's largest data center campus, responding to the large international technology companies' growing demand. It will create up to 1,200 highly skilled direct jobs and 8,000 indirect jobs by 2025. Located in Sines, it will benefit from all strategic advantages such as state-of-the-art seawater cooling systems, access to the high voltage power grid, connectivity through high-capacity international fiber optic and the usage of 100% green energy.

SINES 4.0^© will have an environmentally neutral outset having a strong competitive green energy production component, with strong indicators of water consumption and highly efficient Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). This will be one of the largest data center ecosystems with 100% green energy at competitive prices in a premium European location, which is the perfect gateway to Europe and the world.

EllaLink has built and operates a brand-new modular cable landing station (CLS) in Sines that welcomes a 7 fiber pair submarine cable with a potential capacity of 190 Terabits per second directly connecting Brazil, Cabo Verde, Madeira and Morocco. This CLS is as well directly connected to major data centers in Lisbon and Madrid through a secure and diverse optical ring.

About Start Campus

Start Campus, owned by Davidson Kempner and Pioneer Point Partners, is responsible for the development of the project SINES 4.0©, an Hyperscaler Data Centre campus with a capacity of up to 495MW in Sines, an investment of up to €3.5 billion. It will be one of Europe's largest data center campus and responds to growing demand from large international technology companies. It will create up to 1,200 highly skilled direct jobs and 8,000 indirect jobs by 2025. It will be in Sines and will benefit from all strategic advantages such as seawater cooling systems, access to the high voltage power grid, connectivity through the connection to high-capacity international fiber optic cables with North America, Africa, and South America. SINES 4.0© will be one of the largest data center ecosystems with 100% green energy at competitive prices in a premium European location, which is the perfect gateway to Europe and the world. The inauguration of the first building is scheduled for Q1 2023. 400 people are expected to be involved in the construction of the first phase, and up to 100 new direct jobs will be created.

For more information visit startcampus

About EllaLink

EllaLink is an advanced optical platform offering secure high-capacity connectivity on a unique low latency transatlantic route serving the growing needs of the Latin American and European markets. The EllaLink network directly connects Brazil and Europe, linking the major hubs of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza with Lisbon, Madrid and Marseille. 

The EllaLink System has been built with state-of-the-art coherent technology initially offering 100Tbps of transatlantic capacity over four direct fibre pairs between Europe and Brazil. EllaLink is a privately funded and independent company committed to providing products and services on a Carrier Neutral and Open Access basis. Marguerite II, a pan-European equity fund active in the renewables, energy, transport and digital infrastructure sectors, is the main shareholder of EllaLink. 

For more information visit ella.link 

About Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP

Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP ("Davidson Kempner") is a U.S. based global institutional investment management company with over 37 years of experience focusing on fundamental investment with a multi-strategy approach. Davidson Kempner has more than $36 billion in assets under management, with more than 400 professionals in five offices, including New York, Philadelphia, London, Hong Kong and Dublin.

About Pioneer Point Partners LLP

European investment company Pioneer Point Partners was founded in 2008 and focuses on the energy transition, communications infrastructure, and environment sectors. Pioneer has provided more than €3 billion of capital to 9 platform investments since its inception. Pioneer has nearly one billion assets under management, including capital available for new investments. Through its investments, Pioneer aims to contribute to the transition to a carbon-neutral economy.

Companies selected from the Pioneer / Davidson Kempner portfolio

Echelon Data Centers is developing up to 180 MW of data centers at three locations in Ireland. The capital invested should focus on energy infrastructure, energy supply and renewable energy projects connected to Echelon's data center sites. Nature Energy, based in Denmark, is a global leader in biomethane (green gas), derived from agricultural and livestock waste. Nature Energy owns 12 plants in operation, 2 under construction and 10 under development and currently transforms 4 million tons of waste per year.

Editorial Contact

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e1e419bc-7cf6-4121-bcf4-9776462629a7