The Finnish company Verda Cloud Oy is planning its first European establishment of an AI center in Sundsvall. The investment is a clear example of how Västernorrland can compete internationally for advanced technology investments and strengthens Sundsvall’s position as a hub for advanced AI development in Europe.
The initiative brings advanced AI infrastructure to the region and creates new opportunities for collaboration between industry, academia, and the public sector. In addition to the AI center, Verda Cloud Oy also plans to establish a research and development unit, further strengthening the link between education, research, and applied AI.
The establishment is the result of close collaboration between High Coast Invest, Sundsvalls kommun, the landowner Zoningpartners North AB, Mittuniversitetet, and the IT cluster Bron Innovation. The investment is a clear testament to the long-term efforts made to build a strong ecosystem for digital development, where the public sector, academia, and tech companies jointly drive innovation.
This makes Sundsvall particularly attractive to European actors seeking a stable, regulated, and highly skilled environment for AI operations.
Strong collaboration behind the investment
The dialogue with Verda Cloud Oy began through contacts facilitated by Business Sweden in connection with the Join Sweden Summit 2025. High Coast Invest then took an active role in identifying the right conditions for an establishment in the region.
– It is through the interaction between municipalities, investment promotion actors, academia, and private landowners that we become truly competitive. This investment demonstrates the strength of the model we have built in Västernorrland, says Bengt Högberg, Senior Investment Advisor at High Coast Invest.
– When academia, the innovation system, industry, and the public sector work closely together toward international investors and demonstrate the region’s combined strengths in AI development, research, and digital infrastructure, we are strong. Having one of Sweden’s strongest IT clusters as well as access to competitive, 100 percent green electricity further enhances the region’s attractiveness for tech investments, says Björn Wigge, Director of Growth at Sundsvall Municipality.
Why Sundsvall and Västernorrland?
The Sundsvall region is already one of Sweden’s strongest tech environments, particularly within GovTech, with a high concentration of national government agencies actively working with digitalisation and AI. Combined with access to green energy, competitive land and energy costs, and strong digital competence, the region offers a stable and attractive environment for AI infrastructure within the EU.
The planned collaboration with Mittuniversitetet strengthens opportunities for research, skills development, and long-term innovation. The investment also reinforces the regional innovation ecosystem and creates new opportunities for startups and growth companies to benefit from advanced AI infrastructure.
– This is not only an important investment for Sundsvall, but for the entire region. It strengthens Västernorrland’s long-term competitiveness and positions us as one of Europe’s emerging AI regions, says Magnus Viström, Director of Investment at High Coast Invest.
