CoreWeave Opens First International Data Centers in the UK, Expanding AI Compute Capabilities
CoreWeave, the cloud computing company known for providing AI compute resources, has inaugurated its first two data centers in the United Kingdom, marking its expansion beyond its home base in the United States.
Following the launch of its European headquarters in London last May, CoreWeave made this move shortly after achieving a notable $19 billion valuation, driven by a successful $1.1 billion fundraising. As part of a £1 billion ($1.25 billion) investment in the UK, these two data centers are pivotal to its growth strategy.
Coinciding with this development is an announcement from the UK government, outlining a five-year plan to enhance public AI computing resources and establish "AI Growth Zones" with infrastructure fuelled by private sector entities.
“This investment is a huge vote of confidence in the UK’s digital technology sector, and is exactly the kind we want to see as we grow the economy and use AI to drive efficiency,” stated Rachel Reeves, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The first UK data center by CoreWeave began operations quietly in Crawley last October, with a second hub in London Docklands launching in December. Both centers utilize Nvidia’s Hopper GPUs, particularly the advanced H200 series designed for AI processing tasks.
From crypto to AI compute
Established in 2017, CoreWeave transitioned from its original focus on cryptocurrency mining to addressing the burgeoning demand for AI compute resources. This shift was driven by the need for robust infrastructure capable of supporting AI models and algorithms.
CoreWeave joins several cloud infrastructure startups seizing the AI boom, alongside European companies like France's FlexAI, Finland's DataCrunch, and Nebius from the Netherlands.
By the close of 2024, CoreWeave had opened 28 data centers, including the latest additions in the UK. Plans are underway for 10 new centers in 2025, with three projected for Europe in Norway, Sweden, and Spain.