SoftBank Group and Sesterce to Develop 1 GW AI Data Center in Bosquel, France

Bosquel, France — May 30, 2026 — A joint venture majority-owned by SoftBank Group Corp. (TSE: 9984, “SoftBank Group”) and formed with Sesterce today announced that it has been selected to develop and operate a 1 GW AI data center campus in Bosquel, France.

The project marks a major step in expanding the infrastructure needed to support the next generation of artificial intelligence in France and across Europe. It forms a key part of SoftBank Group’s broader 5 GW commitment, announced as part of the 2026 Choose France summit, and reinforces France’s position as a leading European hub for AI infrastructure, high-performance computing and digital services.

Located in the Hauts-de-France region, Bosquel is strategically positioned near several of Europe’s most important economic and technology centers, including Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, London and Frankfurt. The location will help serve customers across major European markets with advanced AI workloads at low latencies.

The joint venture combines SoftBank Group’s global AI infrastructure platform with Sesterce’s data center capabilities. Together, the companies will develop a campus designed for the scale, sustainability, and performance required by Europe’s growing AI ecosystem. The campus will utilize advanced technologies to minimize environmental impact and water usage.

“AI will shape the next era of technology, industry and human progress, and that future will require a new generation of infrastructure,” said Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group Corp. “Bosquel is an important step in SoftBank’s commitment to helping build that foundation in France, bringing together large-scale compute capacity and strong local partnerships to support Europe’s AI ecosystem.”

“This partnership with SoftBank represents a defining moment for Sesterce and for the future of sovereign AI infrastructure in Europe. Together, we believe Bosquel has the potential to become a flagship AI Factory, combining energy, compute, and execution at the scale required by the next generation of artificial intelligence,” said Youssef El Manssouri, CEO and co-founder of Sesterce, and Anthony Tchakerian, GM and co-founder of Sesterce.

The construction of the campus is expected to mobilize a wide range of companies, contractors and service providers, creating substantial economic opportunities for the regional economy. Once operational, the campus will create 400 long-term skilled roles in data center operations, energy systems, security, maintenance, and advanced infrastructure management.

The Bosquel campus will build on France’s strong advantages for AI infrastructure, advanced grid infrastructure, engineering talent, industrial land availability, and growing national AI ecosystem. These strengths make France one of Europe’s most attractive locations for secure, scalable and energy-efficient compute capacity.

“This AI factory in Le Bosquel is a major industrial investment with significant economic and social benefits for the local area, not only in terms of permanent jobs on site, but also through its support for research, innovation and knowledge,” said Rollon Mouchel-Blaisot, Préfet de la Somme. “Beyond its strong local impact, the entire Somme region will be able to benefit from the presence of a world-class supercomputer to help shape its future. Throughout the call for expressions of interest launched by the CC2SO, government services have been strongly mobilized to provide rigorous and independent expertise, with the aim of securing the best economic and environmental outcomes.”

Beyond its national and European significance, the Bosquel campus is designed to deliver long-term benefits for the local community. Working in partnership with the Hauts-de-France region, the State Prefecture, and the Communauté de communes Somme Sud-Ouest, the joint venture plans to establish a €10 million endowment fund that will be jointly managed with the Hauts-de-France region to promote the use of AI in local businesses, schools, universities and community organizations.

The Bosquel campus plan, designed by architecture firm Patriarche, includes a community center serving as a meeting space for residents, local businesses, students, entrepreneurs and public stakeholders. The center will provide a venue for community engagement, events and ongoing dialogue around the project and the opportunities created by AI.

“From the beginning, our priority has been to ensure that this project creates long-term value both for our territory and for future generations. Bosquel represents a major opportunity for Hauts-de-France and for France’s digital future, but it must also be a project that benefits local residents, businesses, and public structures,” said Alain Desfosses, President of the Communauté de communes Somme Sud-Ouest. “We wanted this development to be fully integrated into the territory, carried out in dialogue with local stakeholders and accompanied by concrete initiatives supporting skills, innovation and local economic activity. The creation of a regional endowment fund and dedicated community spaces reflects this ambition.”

The Bosquel campus will help provide the AI compute capacity needed to support innovation, industrial competitiveness and technological sovereignty in France and across Europe.

By combining large-scale data center capacity with local job creation, regional investment, skills development and community infrastructure, the project is designed to deliver both immediate economic impact and long-term value for Bosquel, Hauts-de-France and France’s broader AI ecosystem.

The SoftBank Group invests in breakthrough technology to improve the quality of life for people around the world. The SoftBank Group is comprised of SoftBank Group Corp. (TOKYO: 9984), an investment holding company that includes stakes in AI, smart robotics, IoT, telecommunications, internet services and clean energy technology providers, as well as a majority stake in Arm, which is building the future of computing; and the SoftBank Vision Funds, which are investing to help transform industries and shape new ones. To learn more, visit https://group.softbank/en

Founded in 2018, Sesterce is an AI infrastructure company building hyperscale compute capacity for the next generation of artificial intelligence. The company develops and operates high density AI factories across Europe and internationally, combining energy, data center infrastructure, and GPU clusters to deliver sovereign and large scale AI compute for enterprises, model builders, and hyperscalers. Sesterce focuses on accelerating the deployment of advanced AI infrastructure through vertically integrated execution spanning sites, power, cooling, networking, and cluster operations. To learn more, visit https://www.sesterce.com/