Nebius: The AI Infrastructure Engine That’s Gone Stratospheric
Unlike many cloud providers that focus only on one layer, Nebius takes a vertically integrated approach
This interview was recorded in July at Raise Summit 2025, capturing a moment when Nebius was already on the rise. Since then, the company has accelerated dramatically. In September 2025, Nebius announced a multi-year cloud infrastructure deal with Microsoft valued at $17.4 billion, with the potential to scale to $19.4 billion. The news sent Nebius’ market valuation soaring, with shares climbing nearly 50%, and was quickly followed by plans to raise an additional $3 billion to fuel global expansion.
These developments mean that while the perspectives you’ll hear below reflect a “summer Nebius,” the company is now operating at a completely new level with larger contracts, wider international reach, and rapidly growing expectations from partners and customers alike.
Nebius, headquartered in Amsterdam, has emerged as one of the fastest-growing cloud infrastructure providers. Its mission is to deliver full-stack compute through data centers, servers, cloud services, and integrated tools that power modern industries.
Unlike many cloud providers that focus only on one layer, Nebius takes a vertically integrated approach. It builds and operates the complete stack custom hardware, software, facilities, and orchestration ensuring performance, reliability, and cost efficiency. With strategic partnerships, robust capital backing, and its landmark agreement with Microsoft, Nebius is positioning itself as a central player in the global infrastructure ecosystem.
Q&A
Q. For those new to Nebius, what does the company do?
Nebius builds and operates large-scale cloud infrastructure. This includes the compute backbone data centers, servers, and integrated software services that modern companies and enterprises need to run and scale their most demanding workloads. Today, Nebius primarily supports high-growth technology companies, while its next growth wave is driven by enterprise adoption across industries.
Q. What makes Nebius different from other infrastructure providers?
Unlike providers who focus on raw compute alone, Nebius integrates the full stack: data centers, servers, software, and orchestration. This vertical approach allows Nebius to serve a diverse customer base, from startups to global corporations in regulated industries.
Q. Where is Nebius seeing the most traction today?
Initial adoption has been strongest among technology-driven startups, especially those needing affordable, scalable infrastructure to support rapid innovation. More recently, Nebius is gaining traction in sectors such as life sciences, healthcare, finance, and media, where enterprises are embedding advanced computing into core workflows.
Q. How do you address concerns about data security and compliance?
Data governance is built into the foundation of Nebius’ operations. Customers are assured of strict security protocols, jurisdictional data residency, and sector-specific compliance frameworks. Whether it’s healthcare regulations or financial standards, the platform is designed to meet the highest levels of trust and accountability.
Q. What role does NVIDIA play in Nebius’ strategy?
NVIDIA is a long-term partner and shareholder. Their hardware accelerators are a critical component of Nebius’ infrastructure, while Nebius delivers the integration data centers, servers, orchestration platforms that make those accelerators usable at scale.
Q. The industry is capital-intensive. How does Nebius compete?
Infrastructure at this scale requires significant investment. Nebius is well-capitalized, having raised more than $4 billion in recent rounds, and has assembled one of the strongest engineering teams in Europe. This blend of financial strength and technical expertise allows the company to execute ambitious projects and deliver reliably for its customers.
Q. Where are you expanding globally?
Headquartered in Amsterdam with around 600 employees, Nebius also operates hubs in the U.S., Israel, and across Europe. Facilities have launched in Finland, Iceland, and Paris, with a UK rollout imminent. Both North America and Europe are strategic growth areas in the company’s expansion roadmap.
Q. What has changed since July?
In September 2025, Nebius signed a landmark agreement with Microsoft. Over a five-year term, Nebius will deliver dedicated infrastructure from its new Vineland, New Jersey data center. The deal, valued initially at $17.4 billion with potential to rise to $19.4 billion, signals Nebius’ arrival as a major global competitor anchoring long-term partnerships.
Q. How does Microsoft’s deal accelerate your growth?
The agreement provides scale and predictability. It underwrites capital investments, enables accelerated global expansion in 2026, and validates Nebius as a trusted partner for other long-term enterprise contracts.
Q. How do you see Nebius shaping the global infrastructure landscape in the next decade?
Nebius’ role is to ensure that companies and enterprises worldwide have access to secure, reliable infrastructure. Just as the internet scaled through cloud platforms, the next generation of industries will depend on robust infrastructure providers. Nebius is positioning itself as the trusted backbone to support that growth globally.