New high-security data centre near Salzburg sets new standards for AI and European data sovereignty

VIENNA - Sept. 22, 2025 - PRLog -- A high-security data centre for artificial intelligence (AI) applications that is unique in Europe is being built in Lend (Salzburg, Austria). The project, initiated by the Austrian IT security company fragmentiX together with partners and in cooperation with DELL Technologies, guarantees the highest level of data sovereignty for Austria and Europe. The LEND AI DataCentre (LENDAIDC) is operated using sufficient local hydropower - a model for sustainability, data protection and digital independence.

The growing demand for AI applications poses major challenges for business and politics. In addition to the high energy requirements, the protection of sensitive data is becoming a particular focus. Questions of data sovereignty and protection against cyber threats, data exploitation and economic coercion are becoming increasingly central. The LENDAIDC is sending a clear signal in favour of digital sovereignty in Europe.

fragmentiX as a driver for digital independence

The data centre is being developed by a consortium led by fragmentiX Storage Solutions GmbH, together with Lutsch Consulting and Zatloukal Innovations GmbH, which is also the interface to the Austrian and European research and science community. fragmentiX, founded in 2018 and specialising in highly secure storage and encryption technologies, has built a complete quantum-safe technology stack. This combines Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and the specially developed fragmentiX Secret Sharing - already successfully used in Austrian and EU projects.

"With the new AI data centre in Lend - the LENDAIDC - our Austrian consortium, together with DELL Technologies, is sending a clear signal for the future of Europe," explains Werner Strasser, CEO of fragmentiX. "In a world where data has long since become the most strategically important raw material and global competition is becoming increasingly fierce, Europe needs the same independence with data as it does with energy and rare natural resources. LENDAIDC combines state-of-the-art AI infrastructure with complete control in Austrian and European hands. In this way, we are creating the basis for harmonising technological innovation, economic competitiveness and our European values."

The small town of Lend in the province of Salzburg, Austria offers ideal conditions: Sufficient hydroelectric power is available directly adjacent to existing data centre buildings, supplemented by natural cooling water. This means that the operation of the LENDAIDC is not only ecologically sustainable, but also independent in terms of energy supply, making it a new key location for Europe's digital infrastructure.

Guarantee for European data sovereignty

The LENDAIDC will be able to process EU-classified data - starting with EU-RESTRICTED-capable systems - and offer protection against future threats from cryptographically relevant quantum computers. All final decisions on access, setup, maintenance and utilisation are made exclusively by Austrian partners. This means that control remains entirely in European hands - a decisive difference to global cloud providers.

"If we want to utilise the opportunities offered by AI in Europe, we must also preserve our digital independence," continued Strasser. "LENDAIDC shows that we can not only utilise cutting-edge technologies, but also shape them while preserving our values and our European data sovereignty."

With the combination of DELL Technologies' state-of-the-art infrastructure, sustainable energy supply in Lend and fragmentiX's expertise in the field of quantum-safe encryption, Austria is positioning itself as a pioneer for AI, data protection and digital sovereignty in Europe.

"DELL Technologies, as the world's leading provider of secure and scalable AI infrastructure, is a key strategic partner in the Lend AI Data Centre project - LENDAIDC. Through this partnership and with the technical expertise of DELL Technologies, we look forward to the emergence of a strategic AI location for the AI sovereignty of Austria and the growing needs in the EU market.
DELL Technologies achieved an annual turnover of 91.83 billion euros in 2024."

About fragmentiX

fragmentiX Storage Solutions GmbH, based in Vienna, was founded in 2018. The company develops and distributes highly secure storage solutions based on quantum-safe technologies. The core of the fragmentiX portfolio is the combination of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and fragmentiX Secret Sharing - a technology that splits data into several fragments, encrypts them and distributes them to different storage locations. This prevents attackers from ever gaining full access to sensitive data - even if they use stable quantum computers in the future. fragmentiX is a partner in several Austrian and EU research projects and sees itself as a pioneer for digital sovereignty in Europe.