Nokia has partnered with UK-based Nscale to accelerate the build-out of AI-ready data center infrastructure worldwide. Under the agreement, Nscale has selected Nokia as a preferred networking partner for its global deployments, integrating Nokia’s data center switching, IP routing, and optical networking solutions into hyperscale AI cluster designs. The collaboration will focus on enabling high-performance, secure, and energy-efficient connectivity inside and across data centers.
In addition to the technology partnership, Nokia has joined other backers in Nscale’s Series B funding round. Nscale operates as a vertically integrated AI-native infrastructure platform, providing compute, networking, storage, managed software, and AI services through both its owned and co-located data centers. With AI infrastructure demand rising across Europe and globally, the partnership aims to accelerate Nscale’s expansion and strengthen the networking stack used in next-generation AI clusters.
The two companies also plan to co-develop new innovations in the networking layer for AI workloads and coordinate global deployment initiatives. This positions Nokia as a key technology supplier in Nscale’s international build-out, while aligning its own strategy of advancing IP and optical networking in AI-driven data center environments.
• Nscale designates Nokia as preferred networking partner for AI-ready data centers
• Nokia invests in Nscale’s Series B funding round
• Collaboration targets AI cluster networking stack innovation and joint deployments
• Nokia portfolio spans switching, IP routing, and optical networking for scale-out AI clusters
• Partnership supports global expansion of Nscale’s AI-native infrastructure platform
Josh Payne, CEO of Nscale, said: “We are focused on building the next generation of AI infrastructure, and strong partnerships are central to that effort. Nokia brings proven expertise in networking technologies, and we are pleased to have them as a partner as we expand across Europe and globally to help customers unlock the full potential of AI.”
🌐 Analysis: This partnership underscores the accelerating competition to secure leadership in AI-ready data center infrastructure. For Nokia, the deal aligns with its broader push into cloud networking and strengthens its positioning following the recent integration of Infinera into its portfolio. For Nscale, the move builds momentum after earlier partnerships with NVIDIA and OpenAI-linked initiatives in the UK and Middle East, signaling its ambition to be a major global AI infrastructure provider.
Nscale, headquartered in the UK, positions itself as an AI-native infrastructure platform built specifically for the scale-out requirements of generative AI workloads. The company integrates compute, networking, storage, managed software, and AI services into a vertically unified model. Its approach combines Nscale-owned data centers with co-located facilities, giving customers flexibility to expand capacity quickly while maintaining full-stack control. By embedding networking, orchestration, and AI frameworks into a single delivery platform, Nscale aims to simplify deployment and accelerate time-to-value for enterprise and hyperscale clients.
The company has gained visibility in 2025 through a series of strategic partnerships and announcements tied to global AI infrastructure expansion. Earlier this year, Nscale outlined plans for large-scale data center projects in the UK and Abu Dhabi, linked to collaborations with NVIDIA and OpenAI initiatives. These projects position Nscale as a rising competitor to established hyperscalers by targeting specialized, AI-optimized infrastructure rather than general-purpose cloud. Its Series B funding, now supported by Nokia and other investors, marks a significant milestone as it scales operations to meet the multi-gigawatt capacity demands driving the next wave of AI data centers.
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