Under the terms of the deal, Nokia has become Nscale’s preferred provider of networking technologies for large-scale AI clusters
In sum – what to know:
Nokia named Nscale’s networking partner – Agreement covers data center switching, IP routing, and optical networking for AI-ready clusters across Nscale’s global footprint.
Funding round supports AI build-out – Nokia joins other investors in Nscale’s Series B, targeting scalable, secure infrastructure amid rising AI demand.
Joint innovation and deployment – Companies to co-develop networking stacks optimized for AI clusters and collaborate on global rollout initiatives.
Nokia and Nscale have announced a partnership aimed at accelerating the rollout of AI-ready data centers worldwide, the former said in a release. Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia has become Nscale’s preferred provider of networking technologies for large-scale AI clusters, supporting deployments across the company’s owned and co-located facilities.
Nokia is also joining other investors in Nscale’s Series B funding round, designed to strengthen the build-out of scalable and secure AI infrastructure.
Nscale, headquartered in the U.K. with global operations, offers a vertically integrated platform combining compute, networking, storage, software management, and AI services.
Nokia will contribute networking equipment from its infrastructure portfolio — including data center switching, IP routing, and optical networking — to enable more efficient scaling of capacity, secure data transfer, and improved energy efficiency within AI clusters. Both companies will also collaborate on innovation in networking stacks tailored for AI workloads and on joint global deployment projects.
“Demand for the build-out of secure, scalable AI infrastructure in Europe and across the world continues to accelerate,” said Justin Hotard, president and CEO of Nokia. “Our partnership with Nscale combines Nokia’s expertise in IP and optical networking with Nscale’s platform to enable innovation needed for the future of AI infrastructure.”
Josh Payne, CEO of Nscale, added: “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.”
Earlier this month, Nscale announced plans to significantly expand AI infrastructure in the U.K., working with Microsoft, Nvidia, and OpenAI.
The U.K. firm noted that the commitment includes up to 58,640 Nvidia GPUs across multiple sites, forming part of Nscale’s global plan to deploy 300,000 GPUs.
At the center of the investment is Nscale’s AI Campus in Loughton, which will host the U.K.’s largest AI supercomputer, according to Nscale. The site will deliver 50 MW of capacity, scalable to 90 MW, and will initially house 23,040 Nvidia GB300 GPUs from the first quarter of 2027. As part of the initiative, Microsoft will use the AI facility to support Azure services in the U.K.
