Global data center infrastructure provider EdgeConneX has announced a strategic investment in Chayora, a renowned Chinese data center provider. EdgeConneX would benefit from Chayora’s data center services in Beijing and Shanghai, two of China’s largest markets, as well as the capacity to grow Chayora’s platform to additional significant areas across mainland China.
EdgeConneX’s global footprint, when combined with Chayora’s data center offerings in China, now spans 50 markets on four continents, creating a global platform for data center clients looking for hyperlocal edge capacity close to their end users or hyperscale cloud data center capacity tailored to their specific requirements.
“Over the last ten years, EdgeConneX built out its global data center platform by working with our customers to give them the data center capacity where they want it, when they want it and at the scale they want it,” said Randy Brouckman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at EdgeConneX. “As our customers look for solutions in the APAC region, it’s vital that we include a data center presence and team in China. The investment in Chayora provides EdgeConneX customers with an ideal data center partner that can support their digital infrastructure requirements in China. At the same time, the EdgeConneX global platform can support Chinese firms that have international requirements. It’s a win-win for customers as EdgeConneX and Chayora can provide a comprehensive data center platform domestically in China and internationally in any global market that can support a full spectrum of hyperlocal to hyperscale deployments.”
Investing in China
EdgeConneX’s strategic investment in Chayora is a significant step forward for the firm, which had previously received finance from Actis, who will remain a substantial stakeholder in the company when the transaction is completed. Actis’ Asia real estate business invests across Greater China, India, South Korea and South East Asia.
“We are delighted for Chayora to establish this strategic partnership with EdgeConneX through the investment,” said Thomas Liu, Partner of Actis. “As a global sustainable infrastructure investor with a long history of investing in China, we look forward to working closely with the EdgeConneX team to jointly support Chayora’s endeavor in expanding and growing its business in the China data center market.”
Cloud Services, Renewable Energy
Chayora has an existing hyperscale, carrier-neutral data center complex servicing Beijing and a new data center campus in Shanghai that is under development. The buildings on both campuses can scale to over 200MW of IT load with 100% renewable energy, and Chayora also has the option to expand into other prominent Chinese markets. Chayora has all of the necessary licenses to operate and link its data centers, as well as to provide cloud services that are powered entirely by renewable energy.
“China represents the largest and one of the most challenging markets for global digital infrastructure users and through the team we have built in Chayora, we can address all demands, to any scale for the world’s largest data center customers,” said Oliver Jones, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Chayora Holdings. “We are therefore delighted to bring EdgeConneX in alongside our existing institutional investment partner Actis as the global reach and recognition of the EdgeConneX track record and approach will help accelerate our expansion. We are also excited by the investment deal we have agreed in terms of assured capital availability at ‘China-scale’ to suit the characteristics of our principal market. Our team’s values and those of EdgeConneX are a close fit and this will be immensely valuable as we both take a big step forward together.”
Chayora Limited, headquartered in Hong Kong, is wholly-owned by Chayora Holdings Limited, a Cayman Island-based company. Chayora is a Chinese company that develops hyperscale built and operated scalable data centers and data center campuses. Chayora provides cloud services, ICT services, financial services, wholesale colocation, and other services that rely on China’s extensive data center infrastructure to Fortune 500 corporations and Chinese data center operators.
In conjunction with the transaction, Citi served as Chayora’s sole financial advisor.
