The Finnish Data Center Association (FDCA) commissioned Ramboll to conduct a comprehensive market study on the impacts of the data center industry in Finland. To make the findings count, FDCA needed the key insights delivered clearly and accessibly to policymakers, media, and the public. Netprofile made a concise and visually compelling summary that explains why data centers have become critical infrastructure for the digital economy – and what kind of economic, energy market, and employment impacts the industry generates.

The rapidly growing role of data centers created a need for a clear and reliable overall picture 

Data centres are critical infrastructure for the digital society, underpinning the operations of banks, healthcare, public authorities, communications networks and corporate systems. At the same time, artificial intelligence, automation, and cloud services are driving demand for capacity at an unprecedented pace, bringing the data center industry into sharp political and economic focus. 

FDCA recognised the need for a clear, decision-oriented overview of what the data center industry means for Finland. In spring 2025, FDCA launched a project to compile essential information about the data centre industry and provide easily usable material for decision-makers, the media and other stakeholders. The project also strengthened FDCA’s societal role. 

Ramboll’s extensive market research laid the foundation for a shared understanding of the industry’s potential 

The project began with a comprehensive market study and impact modelling carried out by global engineering, architecture and consultancy company Ramboll. The study covered the economic, employment, energy, and environmental impacts of data centers, as well as the investment outlook in Finland. It identified a market potential of over 30 billion euros and highlighted the rapidly expanding role of data centers in meeting the computational demands of artificial intelligence. 

Ramboll served as the primary project lead, producing the analysis, data, and insights on which Netprofile based the summary of the report, Unlocking Finland’s Data Center Potential. Netprofile was responsible for packaging the research findings for communications and for preparing FDCA’s communications plan, as well as managing the practical execution of its own workstream, while also strongly supporting the smooth progress of the overall project. 

Both the market study and the summary report were the result of broad collaboration, bringing together Finnish and international data center experts, technology companies, and representatives from the energy, real estate, and infrastructure sectors. This multi-stakeholder approach produced a holistic picture reflecting the perspectives of both global players and Finnish regional actors. 

Netprofile turned research findings into a visual, decision-supporting publication 

Netprofile’s core responsibility was to produce a summary report that cut through the complexity of the topic and landed the key messages with the right audiences. This meant hands-on content planning to translate the key findings into resonant messages and facilitating review rounds with both FDCA’s membership and Ramboll’s experts. 

Our team designed the publication structure and produced the texts, visualisations, and layout in line with FDCA’s visual identity. The infographics were based on Ramboll’s modelling outputs – employment and tax impact figures, investment outlook projections, and energy market development data – and brought them to life visually. The summary report was produced in both Finnish and English. 

The aim was to make data center information genuinely accessible, also to policymakers encountering the topic for the first time. The result was a clear and compelling package that distils an extensive factual foundation into insights that are easy to grasp and hard to ignore. 

The publication put the data center industry on the agenda and strengthened FDCA’s role as a societal influencer 

Unlocking Finland’s Data Center Potential launched in Helsinki in September 2025. Since then, its Finnish and English versions have been widely distributed to decision-makers and the media, increasing understanding of the role and economic impact of the data centre industry in Finland. FDCA’s experts have presented the findings at numerous industry events, and the document has been widely distributed to ministries, public authorities, and international stakeholders. 

The market study and summary report have strengthened FDCA’s position as a trusted expert organization and created a solid foundation for advancing the data center conversation in Finland at a time when digital infrastructure has never mattered more. 

“The project was a multi-phase effort involving a wide range of experts. Throughout the process, Netprofile worked flexibly and professionally, successfully condensing an extensive body of research into a clear and easy-to-understand summary. The end result is of high quality and serves our goals extremely well by enabling constructive, fact-based dialogue with decision-makers and the media about the data centre industry.” 

– Eero Lindqvist, Board Member, FDCA