Asset manager Westend Real Assets has acquired two fully operational colocation data centres in Hamburg. The transaction was completed as an asset deal for the portfolio of the specialised AIF HAL Digitale Infrastruktur Deutschland 1. The acquisition increases the vehicle's fund volume to more than EUR 200 million and expands its portfolio to three standing properties.
The acquired properties comprise the Leuchtturm data centre in the Hamburg-Alsterdorf district, built in 2013, and the Rahlstedt new-build in Hamburg-Rahlstedt, completed in 2024. Both properties are let on long-term leases, including to companies in the municipal services sector. IT service provider akquinet serves as the operator of the data centre infrastructure at both locations.
Sustainability profile and expansion potential in Hamburg
The property in Alsterdorf holds a pioneering role regarding ecological standards: it was certified as the first colocation data centre in Germany with the Blue Angel eco-label (DE-UZ 214) by the Federal Environment Agency. In addition, both properties feature structural and technical reserves allowing installed IT capacity to be scaled further should future demand require it.
Patrick Brinker, Managing Director of Westend Real Assets, highlighted the strategic importance of regional colocation units as the foundation of an independent digital infrastructure. Both corporate entities and the public sector are placing increasing value on securing data assets domestically and with national operators. Alongside existing grid connections, the two Hamburg locations provide reliable capacity for future growth.
Fund strategy for institutional investors
The specialised AIF HAL Digitale Infrastruktur Deutschland 1 is Germany's first institutional investment vehicle specifically focused on modern colocation data centres. The investment strategy concentrates on established, fully let assets that offer scope for technical and energy-related upgrades. The fund is open exclusively to institutional investors.
According to Lars Kurtz, Head of Institutional Sales at Westend Real Assets, institutional investors in the current market environment are increasingly seeking predictable cash flows that offer the potential for excess returns compared with liquid asset classes. In particular, organisations with stringent data protection requirements are striving for independence from international cloud corporations, a trend that supports demand for regional data capacities and underpins the fund's performance targets.
