Elly Yates-Roberts |
Microsoft will launch a new cloud and data centre region in Austria to accelerate the country’s innovation and technological expertise. Microsoft’s investments could generate $2.1 billion for the local economy and reskill 120,000 citizens by 2024.
“[This] marks a major milestone for Microsoft in Austria,” said Brad Smith, President of Microsoft. “This announcement represents much more than building data centres. It is an opportunity to bring to Austria the technology needed for people, businesses and government agencies to reimagine and transform their operations, grow their enterprises, and gain new digital skills.”
Microsoft says that the new cloud region “will pave the way for local companies, start-ups and institutions to fully utilise the potential of cloud computing, while maintaining the highest cybersecurity, data residency and compliance standards”. Organisations in Austria will be able to access cloud services including Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform, which will provide new capabilities in data analysis, business intelligence, artificial intelligence and the internet of things. The data centre region will also help businesses comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.
In addition to the cloud and data centre regions, Microsoft will work with the Austrian government’s Ministry of Digitalisation to launch a Center of Digital Excellence, which Microsoft says aims to modernise the Austrian IT infrastructure, public government services and employee digital transformation skills.
To ensure citizens are equipped with technological knowledge, Microsoft will also create a skilling programme with the Austrian Public Employment Service to train 120,000 individuals by the end of 2024.