Kouvola, Finland (Enmaeya News) — Kouvola, a small city in Finland, has long struggled with limited job opportunities, prompting many young residents to leave in search of better work in larger cities.

That began to change when the international company Hyperco announced plans to build a data center in Kouvola. The city’s cold climate made it an ideal location, creating new jobs for local residents.

The deal benefited the community and the company. Hyperco paid millions for an empty plot of land, created jobs, and contributed taxes. Kouvola’s mayor, Marita Toikka, told the Sunday Times, “We are especially pleased with the new jobs and the long-term benefits this investment brings to the region’s economy and vitality.”

Initially, the clients of Hyperco’s data center were unknown. Later, it was revealed that ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, would be the first client. The choice raised questions about why TikTok selected Kouvola.

Why Finland?

Finland offers several advantages for data centers. Its cold climate, often near freezing, along with thousands of lakes and access to the icy Baltic Sea, provide natural cooling that helps manage the high temperatures data centers generate.

The country’s political stability and ample available land further make it attractive for such projects.

Major tech companies like Google have invested heavily in Finland. Google operates a large data campus in the southern city of Hamina and has announced plans to invest more than €1 billion to expand it, with total Finnish investments nearing €4.5 billion.

According to the Datacenter Forum, Hyperco plans to invest approximately €200 million over the next few years to build and upgrade data centers in Finland.

Security and Investment Perspectives

The news of ByteDance as a key client led to discussions about security and data management. Some officials have called for thorough assessments of the project’s security risks.

At the same time, others emphasize the economic benefits of such investments, noting the potential for job creation and regional development.