Italian startup iGenius announced plans to build a massive data center in southern Italy by mid-2025. The center, named Colosseum, will house about 80 of the company’s most powerful servers, each equipped with 72 “Blackwell” chips. iGenius CEO Uljan Sharka revealed that the startup, one of the few AI companies in Europe valued at over $1 billion, has raised 650 million euros this year.
The company is securing additional capital for the AI computing system. Unlike its rivals such as OpenAI, iGenius focuses on developing open-source AI software models for chatbots. These models are marketed to banks, healthcare firms, and other industries with strict data security requirements.
The clients operate the models on their own infrastructures. For Colosseum, iGenius has utilized a suite of software tools, including a new NIM tool. NIM functions similarly to an app store for AI models.
This integration allows for the easy distribution of AI models developed with Colosseum.
iGenius plans Colosseum supercomputer facility
Some of these models might feature as many as 1 trillion parameters, a significant measure of AI sophistication.
Businesses using these chips can easily pull these models from the catalog and integrate them into their applications. “With a click of a button, they can now pull it from the catalog and implement it into their application,” Sharka stated. Charlie Boyle, vice president and general manager of DGX systems, noted that Colosseum will be one of the most significant deployments of flagship servers globally.
Multiple software and hardware teams work closely with iGenius to bring the system online. “They’re really building something unique here,” Boyle commented. The Colosseum supercomputer will feature DGX GB200 systems comprising thousands of Grace Blackwell Superchips.
It will be used to build advanced AI applications, including open-source generative AI and large language models exceeding a trillion parameters. Situated in Europe with liquid cooling technology, the Colosseum will operate on renewable energy sourced from Italy. The data center will collaborate to develop AI models supporting financial consulting, patient services, and government planning initiatives.
