OVHcloud
OVHcloud, legally OVH Groupe S.A., is a French multinational cloud computing company founded in 1999 by Octave Klaba in Roubaix, specializing in infrastructure as a service, dedicated servers, virtual private servers, public and private cloud solutions, and web hosting services delivered through its global network of data centers.[1][2][3] Headquartered in Roubaix, the company has expanded to operate 43 data centers across four continents, managing approximately 450,000 servers and serving 1.6 million customers in over 140 countries, establishing itself as Europe's largest provider of alternative cloud infrastructure independent of major American hyperscalers.[4][2] In fiscal year 2025, OVHcloud achieved revenue of €1.085 billion, reflecting 9.3% like-for-like growth amid investments in scalable cloud offerings and sovereign data solutions compliant with European regulations.[5] A defining challenge occurred in March 2021 when a fire at its Strasbourg data center destroyed one building and damaged adjacent facilities, rendering millions of hosted websites inaccessible for days and prompting legal claims over data loss, which underscored vulnerabilities in high-density server cooling and fire suppression systems despite the company's subsequent recovery and procedural reforms.[6][7]Company Overview
Founding and Leadership
OVHcloud was founded in November 1999 by Octave Klaba, then a student at the ICAM engineering school in Lille, France, initially under the name OVH to address the demand for affordable, reliable web hosting amid the early internet boom.[1] Klaba, born in Poland in 1975 and having immigrated to France at age 16 without proficiency in French, established the company in Roubaix, northern France, with a vision for high-performance, sovereign European cloud infrastructure independent of dominant U.S. providers.[3] [8] From inception, OVH focused on dedicated servers and shared hosting, bootstrapping growth through self-built data centers to undercut competitors on cost while emphasizing security and uptime.[1] The Klaba family has been integral to OVHcloud's operations, with Octave's relatives Mirosław Klaba serving as R&D Director and Henryk Klaba as R&D Director for Infrastructures, contributing technical expertise that shaped early innovations in hardware and networking.[9] Octave Klaba led as CEO from 1999 until 2018, steering the company through rapid expansion before transitioning to Chairman of the Board to focus on strategy.[10] In October 2025, after OVHcloud surpassed €1 billion in annual recurring revenue, the board unanimously reappointed Klaba as both Chairman and CEO, reuniting the roles to enhance decision-making agility amid competitive pressures in cloud services.[11] [10] The family retains over 80% ownership, ensuring aligned long-term incentives with operational control.[10]Core Services and Products
OVHcloud provides a range of infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and related offerings centered on cloud computing, dedicated hosting, and managed resources, emphasizing open-source technologies, data sovereignty, and scalability. Its core portfolio is organized into four primary "cloud universes": Public Cloud, Hosted Private Cloud, Bare Metal Cloud (dedicated servers), and Web Cloud, which collectively support over 1.5 million customers with services deployable across 30+ regions globally.[12][13] The Public Cloud offering enables on-demand provisioning of virtual resources, including compute instances (virtual machines with up to customizable vCores and RAM), block and object storage for data persistence, and networking features like virtual private clouds (VPCs) with guaranteed bandwidth. It leverages OpenStack for interoperability and includes managed services such as Kubernetes for container orchestration, cloud databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL), and AI/ML tools with over 60 data connectors. Billing is flexible—hourly, monthly, or committed—with deployments in single or triple availability zones, and it maintains ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certifications for security.[14][15] Hosted Private Cloud delivers isolated, dedicated environments for enterprises requiring compliance and control, built on OpenStack or VMware technologies with full resource allocation and 99.9% uptime SLAs. Key features include rapid scaling (under one hour), hybrid/multi-cloud integration with public offerings, and disaster recovery options, qualified under France's SecNumCloud standard for sovereign data handling.[16][17] Bare Metal Cloud consists of physical dedicated servers optimized for high-performance workloads like virtualization, big data, and gaming, with models such as RISE (entry-level AMD/Intel processors) and Advance (premium configurations). Servers deploy in under 120 seconds across 43 data centers, include unlimited traffic (in most regions), 500 Mbps ports with burst options, anti-DDoS protection, and vRack private networking for interconnectivity. Backups provide 500 GB free storage, with SLAs up to 99.99% and support for IPMI/KVM remote management.[18][19] Web Cloud encompasses lighter-weight services like VPS (virtual private servers with up to 8 vCores, 32 GB RAM, and NVMe storage), domain registration, web hosting, and email solutions, aimed at developers and small businesses with monthly billing and easy migration paths to fuller cloud setups.[20][21]Historical Development
Inception and Early Expansion (1999–2010)
OVHcloud was founded in 1999 by Octave Klaba, a 24-year-old engineering student at ICAM in Lille, France, who recognized a demand for affordable web hosting amid the internet's early commercialization in Europe. Born in Poland and having moved to France with his family after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Klaba bootstrapped the company with a loan of 25,000 francs (approximately €3,800 or £3,000) from friends and relatives, initially renting 10 servers in a Paris data center to provide hosting services.[22][1] The venture began as one of Europe's pioneering internet hosting providers, emphasizing self-reliance by reinvesting all profits into infrastructure rather than seeking external funding.[1] From 2000 to 2005, OVH experienced rapid operational scaling, growing from 3 employees and 20 active servers in 2000 to 4,000 servers by 2004. Key innovations included designing custom server casings in 2001, launching in-house production with the Greenbox server in 2002 for cost efficiencies, and introducing proprietary water-cooling systems in 2003 to reduce energy consumption in its first wholly owned data center in Paris (3,000 square meters).[22] In 2004, the company established subsidiaries in Poland and Spain, and acquired a disused industrial site in Roubaix, northern France, for its headquarters and expanded data centers, shifting focus from rented facilities. By 2005, operations spanned over two hectares in Roubaix, with servers relocated from Paris, and Klaba's family members—Henryk, Halina, and Mirosław—joined to support manufacturing and management.[22][1] Between 2006 and 2010, OVH pursued European expansion and technological advancements, opening subsidiaries in Germany (2006), Italy, Portugal, and the United Kingdom (2008), while deploying its own fiber-optic network to interconnect data centers for improved reliability. Server counts surged to 12,000 by 2006 and 37,000 by 2008, alongside launches like VoIP solutions in France and the energy-efficient EcoRoom using natural ventilation in 2007.[22] By 2010, the workforce exceeded 350 employees, customer base surpassed 400,000, and €10 million was invested in R&D, culminating in beta releases of Virtual Bays and Dedicated Cloud services, signaling a pivot toward cloud infrastructure while maintaining vertical integration in hardware production.[22] This period solidified OVH's independence through proprietary technologies and organic growth, avoiding reliance on third-party vendors.[1]Growth and Internationalization (2011–2020)
In 2011, OVH solidified its position as Europe's largest hosting provider, launching its Public Cloud service and the hubic object storage platform while inaugurating the Roubaix 4 data center in France, which supported over 35,000 servers.[22] This domestic expansion underscored the company's scaling efforts amid rising demand for dedicated servers and cloud infrastructure in Europe. By enhancing its Anti-DDoS protection in subsequent years, OVH addressed key reliability concerns, contributing to sustained customer acquisition.[22] Internationalization accelerated in 2012 with the opening of the Beauharnois data center in Canada, targeting North American markets and boasting capacity for up to 360,000 servers, alongside the Alsace (SBG1) facility in France.[22] In 2013, OVH commissioned the Gravelines (GRA) data center, Europe's largest at the time with potential for 300,000 to 500,000 servers, further bolstering its European footprint.[22] Product innovations followed, including the 2014 launches of the "So You Start" entry-level dedicated server line, "Run Above" for high-performance computing, the vRack private network, and the .ovh top-level domain, which diversified revenue streams beyond basic hosting.[22] Funding infusions supported aggressive global outreach: in 2015, OVH raised approximately $327 million for expansion and established an R&D center in Quebec City, Canada, creating 150 jobs.[22] A pivotal $250 million investment from KKR and TowerBrook in 2016 valued the company above $1 billion and enabled the debut of its first U.S. data center in Vint Hill, Virginia.[22] By 2017, OVH extended operations to additional U.S. sites in Vint Hill and Hillsboro, Oregon, opened offices in Reston and Dallas, and entered Asia-Pacific markets with facilities in Singapore and Australia; it also acquired VMware's vCloud Air to integrate hybrid cloud capabilities.[22] Market entry into India in 2018 marked further diversification into emerging economies.[22] The period culminated in strategic repositioning, with a 2019 rebranding to OVHcloud emphasizing sovereign cloud alternatives to U.S. hyperscalers, alongside reorganizing services into public, private, hosted private, and dedicated categories.[22] Revenue grew to €632 million in fiscal year 2020, reflecting broad-based expansion across products and geographies.[23] By then, OVHcloud had established itself as Europe's preeminent alternative cloud provider with a multinational infrastructure spanning multiple continents.[22]Post-IPO and Recent Milestones (2021–present)
OVHcloud completed its initial public offering (IPO) on Euronext Paris on October 15, 2021, pricing shares at €18.50 each, the low end of its indicative range, raising approximately €400 million and achieving a market capitalization of €3.48 billion.[24][25] Shares rose about 6% on debut, reflecting investor interest in the company's position as a European cloud alternative amid data sovereignty concerns.[25] Post-IPO, OVHcloud pursued infrastructure expansion, opening more than 12 new data centers over the subsequent three years to reach 45 facilities by the end of 2024.[26] In 2023, the company entered exclusive negotiations to acquire German cloud provider gridscale, enhancing its edge computing capabilities in Central Europe.[27] By May 2025, OVHcloud expanded its global footprint to 44 data centers with the opening of its first facility in Italy's Milan region, targeting improved latency for regional customers.[28] Financially, OVHcloud reported FY2024 revenue of €993 million, a 10.7% year-over-year increase, driven by growth in public cloud services.[29] In January 2024, the company unveiled its "Shaping the Future" strategic plan, emphasizing accelerated investment in AI-ready infrastructure and European data sovereignty.[26] For FY2025, revenue reached €1.085 billion, up 9.3% on a like-for-like basis, surpassing the €1 billion threshold for the first time, with adjusted EBITDA of €438 million and a margin expansion to 40.4%.[30][31] In October 2025, OVHcloud reappointed founder Octave Klaba as CEO to steer ongoing transformation amid competitive pressures in cloud computing.[31] The company also launched an enterprise-grade Data Platform solution and deepened partnerships, such as with DEEP by POST Group in March 2025, to bolster hybrid cloud offerings.[32] By September 2025, OVHcloud had completed five acquisitions since inception, focusing on storage, high-performance computing, and edge technologies to diversify its portfolio.[33]Business Operations
Infrastructure and Data Centers
OVHcloud maintains a global network of 44 data centers spanning four continents, housing over 450,000 servers to support its cloud services.[34][28] These facilities are distributed across nine countries, including primary hubs in France (such as Gravelines), the United States, Canada, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, and India, with recent expansions like the first data center in Italy opened in May 2025.[35][28][36] The infrastructure incorporates a multi-region architecture with 37 availability zones (AZs), where regions are physical locations containing one or more data centers equipped with redundant power supplies and networking to ensure high availability.[35][37] Three-AZ regions provide enhanced fault tolerance through geographically separated zones, while single-AZ regions focus on localized performance. OVHcloud has also deployed Local Zones in 28 metropolitan areas as of mid-2025, with plans to expand to over 35 by year-end and 100 by 2027, targeting low-latency edge computing in regions like Latin America and Seattle (launched March 2025).[37][38][34] Data centers emphasize energy-efficient designs, including liquid water-cooling systems that enable operation without traditional air conditioning, thereby reducing power usage effectiveness (PUE) ratios.[39][40] As of 2021, 77% of facilities relied on renewable energy sources, with commitments to source high-quality renewables across all sites by 2025 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2030 through strategies like resource optimization, waste elimination (targeting zero landfill by 2025), and circular economy practices.[41][42][43] OVHcloud provides an Environmental Impact Tracker tool for customers to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from their hosted infrastructure, supporting transparency in sustainability metrics.[42][44]Funding, Financial Performance, and Governance
OVHcloud, initially bootstrapped by founder Octave Klaba and his family, secured private investments prior to its public listing, including from the European Investment Bank and CIC Nord Ouest.[45] The company launched its initial public offering (IPO) on Euronext Paris on October 14, 2021, issuing 21.6 million new shares at €18.50 each, raising approximately €400 million in gross proceeds and achieving an initial market capitalization of €3.5 billion.[46] Post-IPO, OVHcloud has pursued debt financing to support expansion, including a post-IPO debt round.[45] Financially, OVHcloud reported revenue of €1,084.6 million for fiscal year 2025 (ended August 31, 2025), marking a 9.3% increase on a like-for-like basis and surpassing €1 billion for the first time.[47] Adjusted EBITDA reached €437.8 million, yielding a margin of 40.4%, up 2.0 percentage points from fiscal year 2024, driven by growth in public cloud services and operational efficiencies.[47] [48] For fiscal year 2024, fourth-quarter revenue was €256.2 million, up 10.6% like-for-like, reflecting sustained demand despite market challenges in hyperscale cloud competition.[49]| Fiscal Year | Revenue (€ million) | LFL Growth | Adjusted EBITDA Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | ~993 (implied) | N/A | 38.4% |
| FY2025 | 1,084.6 | 9.3% | 40.4% |