%20.png)
A 100% French company, PHOCEA DC offers a sovereign, regional alternative to current hosting offerings. Thanks to a first funding round, the company will launch an eco-responsible project in the heart of Marseille, a city on track to become the world's fifth-largest internet hub.
Just a few months after its founding in May 2023, PHOCEA DC has raised €5 million from Reflexion Capital, a structure that brings together private investors, both entrepreneurs and family offices. This first funding round will enable the start-up to finance the installation of a next-generation data center with optimized energy performance.
"The data center market is undergoing a major transformation, with many initiatives emerging that are giving France back the keys to the sovereignty of its data. Our goal is to reconcile digital growth with an eco-responsible commitment, while supporting the local economy and regional needs," says Damien Desanti, Founder and CEO of PHOCEA DC.
"The amount of data created each year continues to grow exponentially, with a significant impact on power consumption and data storage. This trend is far from reversing in the coming years, and only an eco-responsible approach can address the issue," says Nicolas Meunier, Founder and CEO of Reflexion Capital.
An urban data center with a reduced carbon footprint
PHOCEA DC's Marseille data center will cover 1,700 m² in the city's 3rd arrondissement, as close as possible to subsea cable connectivity to keep latency to a minimum. It will have 1.2 MW of power. Compliant with the Tier III standard, it will combine reliability and energy efficiency. It will be able to achieve a PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of 1.2. PHOCEA DC's hosting services are intended for local players: local authorities, businesses, operators and managed service providers.
"This energy performance will be made possible by the latest innovations provided by our technology partners, by latest-generation equipment with maximum efficiency, and by our approach of rehabilitating a property that was no longer being put to use," explains Damien Desanti.
A project built on proximity and sovereignty
Located in the heart of Marseille, the project takes a circular economy approach: reusing existing real estate and completely renovating the building that will house the data center.
In addition, the project, fully financed by French investors, uses only French suppliers. "Unlike some of our American competitors, who primarily serve the interests of Big Tech, we will be able to meet the needs and expectations of local businesses," concludes Damien Desanti.
ISO 27001, Health Data Hosting (HDS), PCI DSS and ISO 22301 certifications will be available when the site opens, scheduled for the third quarter of 2024. They will enable local players to consider hosting their data with complete security and in compliance with the regulations they are subject to.
About PHOCEA DC
PHOCEA DC is a sovereign provider of eco-responsible data centers based in Marseille. The company raised €5 million in 2023 to finance its development. The Marseille data center covers 1,700 m² with 1.2 MW of power. Compliant with the Tier III standard, it will combine reliability and energy efficiency. It will be able to achieve a PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of 1.2 and will comply with the upcoming eco-efficiency standards soon to be imposed on the sector. PHOCEA DC's hosting services are intended for local and national players: local authorities, businesses, telecom operators and managed service providers.
About Reflexion Capital
Founded in early 2020 by Nicolas MEUNIER, Reflexion Capital® is an "early growth" investment firm that invests between €3.0 million and €5.0 million in equity in innovative, mainly B2B companies that have chosen sustainable growth after demonstrating the relevance of their offering on the market. Reflexion Capital® brings together a community of entrepreneur-investors and entrepreneurial family offices committed to supporting the development of its portfolio companies.
To date, Reflexion Capital® has built a portfolio of 7 companies: Phocea DC (eco-data centers), Crowdsec (cybersecurity SaaS), Getfluence (marketing marketplace), Mytower, ThePackengers (transport/logistics SaaS), Homeland (proptech SaaS) and Hiway (legaltech/accountech SaaS).
