PoliCloud, a provider and developer of next-gen, sovereign, High Performance Computing (HPC) cloud infrastructure, closed €7.5 million seed fundraise. PoliCloud provides state-of-the-art distributed cloud infrastructure for secure storage and HPC. The company offers a solution that is eco-friendly, affordable, widely available, and secure.
It meets the sovereignty needs of enterprises, public institutions, and local SMEs. Thanks to its partnership with Hivenet, a leader in distributed cloud and host of the largest contributor community, it also enables decentralised computing at the edge.
PoliCloud is addressing rising demand driven by steady global cloud growth of around 20% annually. As AI adoption accelerates, there's a growing need for affordable, scalable computing power.
David Gurlé, Founder of PoliCloud, said:
PoliCloud is meeting a critical market demand for sovereign cloud infrastructure that is not only secure and abundant but also eco-responsible. Our unique edge computing capabilities deliver significant benefits to both public and private sector users.
The time is right for a new European solution that reduces reliance on US cloud providers and offers affordable, scalable computing power, especially as AI adoption accelerates. We are grateful to Global Ventures and all our investors for their support as we enter this exciting phase of expansion.
Today’s cloud growth is hindered by high usage costs and heavy reliance on hyperscalers like Google and Amazon, whose centralised data centre models come with steep implementation costs and significant environmental impact.
PoliCloud offers a solution to key market inefficiencies. The operating model combines its hardware and infrastructure with Hivenet’s distributed storage and computing software. PoliCloud designs, builds, and operates its own computers and micro-data centres, with proprietary and optimised design, to ensure low-cost, high-performance storage and computing on state-of-the-art hardware.
The funding was led by Global Ventures, with participation from MI8 Limited, OneRagtime, Inria, France’s National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology, and other private investors.
Simon Sharp, Senior Partner at Global Ventures, shared that they are thrilled to lead PoliCloud’s seed round and partner again with David and his skilled team, building on their successful track record with Hivenet:
We seek visionary entrepreneurs whose products have clear market demand and global potential – all of which apply to PoliCloud. Their distributed data centers have multiple competitive advantages: delivering next-gen, sovereign computing resources where they are needed; with more resilience; faster performance; greater security; while being cheaper to build and maintain. The exponential growth in AI demand and the need for reliable, scalable computing power means the companys future is a very bright one.
Both Stéphanie Hospital, Founder & CEO of OneRagtime and Guillaume Dhamelincourt, Managing Director of Mi8, see PoliCloud as a timely and impactful solution to the rising global demand for affordable, secure, and sustainable computing power. Stéphanie Hospital commented:
OneRagtime is excited to invest in PoliCloud. The company is uniquely positioned to provide decentralised, unlimited computing power – affordably, securely and in an eco-responsible way – for which substantial demand exists.
Guillaume Dhamelincourt added:
The opportunity to invest in PoliCloud was compelling for Mi8, as the world embraces AI and rapidly adjusts its demand for computing power. The multiple use cases for PoliClouds, such as SMEs - but also public enterprises who want to stay mindful of their IT strategy's impact- is an attractive market environment and we look forward to PoliCloud’s future growth with great confidence.
Bruno Sportisse, CEO of Inria, expressed that investing in PoliCloud is a natural step for Inria Participations, building on its established strategic partnership with Hivenet, adding:
Inria and PoliCloud share the same philosophy of a decentralised path to the cloud, for secure, distributed computing, but where resources can also be shared according to need. Achieving this goal is of strategic importance for France and its digital sovereignty.
PoliCloud was launched in February 2025 at the World AI Cannes Festival (WAICF), with support from the five cities of the Alpes-Maritimes.
The new funding will support team expansion and global growth, with a particular focus on serving public sector clients across Europe.
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