OpenNebula and Nokia team up on sovereign AI stack for Europe

OpenNebula Systems and Nokia said Aug. 12 they will collaborate on an open European technology stack aimed at supporting sovereign AI deployments and large-scale AI infrastructure. The effort centers on integrating networking and management software to help European operators run AI factories without vendor lock-in.

Why it matters: - The collaboration is aimed at strengthening Europe’s digital sovereignty in AI infrastructure. - The companies are positioning an open, interoperable stack as an alternative to vendor lock-in for sovereign AI deployments. - The work could influence how European AI factories, gigafactories and private AI clouds are built and operated.

What happened: - OpenNebula Systems announced a collaboration with Nokia on Aug. 12, 2026, in Madrid. - The first step is integrating Nokia’s data center networking solutions with OpenNebula’s management platform. - The combined stack is designed to orchestrate compute, GPU, networking and storage resources for new AI Factory deployments.

The details: - OpenNebula brings a vendor-neutral AI infrastructure management platform. - Nokia contributes its data center networking portfolio. - The companies plan technical validation, reference architectures, demonstrations and joint engagement on European sovereign AI infrastructure initiatives. - Targeted initiatives include EuroHPC AI Factories, AI Gigafactories, Neoclouds, HPC environments and private clouds for AI. - OpenNebula Systems’ Head of Systems Engineering Constantino Vázquez said the collaboration is meant to give customers flexibility to choose technologies that fit their needs without vendor lock-in. - Nokia Vice-President Network Infrastructure Europe Matthieu Bourguignon said European AI data centers need infrastructure operators can trust, control and scale with confidence.

Between the lines: - The partnership reflects a broader European push to build homegrown, open digital infrastructure for strategic technologies. - OpenNebula is leaning on its role in sovereign clouds and AI factories, while Nokia is extending its networking play deeper into AI data centers. - The emphasis on openness and independence suggests the companies want to appeal to governments, public-sector buyers and regulated enterprises.

What’s next: - OpenNebula Systems and Nokia plan to continue technical work on the integrated platform. - The companies expect to support European sovereign AI infrastructure efforts through demonstrations and reference designs. - The collaboration is intended to help create an open ecosystem for trusted AI infrastructure across Europe.

The bottom line: - OpenNebula and Nokia are building a combined networking and management layer for sovereign AI, with Europe’s digital independence as the core pitch.