AI is driving data centre expansion – but infrastructure doesn’t deliver projects, people do
Michael Sundquist, CEO, Cool Company
AI-driven demand is accelerating data centre expansion across Sweden and the Nordics. Energy, land and infrastructure are often seen as the key enablers of this growth.
But infrastructure alone doesn’t deliver projects. People do. And how those people are brought in, get started and work on site is often what determines success.
The reality behind large-scale data centre projects
Large-scale data centre projects depend on international expertise.
Contractors, engineers and specialists are brought in from across Europe and beyond, often through multiple partners and suppliers.
From a market perspective, this creates significant opportunity. But it also introduces a level of operational complexity that is often underestimated.
According to Michael Sundquist, Cool Company’s CEO, this is where projects often begin to lose momentum.
“The challenge is not finding the right people – it’s getting them in place, operational and properly integrated into the project from day one.”
Where projects start to break down
1. Time to get people on site and up to speed
Even when the right expertise is available, delays in employment setup, onboarding and compliance can slow down project start.
2. Teams spread across too many partners
International teams are often engaged through several suppliers, reducing visibility and increasing complexity.
3. Navigating local rules and requirements
Swedish and Norwegian regulations, tax obligations and employment structures require local handling from day one – something many international actors underestimate.
As projects scale, these challenges tend to compound, creating delays, increasing risk and making execution harder to control.
Understand how to get your team up and running in Sweden or Norway:
Why getting people in place matters
This is where it becomes critical to get teams up and running the right way.
An Employer of Record (EOR) solution makes it easier to bring in international talent and have them working locally from day one.
It takes care of employment, payroll, tax and reporting – while allowing project teams to stay focused on delivery.
A partner for execution
At Cool Company, we support international companies and recruitment partners involved in large-scale projects in Sweden and Norway.
With over a decade of experience working with Employer of Record solutions, we have seen how important it is to get people in place the right way for successful project execution.
“We’ve been working with international talent and cross-border projects since 2009. Over time, we’ve seen that success rarely comes down to access to people – but rather how those people are brought in and supported locally.”
We help teams get started, work compliantly and operate smoothly from day one.
This creates predicability across projects – while reducing complexity for all parties involved.
Conclusion
As data centre investments continue to grow, success will not be defined by infrastructure alone.
It will be defined by how people are brought in, supported and able to perform on the ground.
If you are planning or supporting data centre projects in Sweden or Norway, it is worth understanding how the right setup can be put in place from the start.
//Michael Sundquist, CEO, Cool Company
