Led by Frankfurt partner Dr. Torsten Rosenboom, the global law firm Hogan Lovells advised Cadwalader Cube Infrastructure Managers on the sale of firstcolo to CVC DIF. The transaction is expected to close by the end of September 2026 and is subject to customary conditions.

firstcolo was founded in 2007 and is one of the established data center and infrastructure partners in the Frankfurt metropolitan region. The company operates two data centers in the region and supports more than 350 customers with colocation, dedicated hardware, cloud and connectivity services. The business model combines high-availability, certified infrastructure with direct technical support and personal contacts.

Since the acquisition of firstcolo by Cube Infrastructure Managers in November 2022, the company has significantly strengthened its market position. Working closely with the management team, Cube Infrastructure Managers has supported the growth of the platform, nearly doubling adjusted EBITDA and preparing the company for the next phase of expansion.

The initial focus is on the FRA7 greenfield project in Rosbach vor der Höhe in the Frankfurt metropolitan region. The site will have a total capacity of up to 24 MW or up to 16 MW of IT load and will be designed for demanding AI, high-performance computing and cloud workloads. FRA7 is planned from the outset as an AI-ready data center.

The property, power supply, permits and implementation via a turnkey construction concept have already been secured. In addition, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader has a partnership with the regional energy supplier OVAG, which secures the site's energy supply and enables the use of data centre waste heat for regional heating networks.

FRA7 forms an important basis for the continuous development of firstcolo's high-performance data center platform. The project is expected to strengthen the company's capabilities to provide AI-ready and energy-efficient infrastructure and feed into the further development of potential locations in the greater Frankfurt area as well as other attractive German locations. Over time, firstcolo aims to scale its platform according to customer demand and market opportunities.

Hogan Lovells Cadwalader Team for Cube Infrastructure Managers

Dr. Torsten Rosenboom (Partner), Tobias Flasbarth, Andreas Thun (both Counsel), Sebastian Kummler, Dr. Jonas Palme (both Senior Associate), Leon Hofmann (Associate), Nicolas Persch (Senior Business Lawyer), Lena-Marie Weiß (Business Lawyer) (all Corporate / M&A);

Dr. Heiko Gemmel (Partner), Jan-Niklas Möller (Associate) (both Tax);

Elena Platte (Senior Associate, Real Estate);

Dr. Tobias Faber, Dr. Carla Luh (both partners), Dr. Florian-Alexander Wesche (Senior Counsel), Katharina Rath, Dr. Alexander Wandt (both Counsel), Lina Sophie Makrutzki, Dr. Marzieh Rad, Julian Schulz, Tobias Schwalm (all Associates) (all Infrastructure, Energy, Resources & Projects);

Prof. Dr. Fabian Pfuhl (Counsel), Felix Ackermann (Senior Associate) (both Intellectual Property);

Dr. Marc Schweda (Partner, Antitrust);

Damian Sternberg (Counsel, Public Law);

Dr. Tim Gero Joppich (Partner, Employment).