About us
Switch Datacenters is a private entrepreneurial company that made its mark in one of the most competitive datacenter markets in the world by staying focused on innovation and pragmatism. We lead by example.
Our DNA / history
DNA of Switch Datacenters
Switch Datacenters was founded by a group of young entrepreneurs, including Gregor Snip, which were active in the hosting and internet infrastructure business in Amsterdam since 1998. Within a few years this start-up company had developed into a national leading web-provider and later hosting company in the Netherlands. The company had a a large installed base of hardware and software to be run efficiently at low opex. When co-locating their hosting equipment, they soon found out their colocation provider didn’t allow them the entrepreneurial freedom to grow. So they started their own datacenter directly across the road, called Switch Datacenters AMS1, in 2009.
Building and designing its own initial data halls over time and housing in fellow hosting companies caused a continuous need for optimization. This created a wealth of practical and theoretical datacenter construction- and planning knowledge. Switch rapidly turned into a professional datacenter operator and developer and as such attracted larger and more demanding professional customers. Which required at least tier-3 datacenter space and all certifications in place, in 2009.
In 2015 IBM turned to Switch Datacenters for optimizing their own datacenter, which resulted in a sale and leaseback with IBM and Switch Datacenters taking over their DC. Switch upgraded the site to the newest technology / efficiency and now runs it as their well connected, spacious AMS2 retail colocation datacenter.
In 2017 a large global hosting firm reached out to Switch, requiring an own datacenter in central Amsterdam (South East district). Switch found the right location, turned it into a state of the art Tier-3 UTI site and currently runs it on a wholesale with SLA basis (8,6MW IT max). This datacenter is being market under the customer’s name on a white-label basis.
In 2019 Switch was approached by Equinix, with its AM7, a neighbour in the Amsterdam South East district. Equinix was interested to acquire the AMS1 site in cash, which fueled the next phase of Switch Datacenter development and new investors to step in.
In 2020 Switch Datacenters started the development of a large new DC site in between Amsterdam South East and Science Park, referred to as Science Park South. It secured financing , permits and 10MVA connected on site. In 2021 Switch is going to market with a unique new AMS4 site in the heart of the Amsterdam Internet world. Phase 1: 10MVA, up to 7MW IT, RFS Q3 2023.
In 2021 Switch Datacenters, fueled by new capital and senior board members, took a set of large potential datacenter positions in and around Amsterdam. Switch currently works on a 70 – 150 MW IT project, called AMS5, where heat recovery from servers will become mandatory for its customers.
Entrepreneurs driven by curiosity and pragmatism.
Why choose Amsterdam
Why Amsterdam?
Amsterdam has been the home of global trade for many centuries. Canals were replaced by dense fiber networks, Warehouses were replaced by datacenters and market places were replaced by Internet Exchanges and cloud ramps.
In the 16th century Amsterdam was the main storage and trading city for scarce goods from all over the world. The city canals functioned as the physical connectivity between the quays, marketplaces and storage facilities. Currently Amsterdam still holds the same function as a global trading hub. Click on the button below and find out more about why we choose Amsterdam!
Our team
Daily management & operations
Gregor Snip, CEO
Gregor is a long-term IT veteran and CEO / co-founder of Switch Datacenters. Before founding Switch Datacenters in 2009, Gregor was founder and CEO of several companies, amongst them a large hosting company. He brings a long and solid track record in data center site operations, innovation and development and is passionate about IT, technologies and design.
Edgar van Essen, MD
Edgar has a long track record of international leadership in digital IT infrastructure companies across EMEA. During his career, he has always been at the forefront of technological innovation and challenging classic business models. Driven by curiosity, customer needs and with a sharp eye for strategic societal changes, he encourages change and structural growth with a long term positive impact for all stakeholders.
Pieter Duijves, COO
Pieter brings a comprehensive international experience of over 30 years in the IT industry and over 15 years specifically in the data center industry. He held senior leadership pan European positions in AT&T, Global Crossing, HPE and NTT. Among other things he led the professionalisation of data center operations for large (> 300 MW) organisations with demanding hyperscale customers, ensuring a consistent customer experience across more than 20 sites. He was also a pioneer in sustainable innovation producing the first energy reuse concepts serving greenhouse farmers in a former company he founded. Pieter joined Switch Datacenters on August 1, 2023 in the position of COO.
Geurt Woudenberg,
Chief Construction & Engineering Officer
Geurt is responsible for all technical design and actual construction of our data centers. He has over 20 years of highly relevant experience working in senior data center roles both in the construction and consulting industry with reputable companies like HPE, Imtech, Volker Wessels Telecom. In his former roles Geurt already has been building and designing over fifty high end data centers all over Europe working for global leading brands and governmental institutions. Geurt joined Switch Datacenters in March 2019 and leads the many growth and site expansion projects within Switch Datacenters’ sites.
Our team
Non-executive board members
Hans Snel
Hans is a serial entrepreneur in the IT-networking industry. Hans has founded network integrator company Netlink, which he sold to VINCI Energies. Since 2008, he has been active as an investor in B2B SaaS companies, private equity firms and real estate developments. Hans also invested in SecureLink, which has grown into the leading Cyber Security Managed service provider in Europe. SecureLink was later on acquired by Orange Cyber Defense. With his hands-on mentality, Hans is always aiming for rapid growth.
Han de Groot
Han is a serial entrepreneur with a solid background of leading a marketing technology company from start to public exit as Founder, CEO and Board Director. Furthermore, he has a lot of experience in Investing in all stages of enterprise development with a long-term, hands-on approach to investments. Han is also an investor in Stadswaarde, a Dutch real estate development company aiming to redefine the concept of sustainable urban living, contributing to healthy and economically vital cities that offer quality of life to their residents and visitors.
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