Media Release
NEXTDC Goes Live with KL1 Kuala Lumpur, launching Strategic AI-Ready Data Centre in Southeast Asia
- First international AI Factory, marking NEXTDC’s expansion into Southeast Asia
- KL1 Kuala Lumpur will strengthens Malaysia’s role as a regional hub for AI, cloud, and digital innovation.
- Delivers AI-ready infrastructure built on Tier IV design requirements, the new benchmark for resilience and performance in Malaysia.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – 14 MAY 2026 - NEXTDC Limited (ASX: NXT), Australia’s leading digital infrastructure provider, today announced the official launch of KL1 Kuala Lumpur, its first international data centre, establishing a strategic platform to support the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital services across Southeast Asia.
Located in the Klang Valley, Malaysia’s primary business and technology hub, KL1 represents a AUD$1 billion (approx. RM2.8bn) long-term investment and marks a significant milestone in NEXTDC’s evolution from a national digital infrastructure provider to a regional leader for mission-critical infrastructure platforms.
Purpose-built to support the next generation AI and high-performance computing, KL1 Kuala Lumpur has been designed to deliver 65MW of IT capacity and incorporates NEXTDC’s globally recognised Tier IV design principles, with KL1 Kuala Lumpur set to become the first Uptime Institute Tier IV-certified data centre in Peninsular Malaysia. The facility supports the high-density, always-on environments required for AI and advanced digital workloads.
As demand for AI accelerates, organisations are increasingly navigating the challenge of scaling technology at speed while maintaining control, resilience and governance. KL1 Kuala Lumpur has been engineered to address this shift, providing a secure, high-performance environment where organisations can scale AI capabilities while maintaining operational certainty and sovereign compliance.
NEXTDC Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Craig Scroggie said the launch reflects a structural shift in how digital infrastructure is being designed and deployed globally.
“We are in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and AI is redefining the requirements of critical infrastructure. The challenge is no longer access to technology, but the ability to deploy it at speed, at scale, and within sovereign governance frameworks.
KL1 Kuala Lumpur has been purpose-built to meet the needs of the market - providing a high-performance, sovereign-ready environment where customers can run next-generation compute workloads with confidence. This is not only about entering a new market. It is about NEXTDC establishing infrastructure platforms in the locations where customers need to operate, connect and scale in the AI economy.”
KL1 Kuala Lumpur extends NEXTDC’s AI-ready, ecosystem-led model into Southeast Asia, enabling customers to access a broad network of cloud providers, carriers and technology alliances. This model reduces complexity for organisations expanding into the region, providing immediate access to the connectivity, platforms and services required to support digital transformation and innovation.
Malaysia is emerging as a strategic destination for digital infrastructure investment in Asia, supported by strong economic growth, increasing enterprise demand and government-led initiatives to accelerate AI adoption. Positioned at the centre of this ecosystem, KL1 Kuala Lumpur provides a natural hub for organisations seeking to operate across Southeast Asia while maintaining control over data, infrastructure and regulatory requirements.
Beyond infrastructure, KL1 Kuala Lumpur is expected to act as a catalyst for broader economic activity, supporting digital industry growth, attracting investment and contributing to the development of Malaysia’s technology workforce through ongoing skilling and ecosystem partnerships.
Minister of Digital Gobind Singh Deo said, "the launch of NEXTDC’s KL1 facility is a significant milestone in our mission to establish Malaysia as the premier digital hub of Southeast Asia and a key driver of the regional AI economy. As we advance toward our AI Nation 2030, facility such as KL1 is essential to provide the resilience, security and scale required for the next generation of cloud-driven innovation.
This RM2.8 billion (AUD$1 billion) investment not only reinforces global investor confidence in our digital ecosystem but also ensures that Malaysia remains at the forefront of the global value chain. The Ministry of Digital remains committed to supporting such strategic partnerships that act as catalysts for high-value job creation, digital talent development and sustainable economic growth for all Malaysians."
Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Danielle Heinecke said, NEXTDC, like many Australian companies, is a reliable and long-term investor in Malaysia, committed to building a sustainable digital economy sector in Malaysia, with Malaysia and for Malaysian customers.
NEXTDC’s KL1 represents an approximately RM2.8 billion (A$1 billion) long-term investment in Malaysia’s digital economy. A 65MW facility, KL1 provides strategic, energy-efficient and AI-ready infrastructure to support Malaysia’s AI and high-performance computing customers.
The Australian Government is supporting investors like NEXTDC in Southeast Asia under Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.
NEXTDC’s expansion into Malaysia also strengthens the broader Australia–Asia digital corridor, enabling Australian organisations to expand their operations in the region with a trusted infrastructure partner, while reinforcing Australia’s position as an exporter of high-performance, sovereign-grade digital infrastructure capability.
NEXTDC: Where AI Thrives!
If you would like to learn more about KL1 Kuala Lumpur, connect with our team, or book a tour to experience one of Malaysia’s most advanced AI-ready data centres, visit this page.
#AI #Innovation #NEXTDC #FutureTech #aifactories #whereailives #whereaithrives
ENDS
About NEXTDC
NEXTDC is an ASX 100-listed technology company and Asia’s most innovative Data Center-as-a-Service provider. We are building the infrastructure platform for the digital economy, delivering the critical power, security and interconnection capability for global cloud computing providers, enterprise and government.
NEXTDC is recognised globally for the design, construction and operation of Australia’s only network of Uptime Institute certified Tier IV facilities, and the only data center operator in the Southern Hemisphere to achieve Tier IV Gold certification for Operational Sustainability. NEXTDC has a strong focus on sustainability and operational excellence through renewable energy sources and delivering world-class operational efficiency. Our data centers have been engineered to deliver exceptional levels of efficiency and the industry’s lowest Total Cost of Operation through NABERS 5-star energy efficiency. NEXTDC as a company has been a certified carbon neutral organisation under the Australian Government’s Climate Active program.
Our Cloud Center partner ecosystem is Australia’s most dynamic digital marketplace, comprising >700 carriers, cloud providers and IT service providers, enabling local and international customers to source and connect with cloud platforms, service providers and vendors to build complex hybrid cloud networks and scale their critical IT infrastructure services.
For more information please contact:
NEXTDC Media Team
nextdc@havasred.com