gridscale Cloud Computing: User-Friendly Infrastructure from Germany
gridscale runs data centers in seven European locations, from Frankfurt to Vienna, all Tier 3 facilities powered by green energy. Certified under BSI C5, ISO 27001, and GDPR standards, the platform supports data residency requirements for businesses handling sensitive information. Based in Cologne, this German provider focuses on simplifying cloud deployment for medium-sized companies that need scalable resources without hyperscaler complexity.
Launched publicly in 2015 after a closed beta, gridscale targets users wary of vendor lock-in. Its drag-and-drop interface lets administrators provision virtual machines, storage, and managed services in minutes. Acquired by OVHcloud in 2023, gridscale maintains its independent operations while benefiting from expanded resources. The service handles workloads from web applications to AI training on GPU instances. Pricing follows a pay-per-minute model, with Enterprise Cloud starting at €99 per month. Partnerships with firms like hosttech and Thomas-Krenn.AG extend its reach, particularly in DACH countries.
What is gridscale?
gridscale GmbH started in August 2014 in Cologne, Germany, founded by Michael Balser, Henrik Hasenkamp, and Torsten Urbas. The trio drew from experience serving DAX-listed and Fortune 500 clients, spotting a gap: medium enterprises needed hyperscaler capabilities without the operational burden or lock-in. A prototype followed in early 2015, leading to a closed beta and seed funding in September 2016. The public launch came in October 2015.
Growth accelerated with €7 million in Series A funding in January 2019. The company expanded offices in Cologne-Ehrenfeld and added features like managed Kubernetes in 2020 and GPU support in 2021. Recognitions include ISG Public Cloud Rising Star awards in 2021, 2022, and 2023, plus a Platinum Kubernetes award in 2021. OVHcloud's acquisition in August 2023 bolstered its scale without altering its core focus.
Today, gridscale provides a modular platform for public, private, or hybrid clouds. Users access high-performance VMs, NVMe Rocket Storage, S3-compatible object storage, PostgreSQL/MySQL databases, load balancers, and managed Kubernetes. The Enterprise Cloud includes Hybrid Core Concierge, software for managing hyperconverged infrastructure in on-premises setups. A RESTful API supports automation, alongside 24/7 support and real-time monitoring. Data centers span Germany (Frankfurt, Eichenzell, Hannover, Paderborn), Netherlands (Amsterdam), Switzerland (Gais, Lucerne), and Austria (Vienna).
Who Uses gridscale?
gridscale serves SMEs, enterprises, resellers, and partners mainly in DACH and broader Europe. Use cases span web apps, SaaS platforms, IoT deployments, edge computing, high-performance computing, and AI workloads. Companies value its balance of simplicity and power for production environments.
Notable users include Windcores for scalable operations, Thinxnet (Ryd) for consistent performance under German data rules, otrIS for software expansion, ASMO IT-Systemhaus for ease of setup, hosttech as a Swiss partner, and Linet Services for data protection in projects. Resellers like Thomas-Krenn.AG and Acronis leverage its white-label options. Homeschooling platforms and HPC users also deploy here, drawn by quick provisioning and sovereignty.
European Advantage
Headquartered in Cologne with a German team, gridscale keeps data within EU borders. All seven data centers comply with GDPR, BSI C5, ISO 27001/27017/27018/14001, ISAE 3402 SOC 1 Type 2, and Trusted Cloud. Green energy powers facilities, and location choice—from Amsterdam to Lucerne—meets residency needs. No U.S. data flows reduce compliance risks. Recent certifications like ISAE 3402 SOC 1 Type 2 (2025) reinforce trust for regulated sectors.
How gridscale Compares
gridscale differentiates through its panel's simplicity and HCI focus, appealing to users avoiding command-line heavy providers. Against Hetzner Cloud, it offers more managed PaaS like Kubernetes and databases, though Hetzner edges on raw cost for basic VMs. OVHcloud, its parent, provides larger global scale but less emphasis on drag-and-drop ease. Scaleway suits developer-centric workloads in France, yet gridscale's DACH data centers and BSI C5 certification give stronger sovereignty for German firms. No lock-in and per-minute billing match flexibility across rivals.
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