TikTok Commits €1 Billion to Finland Data Center Under Project Clover

TikTok has begun construction on a new data center in Kouvola, Finland, as part of its broader effort to localize user data within Europe under its Project Clover initiative. The Finnish facility marks the latest step in TikTok’s response to regulatory demands around data privacy and sovereignty.

The Kouvola center is being developed in collaboration with Finnish developer HyperCo Oy. With an investment of €1 billion, it is intended to enhance the capacity for storing European user data locally, rather than transferring it outside the EU. Once operational, the center is expected to generate over a thousand construction jobs at peak build and roughly 200 permanent roles.

TikTok describes the center as a vital component of Project Clover – a €12 billion, 10-year plan aimed at strengthening data protections for more than 175 million European users. Other facilities under the initiative are already active in Norway and Ireland, forming part of what TikTok calls its European “data enclave.” The idea is to bolster adherence to EU regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and to reassure regulators that European user data is managed locally with oversight.

According to Finnish media, TikTok officials clarified that the Kouvola facility will not be used to run AI systems, and will instead will focus on data storage and processing. The location itself was selected for several strategic reasons: Finland offers strong infrastructure, a skilled workforce, cooler climate, and a high mix of clean energy – all relevant for sustainable, reliable data center operations.