Rio de Janeiro formalized the first round of investments for the construction of data centers focused on artificial intelligence in the city. According to Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere, the North American fund I Squared Capital invested US$550 million in the company’s digital infrastructure platform Elea Data Centersresponsible for implementing the Rio AI Citya data center complex planned for the Olympic Park, in Barra da Tijuca.
The proposal of the Rio AI City is to build an infrastructure with capacity for 3.2 gigawatts by 2032, which would place Rio among the ten largest global AI hubs. “RJ has all the necessary conditions to be a strong AI center,” said Cavaliere during a press conference at Web Summit Riociting the combination of skilled labor, connectivity and abundant water and energy.
One day before the press conference, at the opening ceremony of the Web SummitCavaliere signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the language ea Companhia Carioca de Parcerias e Investimentos (CCPar)formalizing institutional cooperation for the implementation of the complex. The City Hall acts as an institutional partner in the project, not as a recipient of the funding.
Workforce for AI
O Rio AI City It is part of a broader human capital formation strategy. The mayor cited the expansion of Educational and Technological Gymnasiums (GEDs) — already present in 312 of the 1,600 municipal schools — as a basis for preparing the workforce that will operate this ecosystem.
Cavaliere also mentioned the partnership with IMPA for a mathematics college aimed at public school students from all over Brazil, and highlighted that Rio de Janeiro was the capital that made the most progress in the Basic Education Development Index (Ideb) of 2024. In the mayor’s assessment, the combination of physical infrastructure and qualified human capital differentiates Rio from other centers vying for investment in AI.
The mayor also recalled that RJ is already home to large companies such as Stone e VTEXboth unicorns that were born in the city, as evidence that the local technology ecosystem has a history of generating relevant business. “We will attract more funds, entrepreneurs, funds and investments to generate technology opportunities,” said Cavaliere.
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