Exclusive: New Zealand's most connected data centre eyes rapid growth

Tucked into the heart of Auckland's CBD, Datacentre220 isn't your average tech facility.

In fact, according to CEO Ross Delaney, it's "New Zealand's most connected data centre" - a title which he says isn't just marketing spin, but backed by hard numbers.

"We've just ticked over into 90 network partners in the data centre," Delaney told TechDay during a recent interview.

"That's significant when you consider the next closest facility sits at around 40. It's our true point of difference."

This edge-focused, hyper-connected model means businesses can tap into extensive infrastructure without the need for costly, large-scale investments elsewhere. "They choose us because it makes things a lot more affordable," he said.

"They can make a smaller investment here instead of going and building out across the whole country."

Founded 16 years ago, Datacentre220 has long played a quiet but vital role in New Zealand's digital ecosystem. Now, under Delaney's leadership, the company is coming out of stealth mode, with over 120 customers.

"In many respects, we're New Zealand's best kept secret," he said. "I've had government ministers and global tech companies come through and say, 'How have we not heard about you before?'"

That's changing. Delaney, who took on the CEO role in January, is steering the business through what he calls a "relaunch" - a bold repositioning that includes a refreshed brand, greater public visibility and national expansion.

"You're going to see a lot more of us out there," he said. "Our new look, our voice, our story - we're making sure we're understood in the industry. That's a major focus."

The second big strategic priority is growth, and fast. With rising demand for edge connectivity and modernised infrastructure, Datacentre220 is planning to replicate its Auckland model in new regions.

"We're based in Auckland now, but we're looking to expand rapidly," Delaney explained. "This hyper-connected edge data centre platform is in very high demand."

Third on the list is deeper collaboration with clients already on-site. "It's not just 'bring your stuff in and forget about it'," he said.

"We're working with our tenants and their teams - sales, marketing, strategy - to help them grow too."

The company's location is another unique advantage. Based at 220 Queen Street, the facility sits on top of Auckland's key fibre routes - a site that Delaney describes as "resilient" and "redundant", crucial features for telecom and digital infrastructure providers.

"When people visit, they expect some warehouse in an industrial park. Then we show them this high-rise in the middle of the city - they're always blown away," he said.

It's not just local businesses taking notice. International interest is rising, with major players drawn by the sheer level of connectivity Datacentre220 offers. "We've helped bring some of the biggest international tech brands to New Zealand," Delaney said.

The facility is staffed by a small, tight-knit team of experts with backgrounds across Europe, Asia-Pacific and New Zealand's tech sectors. "It's a great bunch of humans," Delaney said. "They care massively about what we're building here. And they're constantly coming to me with ideas to make it better."

Delaney himself brings experience from the cloud sector and has spent recent months translating that knowledge into the data centre space.

"Cloud lives and dies by connectivity," he said. "So coming in here and seeing our leadership in that space is fantastic."

This leadership is about to become even more pronounced. While Delaney remained tight-lipped on details, he hinted at a major announcement on the horizon. "We're going to be the first data centre in New Zealand to offer a brand-new, completely revolutionary connectivity solution," he said.

The growth Delaney is seeing is, in his words, "hard to keep up with." Demand from both local and international clients continues to accelerate - especially in the face of global economic uncertainty.

"We've got good capacity now, but I want more to keep up with the growth," he said. "Despite the economy, we're still driving really good results."

He also credits recent government policy changes, including new tech investment incentives, as a welcome boost for the sector. "It's starting to pick up. We're seeing forward investment in technology again."

And with AI adoption on the rise, Delaney is seeing a shift in what clients are hosting at the facility.

"One customer's using our data centre to power a generative AI platform that analyses customer sentiment in real-time phone calls," he said. "It's creating analytics that feed directly back into call centres. That's the sort of thing that's growing here."

Datacentre220 is already working with other local facilities to potentially host larger AI infrastructure in future. For now, Delaney says their focus remains on doing what they do best: offering unmatched connectivity.

That commitment hasn't gone unnoticed by government leaders either. "It's blown them away that large American organisations would invest in a New Zealand-owned and operated facility like ours," Delaney said. "It's opened up some really important conversations around the role we play in the economy."

Still, Delaney remains laser-focused on telling Datacentre220's story - and inviting people in. "Come for a tour," he said. "Once people see what we've built, it all clicks."

"The thing that makes us the leader in this market is the connectivity. It's completely different to anything else in New Zealand. That's what sets us apart."