Dieter Schwarz, considered by specialized publications as Germany's richest man at 86 years old, is channeling part of his fortune into an ambitious plan: transforming Schwarz Digits into a European alternative to American tech corporations like Google, Amazon, and Apple.
Digital Sovereignty Strategy
This initiative aims to reduce Europe's digital dependence on both the United States and China through investments focused on artificial intelligence (AI), digital security, large-scale data centers, and cloud computing.
The new phase of the Schwarz Group will be materialized in a modern campus located in Bad Friedrichshall, southern Germany, with an official inauguration scheduled for July 21, 2026.
New Campus and Technological Vision
Bernd Wagner, responsible for sales and cloud computing areas at Schwarz Digits, emphasized the scale of the undertaking when presenting the facilities to DW. He highlighted that the construction used 'seven times more steel than was used in the construction of the Eiffel Tower' and 'enough cables to go from here to Naples.'
The Schwarz Digits Campus was designed to accommodate 3,500 employees and offers amenities such as a nursery, restaurant, and gym. Its design evokes the headquarters of major Silicon Valley companies, featuring five multi-story glass buildings with curved shapes and a honeycomb-inspired structure, all built on an elevation. A lake surrounded by green areas and benches is located in the center of the complex.
For Wagner, this project transcends the function of a mere new office, as it represents 'a declaration of intent. We don't need to hide from Google or anyone else.'
From Retail to Technology
Although currently focused on the digital sector, the Schwarz Group accumulated its wealth primarily through the Lidl and Kaufland supermarket chains. The business empire originated in Heilbronn, Dieter Schwarz's hometown. Currently, over 600,000 people work for the group globally.
The company, known for managing a large part of its operations internally, has diversified its activities into areas such as waste management, recycling, and food production, culminating in recent digitalization. In 2025, the Schwarz Group achieved a revenue of nearly 185 billion euros (equivalent to R$ 1.1 trillion), surpassing German companies like SAP, Mercedes-Benz, and Bayer, although only Volkswagen recorded higher revenue among the country's companies.
Search for European Autonomy
Historically reserved, the Schwarz Group rarely allowed its founder to be seen by the public. There are few images of Dieter Schwarz, and reports indicate that he can move through the streets of Heilbronn without being recognized. However, the company is now seeking to project an image aligned with Europe's technological independence.
Wagner commented that 'If you are not at the table, you end up being part of the menu.' Initially responsible for the technological infrastructure of the group's approximately 14,500 supermarkets worldwide, Schwarz Digits began providing digital security and cloud computing services to public entities and private companies.
According to Wagner, the purpose is to strengthen Europe's technological capacity, stating: 'We want to give Europe back its ability to act.' This strategy is already yielding results, with clients and partners including the Dutch government, German ministries, and the German Football Association (DFB).
Additionally, the company is developing a data center in the Spreewald region, south of Berlin, with an investment of 11 billion euros (R$ 64.4 billion), marking the largest individual contribution in the history of the Schwarz Group. The cost of the new headquarters in Bad Friedrichshall was not disclosed, but the complex was designed to retain technology professionals in Germany and attract new talent, offering an alternative to Silicon Valley.
Development in Heilbronn
The transformation led by Dieter Schwarz is also visible in Heilbronn. In the city, the Dieter Schwarz Foundation educational campus operates, which brings together several German educational and research institutions, training approximately eight thousand students, a number expected to increase.
Nearby is Experimenta, classified as Germany's largest science center. This location has become an important symbol of the city, allowing visitors to experience AI technologies and applications in practice. Harry Mergel, mayor of Heilbronn, participated in the creation of Experimenta about twenty years ago, and the Dieter Schwarz Foundation was one of the main funders of the project.
Since 2014, Mergel, the mayor, prefers not to detail information about the businessman, stating that 'Every person has the right to anonymity.'
Innovation and Economy in the City
Urban modernization is also reflected in economic indicators. Heilbronn, which its own residents used to disparagingly call 'Heilbronx', currently ranks as the city with the highest purchasing power in Germany. The increase in residents from India and China also signals the growth of the information technology sector in the area.
In the coming years, the city plans to further elevate its international importance with the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI), a park dedicated to AI innovation, aiming to compete with tech hubs like London and Paris. The complex is expected to house up to five thousand specialists, researchers, and workers, with the first buildings scheduled to open in 2027. Both the Dieter Schwarz Foundation and the Schwarz Group play central roles in this initiative. Although the costs of the IPAI have not been revealed, it has functioned since 2022 as a collaboration network composed of about 140 companies and partners developing AI-related projects. For Harry Mergel, the impact of the project is evident: 'The future is being built in Heilbronn.'
The Challenge Against Giants
Despite the high aspirations, Schwarz Digits is still far from the scale of large American corporations. Amazon, for example, generated US$ 135 billion (R$ 690 billion) just from its cloud computing service last year. Meanwhile, Schwarz Digits reports total revenue of about 2.2 billion euros (R$ 12.9 billion).
Nevertheless, Wagner maintains belief in the growth potential, arguing that Germany and Europe need their own technological solutions. The history of the Schwarz Group supports this conviction: the company is currently the largest retailer in Europe and the fourth largest in the world. Throughout its journey, Dieter Schwarz has demonstrated a preference for long-term strategies and identifying expansion opportunities, qualities that now support his attempt to build a large European technology company capable of competing with industry leaders.
The German company Proxima Fusion received a financial injection of €411 million, equivalent to US$ 468 million, from Google. This investment was announced on Tuesday (7) and is part of a larger strategy to boost the development of a future commercial nuclear fusion plant on the European continent.
Artificial Sun Technology
The technology, nicknamed 'artificial sun,' aims to replicate the energy process that occurs inside stars on Earth. After securing funding, the startup was valued at US$ 2.7 billion. Proxima Fusion plans to build its plant using stellarator technology, one of the methodologies studied to make fusion energy generation viable. The company expects to operate a demonstration unit in the early 2030s, preceding the commercial plant expected at the end of that period.
Global Race and Investors
This investment is part of the global competition for supremacy in the field of nuclear fusion, an energy source that promises to be abundant and carbon-free, although it still faces significant technical obstacles to reach commercial scale. Proxima Fusion's funding round was led by XTX Ventures and East X Ventures, with strategic participation from Google and the energy company RWE. Other investors joining the group include the funds Plural, UVC Partners, Balderton, and Cherry Ventures.
Use of Funds
According to the company itself, the new funds will be used to increase the production of high-temperature superconducting magnets and cables, as well as to finance the development of the essential engineering and manufacturing systems for assembling the stellarator devices. It is important to note that nuclear fusion operates by fusing two hydrogen atoms into a helium atom, releasing a large amount of energy, unlike current nuclear power plants which rely on fission, or the division of atoms.
Executive Vision
Francesco Sciortino, CEO and co-founder of Proxima Fusion, emphasized that Europe is competing with the United States and China for the lead in developing the first nuclear fusion plant. According to him, the financial contribution proves that the European continent has the capacity not only to generate advanced technological innovations but also to form corporations with global reach. The executive added that investors recognize both the urgency and the opportunities inherent in the advancement of this energy technology.
North American Competition
Despite being considered the most capitalized fusion startup in Europe, Proxima Fusion still lags behind certain American companies in terms of total capital raised. Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), based in the United States, raised US$ 863 million in a round conducted last year, totaling US$ 2.9 billion in total funding. Additionally, Helion Energy, supported by Sam Altman, recently received US$ 465 million, totaling US$ 1.5 billion in investments. Google also holds a stake in CFS and established a future energy purchase agreement with the company in June 2025, conditional on the operation of CFS's first commercial plant. In a note on the sector, Google emphasized that nuclear fusion can be a safe, abundant, and clean energy source, but warned that converting this technology into a commercial solution remains a challenge of extremely high complexity and without guarantee of success.
