At the fourth annual The Tech Capital International Finance Forum (IFF25), held May 12–13, 2025, at the historic One Great George Street in London, senior decision-makers, financiers, policymakers, and technologists from nearly 40 from nearly 40 countries convened to explore the transformative intersection of capital and infrastructure across the global digital infrastructure landscape.
The 2025 theme, “Connecting Capital, Creating Future,” set the tone at the forum, inspiring leaders to examine how emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), are reshaping the investment priorities and operational foundations of digital infrastructure throughout the world.
The Age of AI and Infrastructure Realignment
A repeating theme throughout IFF25 was the accelerating impact of AI on infrastructure demand and investment models. Marc Ganzi, CEO of DigitalBridge, gave the Keynote for the event, emphasizing the urgent need for an “ecosystem approach” to AI-era infrastructure. He cited the interdependence of data centers, fiber networks, power systems, and edge computing as a holistic solution – rather than siloed solutions. As a result, Ganzi advocated for strategic partnerships and integrated investment to support AI’s massive computational and latency requirements.
The various panel discussions throughout the two-day event echoed Ganzi’s sentiment. Speakers, including Robin Khuda, Founder & CEO of AirTrunk; Matthew A’Hearn, Head of Digital Infrastructure at Blue Owl Capital; Giovanni Della Pesca, Managing Director, Macquarie Capital; Scott Schaevitz, Managing Director, Barclays Investment Bank; Joe Harar, CFO, EdgeConneX; Byrne Murphy, President of Kite Partners and many other speakers addressed the shifting calculus in deal-making, financing, and project development. With AI training and inference workloads demanding unprecedented scale and energy, conversations shifted toward future-proofing investments—considering not just ROI, but resilience, sustainability, and geopolitical risk.
A Global Outlook with Localized Strategies
The various attendees, including a multitude of investors and operators offered regional insights that underscored a shared ambition to scale digital infrastructure sustainably. However, it was emphasized this must be done locally to meet the unique challenges and strategies of each unique market. With nearly 40 countries represented, including delegations from APAC, EMEA, and the Americas shared various case studies in power procurement, regulatory navigation, and green financing solutions. One of the highlights of the event included the exploration of sovereign investment strategies and how governments are co-investing in national digital infrastructure as a matter of competitiveness and security.
As the event unfolded, sustainability was a continual theme, with participants urging for more robust ESG reporting and greater collaboration with the financial sector to align infrastructure development with planetary goals. A few presented highlighted innovative financing mechanisms for green data centers, carbon-neutral campuses, and AI-optimized resource allocation.
Recognizing Excellence: The Tech Capital Global Awards 2025
As part of the IFF25 program, The Tech Capital hosted its annual Global Awards, honoring standout achievements across the digital infrastructure ecosystem. Among the top honors:
- EdgeConneX won Digital Infrastructure Deal of the Year for Project Wahoo.
- Scala Data Centers received the Planet Friendly Finance Award for its green funding initiatives.
- ST Telemedia Global Data Centres was recognized for its strategic capital raise.
- Princeton Digital Group’s development in Johor earned the Location Award, showcasing how strategic site selection is gaining new prominence in a data-driven world.
Individual achievements were also celebrated. Michael Tobin OBE received the Lifetime Achievement Award, while Schneider Electric’s Pankaj Sharma was named Global Digital Infrastructure Leader of the Year. These accolades reflect the industry’s growing acknowledgment of both innovation and long-term stewardship.
What’s Next: IFF26 on the Horizon
The 2025 forum concluded with an eye toward the future. The Tech Capital announced that IFF26, marking the fifth anniversary of the event, will return to London in 2026 with even more expansive programming. Expectations are high, especially as digital infrastructure continues to evolve from a support function to a central pillar of economic growth and national strategy.
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