How Erasmus University Found Their Competitive Edge in Sustainable Cloud Infrastructure

The Moment Everything Clicked

For many organizations, choosing a cloud provider is a purely technical decision. For the team at Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics (ECDA), it became something more.

“As soon as I discovered their negative carbon footprint and Dutch origin and ownership, I realized this was different,” recalls the ECDA team. “It aligned perfectly with our focus on supporting the UN’s SDG goals.”

But what started as a sustainability checkbox quickly became something the team actively celebrated—and talked about.

“If Leafcloud disappeared tomorrow? Honestly, we’d miss the bragging rights,” they admit with a smile. “I genuinely like talking about why we chose Leafcloud in our hybrid cloud setup. It’s rare to find a decision that checks every box: technical, financial, and ethical.”

A Cloud Provider That Fits in One Sentence

When asked to describe Leafcloud to a friend, the ECDA team keeps it simple: “A Dutch, sovereign, green cloud provider with very competitive pricing.”

That combination—local ownership, data sovereignty, genuine sustainability credentials, and attractive economics—proved irresistible for an organization at the intersection of data science, AI, and immersive technologies.

Building a Hybrid Cloud That Works

The Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics isn’t just talking about innovation—they’re living it. Their unique structure combines the Data Collaboratory, House of AI, and Immersive Xperience Lab, placing them at the forefront of technical and societal changes.

To support this ambitious mission, they needed infrastructure that could flex with their needs. That’s where Leafcloud came in.

“We have a fully hybrid setup where we mix on-prem compute with Leafcloud’s Object Storage, and can easily scale out to Leafcloud if our own capacity falls short,” the team explains.

The implementation? Surprisingly straightforward.

“Onboarding was pretty straightforward,” they note. “Since we already used Surf Research Cloud, we were somewhat familiar with using OpenStack. The transition felt natural.”

Three Problems Solved

When asked what Leafcloud specifically solved for their organization, the ECDA team identified three critical areas:

1. Flexible and green compute capacity
The ability to scale dynamically while maintaining their sustainability commitments gave them the best of both worlds.

2. Safe and scalable storage for projects and development environments
Object Storage that grows with their needs, without the complexity or environmental guilt.

3. An affordable and reliable way of backing up on-prem virtual infrastructure
Peace of mind that doesn’t break the budget or compromise their values.

Offsetting What They Can’t Eliminate

“Leafcloud helps us offset part of the energy and CO2 emissions we still produce in our lab,” the team shares. While they continue working toward greater sustainability in their on-premises infrastructure, Leafcloud provides an immediate solution for their cloud workloads.

This practical approach—addressing emissions where possible while working on longer-term solutions—reflects the pragmatic innovation that defines ECDA’s work.

The Startup Mentality That Makes a Difference

What surprised the ECDA team most wasn’t a technical feature—it was the human element.

“I love the startup mentality, the fact that you’re so approachable, and everyone’s willingness to help,” they reflect. “It’s not that I was surprised, exactly, but it makes such a difference in daily operations.”

In an industry dominated by faceless hyperscalers and labyrinthine support systems, having direct access to people who genuinely want to solve problems creates a partnership rather than a vendor relationship.

A Team That Changes, A Mission That Endures

There’s something special about ECDA’s organizational structure that makes their cloud needs particularly unique.

“Our team changes every 6-12 months,” they explain. “We have a small permanent staff which we extend with student assistants and interns. This keeps our team diverse and dynamic, and it’s great to enthuse a new generation about data, analytics, and immersive technologies.”

This constant renewal means their infrastructure needs to be intuitive enough for newcomers while powerful enough for advanced research—a balance Leafcloud’s OpenStack foundation and straightforward interface helps them maintain.

The Bottom Line: Competitive Advantage Through Values

The Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics discovered something many organizations are still learning: sustainability and sovereignty don’t have to be compromises. When paired with the right technology partner, they become competitive advantages.

“A Dutch, sovereign, green cloud provider with very competitive pricing”—it’s a simple description that captures a complex value proposition. And for an organization bringing together data, AI, and immersive experiences to shape societal change, it’s exactly the foundation they need.

The bragging rights? Those are just a bonus.

About Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics

The Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics (ECDA) combines the Data Collaboratory, House of AI, and Immersive Xperience Lab at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Their dynamic team—mixing permanent staff with rotating student assistants and interns—works at the forefront of technical and societal innovation, using data, analytics, and immersive technologies to address real-world challenges.

Learn more about their work at ecda.eur.nl

Ready to find your own competitive edge? Whether you’re looking for sustainable compute, scalable storage, or a cloud partner that actually picks up the phone—we’d love to chat.

Get started with Leafcloud | Book a call with our team

Related: