Stackit, part of Lidl parent company Schwarz Group, will offer local hosting for Google Workspace. Security will be provided by XM Cyber, also part of Schwarz Group.
With the announced partnership, the entire Schwarz Group is switching to Google Workspace. Through its sovereign cloud, user data will remain outside of Google’s hands and within the European Union. Google CEO Sundar Pichai talks about a “new world of sovereign capabilities for European organizations” thanks to the partnership. General Partner at Schwarz Group Gerd Chrzanowski describes Google as a partner that wants to build cloud solutions on equal footing.
It is a striking move from Google, especially if Workspace operates with all the capabilities of the Google Cloud variant for Schwarz Group’s 575,000 employees. However, the aspired target market is limited to highly regulated sectors within Europe, such as financial services, healthcare and the public sector. All data, including backup data, remains within Stackit data centers.
Tip: European alternative to AWS, Azure and Google born within Lidl
Should Google really be willing to hand over a full variant of Workspace in this way, it has a real chance of breaking Microsoft’s hegemony in some EU by offering a real alternative through Stackit. Since the world’s largest public cloud AWS does not have an office suite similar to Workspace or Office 365, it is an opportunity for Google to differentiate itself.
The European public cloud
We have written before about Schwarz Digits, whose cloud division is Stackit. It has been a full-fledged company since Sept. 1 and has only been an option for external customers for two years. SAP and Bayern Munich, among others, are already using this European public cloud.
As mentioned, Stackit is connected to Lidl and Kaufmarkt through parent company Schwarz Group, but it is also a connection it makes implicitly itself. The cloud player touts itself as economically stable “because we always eat,” referring to the fact that supermarkets are guaranteed to bring in money. Stackit also says its support for Lidl and Kaufland is proof of the responsibility the cloud provider can bear.