Transforming energy into innovation: Björn Schmidtke on leading the change

Asunción, Paraguay — June 21, 2024. In an interview with Revista CEO Paraguay, Penguin founder and CEO Björn Schmidtke explains how the Paraguayan holding is turning the country’s challenges into competitive opportunities, and its clean energy into innovation.

The quotes below are translated from the original Spanish-language interview.

A holding built to transform energy into human potential

Penguin operates as a holding that brings together three companies, Penguin Infrastructure, Penguin Lab, and Penguin Academy, under a single mission.

“Penguin Group is a holding whose objective is to transform energy into human potential through the integration of our three companies: Penguin Infrastructure, Penguin Lab, and Penguin Academy. Our vision is to provide advanced, sustainable technological infrastructure to drive Paraguay’s economic and technological development, building a solid base to attract investment and improve local connectivity and technical capabilities.”

Infrastructure rooted in Itaipú

Penguin runs its own substation in Hernandarias, powering a data center that delivers infrastructure and digital services to major clients worldwide: data processing for digital assets, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing. Its position near the Itaipú hydroelectric dam underpins a secure, constant energy supply, and the data center is built with last-generation security and redundancy systems plus specialized 24/7 technical support.

Among its most prominent international clients are Marathon Digital Holdings and Northern Data Group, global leaders in the technology sector.

Training the next generation

For Schmidtke, infrastructure is only half the story. Through Penguin Academy, the company has provided training to more than 3,000 students via its coding bootcamps.

“Technological innovation is the heart of our strategy. It drives us to continuously improve and to seek new ways to transform energy into human potential. Personally, I believe that by investing in technology and in people, we not only improve our services, but also contribute to the sustainable development and economic growth of Paraguay and the region.”

The road ahead: 600 MW and a major solar plant

Looking forward, Schmidtke sees Penguin consolidating as a leader in the technology and energy industry, in Paraguay and beyond.

“We plan to expand our capacity by 600 MW, positioning ourselves as one of the main players in the region, which will allow us to meet the growing global demand for services. We also propose building a photovoltaic plant that will likewise be one of the most significant at a regional level.”

The goal, he says, is to position Paraguay as a global technology hub, with a positive and lasting impact on the community, while staying true to the company’s mission of transforming energy into human potential.

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About Penguin

Penguin develops and operates industrial-scale digital infrastructure in Paraguay, transforming the country’s abundant renewable energy into human potential. Penguin’s flagship site near the Itaipú Dam is powered entirely by 100% renewable hydroelectric energy.

This article is based on an interview with Björn Schmidtke originally published by Revista CEO Paraguay on June 21, 2024.