Scaleway: My Journey from Hardware to the Cloud
Back when “cloud computing” was still catching on, I was tinkering in a hardware R&D lab. We had this crazy idea of building a tiny, powerful computer using ARM processors—not just for experimentation but to rent out like traditional dedicated servers. And unlike the massive, power-hungry systems of the time, these were lean, efficient, and packed with potential.
I spent months automating hardware processes, crafting a system that mimicked the flexibility of virtual machines: attachable disks, reconfigurable networking, CPU allocations, and even dynamic boot configurations. With 912 servers fitting neatly into a single rack, weighing less than a ton, and pulling only ~4kVA, scaling up was no longer a logistical nightmare. It was a new kind of power—and it needed a new kind of platform.
The Pitch That Changed Everything. I pitched the idea of turning this hardware innovation into a cloud computing platform to my boss. Together, we convinced the group’s board to back it. Suddenly, I was no longer just an engineer—I was a CEO with a budget, a mission, and a blank canvas.
We secured a new office, hired 16 incredible engineers, and went into stealth mode. Over the next two years, we built everything from scratch: the tech stack, logistics, admin processes—everything needed to launch a cloud service. And when we launched, it wasn’t just another cloud platform. It was the first ARM-powered cloud platform, a pioneer in combining dedicated servers with cloud computing concepts.
Breaking New Ground. We became the go-to infrastructure for programming languages, operating systems, and package managers that needed multi-architecture support. Docker on non-Intel architectures? We were there. ARM-powered servers in production? That was us. The flexibility of our infrastructure made us an early favorite for experimentation and innovation.
Over time, we expanded beyond ARM and started offering virtualization, bringing more “liquid” and flexible services to our customers. We bridged the gap between IAAS (Infrastructure as a Service) and PAAS (Platform as a Service), providing a richer ecosystem for developers and businesses.
The Decision to Move On. After years of building and leading Scaleway, I felt the itch to step out of the safety net of intrapreneurship and dive into a full entrepreneurial experience. That’s when I left to start Wulo, a nonprofit project that taught me new lessons about fighting giants and tackling systemic issues.
Today, Scaleway has over 600 engineers and continues to grow as one of Europe’s leading cloud providers. I still get a kick when someone recognizes my old code powering parts of the platform, even 12 years later. It’s humbling and deeply rewarding to see how far the project has come and to know I played a role in laying its foundation.
Scaleway wasn’t just a company—it was an adventure that sparked my passion for infrastructure, system engineering, and hosting. It’s a mindset I carry with me into everything I do, from cloud platforms to decentralized systems like Gno. Building something that lasts, something people trust and rely on, is what drives me. And Scaleway was just the beginning.