Data sovereigntyEU jurisdictionGDPR & NIS2

Custom sovereign cloud development

A sovereign cloud keeps your data and applications under European jurisdiction, beyond the reach of the US CLOUD Act. Appfront is a software and app agency: we build your applications so they run on a sovereign, EU-based cloud, and we move existing systems there. We are not a hosting provider ourselves; we advise independently on the right provider and architecture, and make sure your software runs reliably on it.

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What is a sovereign cloud?

A sovereign cloud is cloud infrastructure that falls entirely under European law and European ownership. The distinction is not only about where the data centres are located: a US provider remains subject to the US CLOUD Act even if its servers are in the EU, because the parent company can be compelled to hand over data. Truly sovereign means the provider is established in the EU, is EU-owned, and is governed solely by EU law.

For organisations handling sensitive or regulated data, this distinction matters more because of regulation such as the GDPR, the NIS2 Directive (in force since October 2024 for eighteen critical sectors) and the EU Data Act. Appfront makes sure your application meets those requirements: data minimisation built into the architecture, clear legal bases for processing, and a design that does not rely on services that move your data outside the EU.

How we approach this

Assessment and requirements

We map out your applications, data flows and legal requirements: which data is sensitive, which integrations exist, and which sovereignty requirements apply to your sector.

Architecture and provider selection

We design an architecture that runs on EU sovereign infrastructure and give independent advice on suitable providers, without tying you to any single party.

Build or migrate

We build the application or migrate your existing system, with attention to integrations, security and portability so you don't end up in a new vendor lock-in.

Operations and ongoing development

After handover, we provide monitoring, maintenance and further development, so your solution keeps pace with changing legislation and your organisation.

What we build and manage

Making applications EU-ready

We design or rebuild applications so that they run on sovereign infrastructure, without dependence on non-EU services.

Independent provider advice

We advise on EU-established providers that suit your workload, based on your requirements rather than on commission.

Data minimisation by design

Only the data that is needed is processed and stored, with clear legal bases and logging.

Integrations

We build integrations with your existing systems and, where possible, with European alternatives to non-EU services.

Portability

We build with open standards and containers so that you can move without becoming locked in again.

Management and monitoring

Ongoing maintenance, security updates and monitoring of the sovereign environment.

For whom

Government and public sector

Organisations that process sensitive citizen data and want to demonstrably remain under EU jurisdiction.

Healthcare

Institutions that process medical data and face strict requirements for processing and retention.

Financial sector

Parties subject to DORA and additional supervisory requirements that need data localisation.

Critical infrastructure

Sectors covered by NIS2 that want to safeguard their digital supply chain.

Technology and approach

We build with open, portable technology so that your solution is not tied to a single vendor. Where possible we use containers and Kubernetes, infrastructure as code and open standards, so that moving between sovereign providers remains possible.

EU-established cloud

Kubernetes / containers

Open standards

Infrastructure as Code

OpenStack-compatible stacks

Encryption in transit and at rest

OWASP security

Monitoring and logging

Why Appfront

Appfront is an independent software and app agency. We do not sell hosting ourselves, so our advice on providers and architecture is not coloured by a platform of our own. We combine building your application with the expertise to set it up sovereign and future-proof.

Independent of hosting parties and hyperscalers
Experience with migrations and custom integrations
Privacy and data minimisation from the architecture onwards
Open standards so that you do not get locked in again

Related services

Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly is a sovereign cloud?

A sovereign cloud is cloud infrastructure that falls entirely under European law and European ownership. It goes beyond the location of the data centres: a US provider remains subject to the US CLOUD Act even if its servers are in the EU. Truly sovereign means EU-established, EU-owned and governed solely by EU law.

Does Appfront itself provide a sovereign cloud?

No. We are a software and app development agency, not a hosting provider or data centre. We build and migrate your applications so they run on a sovereign cloud, and we give independent advice on the provider that fits your requirements.

Why does the US CLOUD Act matter if my data is in Europe?

Under the US CLOUD Act, a US company can be compelled to hand over data, even if that data is physically held in a European data centre. Jurisdiction follows the parent company, not just the server location. That is why we look at ownership and headquarters, not only at where the data is stored.

Which organisations is this relevant for?

Mainly for government, healthcare, the financial sector and organisations in sectors covered by NIS2, or those that otherwise want to demonstrably remain under EU jurisdiction. For many other organisations, a partly sovereign or hybrid approach is more suitable, and we discuss that openly.

Can you migrate our existing applications?

Yes. We take over existing applications or move them to sovereign infrastructure, with attention to integrations, security and portability. We start with a review of the current architecture and draw up a migration plan.

How do you prevent a new vendor lock-in?

We build with open standards, containers and infrastructure as code, so your solution stays portable and you can move later without having to rebuild.

Getting started with a sovereign cloud

Would you like to bring your applications under EU jurisdiction or set up a new solution sovereignly? We are happy to think along with you independently about the approach.

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