Buyer process v1.0
How Compute Compass works for AI teams.
This page explains what happens after you submit a workload, what we ask for, what we do with it, and what you get back. The process is designed for AI teams that need to make a defensible GPU procurement decision in days, not months. Compute Compass is free for buyers. We do not resell capacity, and providers cannot pay to alter your shortlist position.
Describe your workload
Submit a structured 6-field intake in roughly 5 minutes.
We ask for the workload type, framework, GPU and scale requirement, timeline, compliance and data residency constraints, and budget envelope. We do not ask for vendor names, internal pricing, or anything covered by NDA. Submissions are reviewed manually by a Compute Compass operator before any provider sees them. Nothing is forwarded to a provider at this stage.
Receive your shortlist
A scored shortlist of 3-5 EU GPU providers, delivered within 7 business days.
We build the shortlist by applying the framework documented on the methodology page. Hard filters eliminate providers who cannot serve your workload at all (GPU availability, residency, capacity, budget envelope). The remaining providers are scored against the five criteria, weighted by your stated priorities. You receive a PDF and a structured comparison view, with the score breakdown visible.
Compare what matters
Side-by-side view of pricing terms, hardware, jurisdiction, SLA posture, and contractual flexibility.
The shortlist surfaces line items most teams forget to ask about until contract review: egress per GB, storage rate, reserved versus on-demand differential, minimum commitment penalties, sub-processor list, DPA availability, and quoted lead time as of the last verified date. Each row shows where the data came from and when it was last refreshed.
Engage directly
We do not resell capacity. Provider introductions only happen with your written approval.
If you decide you want to talk to one or more providers from the shortlist, reply with the provider names. We send a single introduction email per provider with only the workload context you have explicitly approved being shared. You contract directly with the provider. Compute Compass does not take a cut of the deal and does not sit in the middle of the commercial relationship.
What you receive
What is in a Compute Compass shortlist.
A ranked shortlist
3 to 5 EU GPU providers ranked against your weighted criteria. Each provider entry includes why they made the list, their strongest dimension, their weakest dimension, the specific GPU model and region we matched against, a published rate, and the quoted lead time.
A score breakdown
Every shortlist shows the per-criterion score for each provider, with the weights you set. You can see exactly why one provider ranked above another. Numeric scores are visible internally to your team; they are not paid placement signals.
A procurement-ready PDF
The shortlist is delivered as a one-page-per-provider PDF your procurement and finance teams can read without context from you. The same content is available in a structured comparison view in the browser.
Data handling
What we do with your workload data
Workload context submitted via the buyer intake form is used solely to produce your shortlist. We do not share your submission with any provider before you give written approval. We do not sell buyer data. We retain anonymized, non-identifying signals (GPU type sought, sector, budget band, region) for aggregated demand reports made available to providers, but never in a form that identifies you or your company. You can request deletion of your submission at any time by emailing hello@computecompass.eu.
- Submissions reviewed manually by a Compute Compass operator before any provider sees them
- Provider introductions require written buyer approval, per introduction
- Aggregated demand signals are anonymized; identifying details never leave Compute Compass without consent
Buyer FAQ
Questions AI teams ask us
Is Compute Compass really free for buyers?
Yes. There is no fee for the shortlist, no introduction fee, and no cut of any contract you sign with a provider. Our revenue comes from a flat-fee verified-provider program on the provider side. Critically, that revenue is decoupled from ranking. Providers cannot pay to alter shortlist position.
What if my monthly GPU spend is below €10k?
We will still review the submission, but we may tell you that the EU specialist providers we track are not yet cost-competitive at your volume. In that case the honest recommendation is to stay on the hyperscaler you are on, or to look at one of two or three EU options where small-team economics work.
What if I'm already contracted with AWS, GCP, or Azure?
That is the most common buyer profile we see, and it is the right time to talk to us. We do not require you to switch. Many shortlists exist to inform a renewal decision, to evaluate moving a single workload to an EU provider for data-residency reasons, or to benchmark what you are currently paying against EU alternatives. Tell us your current provider in the intake form, and we will time the shortlist and any introductions to your renewal window.
Will providers contact me directly after I submit my workload?
No. No provider sees your submission, your contact details, or any identifying information unless you give written approval for a specific introduction to a specific provider. The shortlist arrives from us, not from providers. Introductions are one email per provider, sent only after you reply with the provider names you want to engage.
How is this different from calling three providers myself?
Three differences. First, you would have to pick three providers from a market of 25+ EU operators, most of which do not show up in conference sponsor lists. Second, providers will not give you their reserved or volume-discounted pricing without a discovery call, and they will not tell you which line items you should be asking competitors about. Third, the comparison framework is reusable: when you have a second workload in six months, the structure is already in place.
Can I see the raw scores?
Yes. Every shortlist shows the per-criterion score and the weights you set. Score breakdowns are part of the deliverable, not held back behind a paywall or revealed only after a conversation.
What happens if you cannot find a good match for my workload?
We tell you. We will explain which hard filter eliminated otherwise-strong providers (capacity, GPU model, residency, budget envelope), and where the closest near-misses are. If the honest answer is that no EU provider can serve your workload today at the scale and price you need, we will say that and recommend the hyperscaler option that fits best. We would rather lose a shortlist than deliver a misleading one.
Can I share the shortlist with my procurement and finance teams?
Yes. The shortlist is delivered as a procurement-ready PDF designed to stand alone without your verbal explanation. The score breakdown, the framework, and the score weights are all visible. There is no internal commentary or pricing held back.
What if my workload is sensitive enough that even your intake form feels like too much information?
Submit a redacted intake. Replace specifics with bands ("a generative model in the 70B-150B parameter range" rather than the exact model). We can produce a directional shortlist on bands alone, and you can fill in details once you have decided which providers to engage. We will tell you where the redaction reduces the precision of the match.
NEXT STEP
Submit a workload.
Roughly 10 minutes of intake. Scored shortlist in 7 business days. No commitment, no provider contact without your approval.