Nebius Group: Riding the AI Wave with Strategic Gems in ClickHouse, Avride, and Toloka

The stock market is all about timing—and right now, Nebius Group (NASDAQ: NBIS) is hitting a grand slam. With its shares surging 146% in just three months, this AI infrastructure powerhouse isn't just keeping up with the tech boom—it's leading it. But what's fueling this rocket ride? Let's dig into the strategic stakes in ClickHouse, Avride, and Toloka, and why geopolitical shifts are making this stock a must-watch.

The Engine Behind the Surge: ClickHouse

Nebius' 28% stake in ClickHouse, a $6 billion analytics database giant, isn't just a side hustle—it's a cash machine. Think of it as the “oil” of big data. As AI systems demand faster processing, ClickHouse's high-performance engine is in超高 demand. And here's the kicker: Nebius can monetize this stake without diluting shareholders, using the proceeds to fuel its core AI infrastructure business.

But wait—there's more. ClickHouse's valuation is soaring because it's not tied to legacy systems. Unlike Oracle or SAP, it's built for the AI era. This is a rare asset in a market hungry for scalable infrastructure.

Toloka: The Data Play That's Going Global

Then there's Toloka, Nebius' AI data platform, which just scored a $72 million funding round in May 2025, led by Jeff Bezos' Bezos Expeditions and Shopify's CTO Mikhail Parakhin. This isn't just about the cash—it's about credibility. Toloka's role in providing critical training data for AI models gives Nebius a moat.

Why does this matter? AI needs data to learn—and Toloka's platform is where that data is sourced. With Bezos and Parakhin now at the helm, Toloka is primed to go global, especially in the U.S. market. And while Nebius is stepping back from voting control, it's still holding a major economic stake. Translation? Less risk, more upside.

Avride: The Autonomous Future Stake

Now, let's talk about the long game. Nebius' bet on Avride, an autonomous vehicle platform partnering with Uber and Hyundai, might not be profitable yet—but its total addressable market (TAM) is projected to hit $52 billion by 2030. This is a moonshot, and Nebius is buying a ticket to the launchpad.

Why Competitors Can't Keep Up

While rivals like CoreWeave (CRWV) are scrambling to fund their growth (remember their $9 billion Core Scientific acquisition?), Nebius is swimming in cash—$1.44 billion, with zero debt. This lets them invest aggressively ($544M in Q1 2025) without issuing new shares. Meanwhile, Microsoft (MSFT) may dominate cloud AI via Azure, but Nebius is the ground team—building the infrastructure that Azure and OpenAI rely on.

The Geopolitical X-Factor

Nebius' roots in Yandex's post-sanctions split mean it's untethered from Russia—a big deal as markets grow wary of geopolitical entanglements. Yet, some investors still see Nebius as a “Yandex legacy” stock. Wrong. This is a fresh Amsterdam-based tech giant, with leadership proven to pivot under pressure.

The Bottom Line: Buy the Dip, But Mind the Risks

Nebius is a growth stock on steroids—revenue jumped 385% in its last quarter—but it's still operating at a loss (-234% margin). The market hates red ink, which could mean volatility. However, Nebius' plan to hit breakeven by year-end and its $750M–$1B ARR target by 2025 are believable when you see the cash flow from its stakes.

Action Items:
- Buy on dips below $40 (as of July 14, 2025).
- Hold for the long term—this is a 5-year play.
- Beware of short-term panic: Nebius' model isn't about quarterly profits—it's about owning AI's infrastructure backbone.

In a market obsessed with short-term wins, Nebius is building for the future. This isn't just a stock—it's a bet on the AI ecosystem itself. And right now, that's the smartest play in town.

Stay aggressive, stay focused—and don't miss this train.