Fluidstack, a startup focusing on the construction of tailored data centres for AI enterprises, is reportedly in discussions to secure a $1 billion funding round, projecting a substantial valuation of $18 billion. This potential agreement, likely to be spearheaded by Jane Street, could significantly elevate Fluidstack’s worth, more than doubling its valuation from just a few months ago.
Back in December, the company was engaged in efforts to raise approximately $700 million at a $7.5 billion valuation, although there was no formal announcement regarding the closure of that funding round. This earlier initiative was reportedly led by Situational Awareness, an AI-focused fund initiated by Leopold Aschenbrenner, a former OpenAI researcher, and supported by prominent figures like Stripe’s Collison brothers and former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman.
Furthermore, discussions about this recent funding round were still active as of February, with Google allegedly considering an investment of $100 million. Notably, the excitement surrounding Fluidstack stems from a landmark agreement with Anthropic, which announced a $50 billion partnership for bespoke data centres in Texas and New York. Unlike larger cloud service providers such as AWS that cater to a variety of computing needs, Fluidstack has developed infrastructure specifically for AI applications.
The deal with Anthropic not only marks a significant endorsement of Fluidstack but also transforms its standing in the competitive U.S. market, where it had remained relatively obscure prior. Anthropic, primarily dependent on AWS and Google Cloud for its AI model, Claude, has rapidly expanded and requires additional capacity, which this partnership provides, granting them greater control over their cloud resources.
The importance of this collaboration led Fluidstack, which originated from Oxford University and has emerged as a notable player in Europe’s AI landscape, to move its headquarters from the UK to New York. The company also recently withdrew from a pivotal €10 billion AI project in France, pivoting its focus explicitly towards opportunities in the United States.
In addition to Anthropic, Fluidstack has built a diverse clientele that includes Meta, Poolside, and Black Forest Labs, and before partnering with Anthropic, it was well-known for supplying infrastructure to Mistral, an AI company.
Despite attempts to reach out for comments, Fluidstack has yet to respond. This ongoing narrative of rapid growth and investment interest signifies the escalating demand for tailored AI infrastructure solutions, paving the way for Fluidstack’s prominent role in this evolving tech landscape.
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