Phaidra, a Seattle startup using artificial intelligence to make data center operations more energy efficient, today announced $50 million in new funding.
The company is developing AI agents to coordinate the electricity, liquid cooling and workload management systems at data centers so the facilities perform at levels “that exceed the capability of human intuition or hard-coded controls logic,” Phaidra leaders explain.
The startup, led by alums from Alphabet’s AI research hub DeepMind, launched in 2019. Its technology uses an array of sensors to measure multiple metrics and analyzes that information.
“Every breakthrough in AI requires an equally ambitious breakthrough in infrastructure efficiency,” said Phaidra CEO Jim Gao, in a statement. “Our technology enables AI data centers to run smarter, not just harder, cutting costs while dramatically reducing their environmental footprint.”
Data centers gobble power to run servers and provide cooling for the electronics, and deployment of new facilities is limited by access to energy sources. That power demand is creating multiple negative impacts, including fueling the increased use of coal and natural gas, and spiking electricity prices for residents in communities in proximity to data centers.
Companies including Microsoft and Amazon are working to power their data centers with clean energy such as solar, wind and batteries, plus they’re investing in emerging technologies such as geothermal, next-generation nuclear and fusion. But these alternatives can’t match the pace of demand.
The new cash will help Phaidra further develop its technology, strengthen its collaboration with leading chip maker Nvidia and expand its global customer base.
The Series B round was led by Collaborative Fund, with participation from Helena, Index Ventures, NVIDIA, Sony Innovation Fund and others.
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