AI datacenter startup Fluidstack in talks for $1B round at $18B valuation months after hitting $7.5B, says report

Fluidstack, a burgeoning startup specializing in AI-focused data centers, is reportedly negotiating a significant funding round of $1 billion, aiming for a staggering valuation of $18 billion, according to Bloomberg. If successful, this funding could more than double the company's valuation within just a few months. In December, Fluidstack was in the process of raising approximately $700 million at a valuation of $7.5 billion. While this round was purportedly led by Situational Awareness—an AGI-centric investment fund established by former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner, with backing from notable figures like Stripe’s Collison brothers and ex-GitHub CEO Nat Friedman—Fluidstack had yet to officially announce the closing of that round. Reports indicate that discussions for this new funding round have been ongoing, including potential contributions from Google, which was contemplating an investment of $100 million, as noted by the Wall Street Journal. The excitement surrounding Fluidstack stems from a groundbreaking partnership with Anthropic, which announced a monumental $50 billion deal to develop customized data centers in Texas and New York tailored to its specific requirements. Unlike major cloud providers such as AWS, Fluidstack's infrastructure is designed exclusively for AI applications. This partnership not only reflects a strong endorsement of Fluidstack's capabilities but also marks a pivotal moment for the startup, which had previously remained under the radar in the U.S. Anthropic, primarily reliant on AWS and Google Cloud for its Claude AI, is experiencing rapid growth, necessitating additional infrastructure control. This strategic alliance has prompted Fluidstack to relocate its headquarters from the UK to New York, emphasizing its commitment to expanding its presence in the U.S. market. Recently, the startup also withdrew from a significant €10 billion AI initiative in France to concentrate on American opportunities. In addition to its collaboration with Anthropic, Fluidstack counts major players like Meta, Poolside, and Black Forest Labs among its clientele. Before partnering with Anthropic, Fluidstack was best recognized for supplying infrastructure services to Mistral. The company has yet to respond to inquiries for comment.