Fluidstack, a fast-growing startup that builds specialized data centers for AI companies, is currently in discussions to raise a $1 billion funding round at an $18 billion valuation. According to reports, Jane Street may potentially lead the round, thereby signaling strong investor confidence in AI infrastructure startups.
If the deal materialises, it will more than double Fluidstack’s valuation within a short span, highlighting the rapid surge in demand for AI-focused data center infrastructure. Previously, in December, the company was reportedly raising around $700 million at a $7.5 billion valuation, although it did not officially confirm the closure of that round.
At that time, sources indicated that Situational Awareness, founded by former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner, was leading the round. Additionally, prominent backers included the Collison brothers of Stripe, former GitHub CEO Nat Friedman, and AI investor Daniel Gross.
Subsequently, discussions for the round continued into February, with Google reportedly considering a $100 million investment, as per The Wall Street Journal. These ongoing negotiations underscore the growing competition among investors to back high-potential AI infrastructure providers.
Meanwhile, Fluidstack has attracted significant attention due to its strategic partnerships and large-scale deals. In November, Anthropic announced that it had signed a $50 billion agreement with the startup to build custom-designed data centers in Texas and New York. Unlike hyperscalers such as Amazon Web Services, which cater to diverse computing needs, Fluidstack focuses exclusively on AI-specific infrastructure, thereby offering tailored solutions for high-performance workloads.
This landmark deal significantly boosted Fluidstack’s credibility, especially in the U.S. market, where it was previously less well-known. Although Anthropic continues to rely on Google Cloud and AWS to deliver its Claude AI models, it has increasingly sought greater control over its infrastructure. Similar to OpenAI, Anthropic is scaling rapidly, and this partnership enables it to secure additional computing capacity while maintaining operational flexibility.
As a result of this strategic shift, Fluidstack has realigned its global operations. Originally spun out of the University of Oxford and recognised as a rising player in Europe’s AI ecosystem, the company has relocated its headquarters from the United Kingdom to New York to capitalise on expanding opportunities in the U.S. market. Furthermore, the startup recently withdrew from a major €10 billion AI project in France to sharpen its focus on U.S.-based growth initiatives.
In addition to Anthropic, Fluidstack serves a growing roster of high-profile clients, including Meta, Poolside, and Black Forest Labs. Earlier, the company gained recognition for providing infrastructure support to Mistral, further solidifying its position in the global AI infrastructure market.
Fluidstack’s potential $1 billion funding round and soaring valuation reflect the intensifying demand for AI-driven data center solutions worldwide. As artificial intelligence adoption accelerates, the company aims to emerge as a key player in next-generation cloud infrastructure, thereby attracting significant investor interest and shaping the future of AI computing.
