GridFree AI Raises $5 Million to Revolutionize Data Center Deployment for AI
GridFree AI, a company incubated by Montauk Climate, has unveiled a groundbreaking solution for data center infrastructure that dramatically reduces development timelines. The company has raised $5 million in funding, led by Giant Ventures with participation from Amplo.
The new model, centered around the Power Foundry™ platform, aims to streamline the expansion of AI and cloud computing systems by integrating grid-independent power, battery storage, and cooling with data center infrastructure.
The Role of the Power Foundry™ Platform
The Power Foundry™ platform stands at the heart of GridFree AI’s innovation, enabling the construction of data centers in locations that were previously inaccessible due to energy and infrastructure limitations.
The platform uses natural gas to generate electricity and cooling with up to 90% efficiency, vastly outperforming the grid's typical efficiency of around 36%. This approach not only accelerates the deployment of AI infrastructure but also supports net-zero operations by locating data centers near carbon storage infrastructure.
The Power Foundry™ platform accelerates compute revenue by 3–5 years, cuts CAPEX and OPEX by a third, boosts IT power capacity by 50%, and supports projects even in areas with unreliable grid access.
Also read: Microsoft Invests $400M to Boost Swiss AI & Cloud Infrastructure
Leadership Team with Deep Industry Expertise
GridFree AI’s leadership team is uniquely equipped to drive the company's mission forward. Co-founders Patrick Yantzand Ralph Alexander bring a wealth of experience from the energy and tech sectors, with backgrounds in energy systems integration, computing infrastructure, and cross-disciplinary solutions.
Patrick Yantz, formerly a leader in Global Edge Operations at Microsoft, and Ralph Alexander, former CEO of BP’s Global Gas, Power, and Renewables unit, aim to tackle the challenges posed by the growing demand for AI infrastructure.
Patrick Yantz, said, “Our team unites the strengths of critical industries striving to address AI growth challenges to provide the comprehensive solutions our customers need. Our Power Foundry™ brings proven power and cooling industrialization and scale to the data center industry with unparalleled efficiency while maintaining familiar reliability and resiliency. This marks a new era for computing infrastructure, and we're proud to lead the way.”
Modular, Transportable, and Data-Driven Solutions
The modular nature of GridFree AI’s platform ensures flexibility in deployment, whether on land or at sea. Each installation generates real-time operational data, feeding back into the company’s optimization systems to continuously improve the platform’s performance. This capability allows real-time optimization across multiple deployments, creating a network effect that sets GridFree AI apart from conventional solutions.
